Happy New Year from LAAFA! We are starting off the new year with our “Get To Know Our Instructors” series at LAAFA. This month is alumna and instructor, Amanda Mears. Below is a list of Q&A to get to know her a little better:

  • What was your experience like as a student here at LAAFA?

As a student and now a teacher at LAAFA, I really value LAAFA for giving me the opportunity to work with really talented, dedicated students and faculty.

  • What is your preferred method or medium?

Drawing and painting. Also printmaking.

  • Did you continue, or are continuing, your studies elsewhere?

I am currently attending Claremont Graduate School MFA program on a full scholarship. I will graduate in May 2020.

  • What are some projects that you are currently working on?

At the moment I am mainly working on paintings for my thesis show at Claremont in March 2020. My paintings are landscape-based and large scale. I have also continued my figure-drawing practice that I began at LAAFA and will have a large scale figure drawing in an exhibition about body image called “Perceive Me” that opens in January 2020 at Cal State LA Jan 21 to Feb 24, 2020, then travels to McNish Gallery at Oxnard City College Nov 5, 2020 to January, 2021, Coastline Community College January 2021 to March 2021, Mesa Community College March 2021 to April 2021, Lancaster Museum Of Art and History (MOAH) October 2, 2021 to November 21, 2021and then College of the Sequoias, Visalia March 2022.

  • What advice do you have for current or future students of LAAFA looking to make it into the art world?

Find your own voice because that will make you happy, and also make your work really interesting to other people as well.