Amber McCants on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Amber McCants and have shared our conversation below.

Amber, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I recently started a small garden in my backyard, and I’m definitely obsessed. Red potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers (well…bell pepper), parsley, and basil. Seeing my vegetables making progress has been very grounding and joyful for me. I’m hoping to get some lettuce and greens started for the fall soon. Then I’ll invite everyone over for a salad party or something.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Amber McCants, a mixed media self portrait artist. Over the last 3 years, my practice has leaned heavily into the use of water based media, with materials ranging from tea to ink to watercolor. While the paintings themselves are portraits of myself, the ideas and concepts behind them are typically based on observations and interest of both my internal and external worlds. My most recent painting, “The Seventh Son (Bad Case of the Stripes)”, is based on my exploration of the concept of double consciousness, a concept introduced by W.E.B. Du Bois, to describe the internal experience of “twoness” faced by black Americans.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
My dad would always compliment me as a child on how observant I was. I was always paying attention, always taking mental notes and drawing connections. I’ve largely continued to maneuver through the world in this way, not often speaking my mind, but still watching. I think being so perceptive is what led me to becoming an artist. I was noticing shifts within myself and in the world, and I needed a place outside of myself to pull at these links I was seeing. That’s what art making is for me. Observe, note, process, repeat. So, in a sense, I was an artist before the world told me I had to be anything else.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I have been the queen of “what if” for a large part of my life. What if this? What if that? What if I do it this way when I was meant to do it that way? What if I’m moving in the wrong direction? What if my efforts are fruitless? My journals and sketchbooks know these questions well. I have a fear of doing life wrong, as if that could be possible, and I feel that’s what’s really held me back up to this point. These ruminations tend to lead to analysis paralysis, and a lot of good ideas with great potential end up left on the table. Sometimes, those ideas even manage to float from my brain to someone else’s and I end up wishing I would’ve taken action earlier. What I’m learning is that there are two sides to every “what if.” Things could go wrong, yes, but what if everything goes right? What if the painting turns out better than you imagined? What if you have a better time than you thought you would? I’m learning that you can make a choice in the moment and make a decision later. You chose to make that painting and didn’t like how it turned out? You can decide to take a different approach on the next one. You chose to go to that event and didn’t enjoy it? You can decide that those sorts of functions aren’t your style. I’ve spent a good bit of my life in one spot, wait for the right path to light up in my mind. As simple as it sounds, I’m learning that paths are made by walking.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
If you asked my best friend, she could attest to my deep respect for Solange. I’ll always admire an artist that shows true dedication to their practice and a willingness to step into something new. Over the years, we’ve seen Solange flow through her own personal albums, to orchestral and sound performances, to sculpture, to her own library collection. That sort of inclination towards exploration is not only inspiring to me, but also affirming whenever I’m feeling the need to stick to one lane. She proves that you can maneuver through many mediums and become a jack of all trades.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’d say I’m doing a bit of both. After college, I took a job that pays the bills and keeps some money in my pocket, as a lot of people do. I didn’t think that my work had anything to do with my life as an artist, considering that it’s a standard customer facing desk job. The observer in me can’t help but take notice of the dynamics in any space I’m in though. I’ve found myself observing my interactions with people in my daily environment, and even the flow of the environment itself. I take these mental notes home to reflect, scrutinize them, and essentially make something out of what I initially thought to be nothing. This shift in perspective has kept my creativity alive in an otherwise still and quiet moment for me, maybe even expanding it in some ways.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ambermccants.com
• Instagram: amber.jeen