Check Out Hannah Amidon’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Amidon. 

Hannah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama raised by my role model who taught me everything she knows. My mother, Karen Libecap is an artist herself and I followed in her footsteps. I grew up being inspired by laughter and joy. My family went through rough times, but their love and joy always got me through. In my senior year of high school, a dream came to me of an ear with waves coming out of it. I didn’t know what I was painting but I needed to paint it. I come to find out what I painted was a pun, “Sound Waves”. I had another dream of a television with a nose on the screen. Again, not knowing I realized it was “Smellivision.” These puns started to come to me every day, thinking of the world differently. That is what I love about what I do. These puns are comical, but everyone that sees my art starts to think about the world differently. Not only am I an artist but a soccer player as well. I played soccer since I could walk and stumbled upon SCAD, (Savannah College of Art and Design), where I could go to school for two of the greatest passions in my life. There I met my best friends. Friends who challenged me to be the greatest artist, soccer player, and person I could be. Throughout college, I had projects and every project I would turn into a pun (My professors probably thought I was crazy). I have been in a couple of art shows and those filled me with so much joy seeing people in front of my art laughing as hard as they could. After graduating I moved to Nashville where I am determined to spread my art and joy. I have published a children’s book on Amazon called, “The Sheep Who Loves to Read” and am working on a series of pun books. I have made everything from stuffed animals, thumb drive (a thumb you can store information on), sculptures, paintings, books, greeting cards, tote bags, etc. I am currently working on a chair made of plush arms I am sewing, soon to be called “Arm Chair.” People ask me how I get my inspiration. I joke about being dropped on my head as a baby, but it’s the people I meet in life; The people I pass on the street, the people that hug me when I am sad, the people that raised me, everyone affects my life in a small or big way. I do everything I do because of them. I love everyone and everything. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Everyone goes through challenges, but it’s how you process them and learn to grow. Growing up I had a lot of life challenges, but I learned to smile and love even more. Getting into my art, I have had many as all artists do. My high school art teacher was not too fond of me, I think. The one thing she ever said to me was how she was jealous of my creativity. Just one person that fuels me to be a better artist. 

In a coffee shop, I was drawing as an older man came up to me and told me I should marry rich. I told him all about how eventually, I want to have my own brand and one day a store with my mother. Just another person to prove wrong. 

In New York, visiting my roommate’s sister, I took my portfolio and book proposal to a high-end publishing company on wall street. I do not know what I was expecting, but I was a young girl with a big heart. I was wearing a groovy top, red flare pants, white go-go boots, and a holographic unicorn purse. I stuck out like a sore thumb. I waltzed in and said I have a book I would like to publish if I could talk to anyone, and the security guard looked at me and said, “You can’t do anything, you’re just a little girl.” I then bawled my eyes out walked out and got lost on the subway. Just another person to prove wrong. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a pun enthusiast. I take a word, such as salmon, and illustrate a salmon fish dressed as a guy in a man cave, therefore “salMAN”. I paint mainly in acrylic and watercolor. I take my illustrations and apply them to t-shirts, prints, posters, coffee mugs, stuffed animals, etc. I also have a handful of books in the process. I think what separates me from other pun artists is that puns are simple and comical, but mine take it one more step further. My puns make you think about words differently. I think to be a good artist people take something away from your work after they walk away, and I like to think they walk away with joy. 

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think the art world is always changing. We have these incredible artists that we look up to and learn from, but the truth is every artist is a good one. I don’t think we could ever live in a world without art, which is exciting to think because we will create until we create more. 

Pricing:

• Paintings range from $200-700
• T-shirts $33
• Titty Bears $150
• Prints range from $35-75
• Commission work: depends on design

Contact Info:

• Email: hannahamidonart@gmail.com
• Website: Hannahamidonart.com
• Instagram: @hannahamidonart

Image Credits
Kara Beemer Photography