Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandy Maples.
Mandy Maples is an American, self-taught artist who was born in Birmingham, Alabama to a family brimming with writers, poets, musicians, cooks, and visual artists. Mandy’s family encouraged her creativity as a child and found that she was gifted in drawing and replicating the masters. Her second-grade teacher often sent her class artwork home with notes attached, relaying her astonishment at Mandy having created such masterful artworks at such a young age. Her unique talent continued to grow into adulthood.
2010 brought the opening of Mandy’s interior design business where she began creating one-of-a-kind pieces of original art for her clients. Art soon took on a life of its own, and there began the journey into the professional art world. Mandy is a Mixed Media, Abstract artist. She describes her abstracts as “studies of movement”, and revels in using neutral tones to layer her work. Mandy has been a self-employed, full-time artist since 2013.
Mandy has since become a widely collected, international artist, showing her work in galleries and beautiful homes across the world. Her art was highlighted at the Art Shopping exhibition at Le Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France, in October 2017. Her work has been featured on many art and design blogs and included in numerous magazines such as Birmingham Home Magazine, Southern Spaces Magazine, Southern Style Magazine, and Good Grit Magazine. Mandy has featured in the Coffee Table Book, “City Farmhouse Style: Designs for a Modern Country Life” by Kim Leggett. Mandy Maples lives with her daughter and dog, Wrigley in North Alabama. She has a Studio Gallery in Vinemont, Alabama.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. I was not very tech-savvy coming into this business in 2013. I had to learn all about social media and algorithms and platforms. I eventually hired someone to help me through the process of self-marketing. Learning this type of marketing has paid off in huge dividends, so I am glad I took the time to really learn and h sweat and what social media can do for artists.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am and expressionist artist who paints mixed media abstracts. I also paint Native Americans. I have many collectors in each genre and many who also collect both of my styles. I am probably more well known for my Native Americans, although my abstracts are quickly catching up. I am most proud of showing my Native Americans at an exhibition in Paris in 2017 at Le Carrousel de Louvre. I was mere steps from the Mona Lisa, which was so exciting to me. While there, I collected many new European followers and collectors. It was a huge exposure for me. The thing that sets me apart from other artists, besides my style of painting, is my approach to do two completely types of art for my collectors. I always think it’s so exciting to see how creative an artist can get. To see them stretch their abilities.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I don’t believe in looking back. I think God had a plan for me, and I started when I was supposed to. I did the things I had to do, and I learned from them. That learning has brought me so much success, so I don’t regret a thing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.studiosamaples.com
- Phone: 2567363693
- Email: info@studiosamaples.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/samaplesart
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/samaplesart
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/samaplesart
Image Credit:
Lisa Jones
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