Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Crabtree.
Hi Amanda, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Making art has always been an important part of my life, but it wasn’t until my senior year of college, when I took a 2D animation class, that I realized I could pursue art as a career. I fell head over heels for the magic that is animated storytelling. So, I found my way to Los Angeles and Marvel Animation Studios. I worked first in production management, and then as a pre-production artist on their animated children’s series. I loved every minute. The animation industry is filled with amazing, exceptionally talented people and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it.
2020 and the pandemic changed everything, though. By then I was married with two young children and keeping everyone cooped up in a small apartment during lockdown quickly became unsustainable. We made the decision to move back to the east coast for what we planned on being a temporary stint, but ended up becoming permanent.
I managed to stay in the animation industry and work remotely for another year or so, but part of what I loved about being in animation was working in person with a team. Being holed up in my home studio did not bring the same joy and fulfillment, so I decided that if I was going to be working all these hours alone, I might as well work on the stories that I wanted to tell, I just needed to figure out what those stories were.
Some of my strongest memories from childhood involve sitting on the floor of our living room for what felt like hours on end, pouring over picture books. I would stare at the illustrations, absorbing every detail, living for a time in these vivid, gentle worlds. My primary artistic study in college was actually printmaking, but I hadn’t worked in the medium since graduating, so for the first time in over a decade I tried my hand again at linocut printmaking and began creating my own illustrations. I started writing stories to go along with the illustrations, and soon after connected with my literary agent. So, while I do still work in the animation space from time to time, I now work primarily as an author-illustrator of picture books.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The only honest answer is no, the road has been anything but smooth – it’s been winding, rocky, foggy, I’ve maybe had to chisel my way through a couple mountains here and there to keep the road going. I think any self-employed artist would agree that there’s a certain level of anxiety that you experience on a daily basis when your financial security is tied to your creative output. I also entered parenthood before establishing myself as a professional artist, so trying to build an artistic voice and career while also raising young kids is no small feat, especially if there’s a global pandemic going on at the same time.
What has made the hard parts of the journey do-able though is the beautiful, supportive community I’ve found along the way. Here in Durham especially I have found such a welcoming and vibrant creative community, and for that I am very grateful.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Right now I focus mainly on writing and illustrating picture books. What I love about them is that they only work when there is an intelligent relationship between the images and the words, as well as between the book and the reader. A good book leaves room for the reader’s imagination to play within it, and it is the art of creating this space that, as an author, I am constantly trying to hone and become better at. My first book, One Ghostly Night, is being published by Random House Studio in the summer of 2027, and in it there is a lot of mischief and play that I am so excited to share with young readers.
To make my illustrations, I use linocut printmaking techniques where I carve and print each element by hand, then collage all of those elements together digitally to create the final image. I am very tactile and love working with my hands, so I keep my making process analogue as much as possible, and only pull things into Photoshop at the very end.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I think I have different approaches when it comes to mentorship and networking, and both have been instrumental in getting me where I am today. When seeking out mentors, being really clear about what your goals are is important, and shows respect for the time that they invest in you. When I was transitioning my art from an animation-specific style to art that worked for picture books, I spent a full year working with a professional mentor (Giuseppe Castellano at The Illustration Department), which provided the structure and support that I needed to develop my voice as an author and illustrator.
With networking, I just think of it as making friends. A lot of my working hours are done hermit-style, holed up in my studio, so I have very intentionally sought out a creative community because I know I need it to be happy. I love collaborations, and there’s nothing better than getting to work on projects with friends, but I don’t go into networking situations with a business-first mindset. I go with a relationship-first mindset, because at the end of the day, friendship with my creative peers is what is most valuable to me. Also, you don’t have to be a chatty extrovert to build good community, you just have to show up authentically, consistently, and with a generous spirit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amandacrabtree.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alittlecrabtree/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-crabtree-386aaa37
- Other: https://myyellowarmchair.substack.com/
Image Credits
Ellizon Torres
