An Inspired Chat with Amara Nogee

Amara Nogee shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Amara, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Creatively, inktober has made me lose track of time—and find myself again. Having a daily prompt to draw throughout October has been an inspiring challenge. I tell myself it is silly and to just sketch something quickly but find myself lost in doodling. A calm comes over me. Physically (and on every level I suppose which will be no surprise for anyone who knows me), snuggling my cat warps time. When he is nearby, time moves forward without us sometimes—most times.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, my name is Amara and I am a graphic designer/artist. It is interesting to think about “my brand” as I recently decided to pursue the development of one. After working full time for nearly 20 years in design doing the 9–5 under supervisors, I took a leap to build “AND” (Amara Nogee Designs). Currently, I am enjoying working closely with clients as I explore whatever visual requests come my way in various industries. Experiencing the impact custom designs can bring to a space or piece is special and the connections created along the way make the work unique. No two clients or projects are the same and each one comes with a beautiful personality. At the moment, I’m working on designs in the fields of education, finance, the arts and even honing in on some fine arts skills for an illustrated children’s book. On the side, I’m still dabbling in “the doodle shoppe” —a passion project launched in 2021 that features original doodles on redbubble. Other passion projects include linocut printmaking and illustrated haikus.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was quite late into adulthood. Power was never something I considered having or cared to obtain. I have always simply wanted to create. However, I recall a few years ago, having to walkthrough a school as part of my previous job to assess the aesthetics of the building. I had been on many walkthroughs before but always with a leader who would record requests and offer recommendations. For the first time, I met with school leaders solo, expecting them to tell me their visions for the space. To my surprise, they asked for my opinion and told me they trusted my advice. I was taken aback. Up until that point, I had always taken requests but never had much of a voice in the process. Their trust in me allowed me to see myself in a different light. That moment motivated me to be more confident and to recognize that people see me and hear me.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Heartbreak and loss have been defining wounds of my life. Grief is not linear and I would not say I am healed. However, I am learning the importance of clearly defining what I want. Sometimes after figuring out what we truly we want, it is not in the cards for us at which point all we can do is assess other aspects of life. What is bringing me joy? What is causing me stress/sadness? What are the things in my control to tip the scales to mostly joy? I hope by continuing to reflect and setting mini goals of things within my control, I will heal in time.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
The comedian Russel Brand once spoke about how humans only have five senses and the possibility that there are multitudes beyond us that we don’t have the receptors for. If we did not have the sense of smell, how would we even know smells exist? I think about this often and I do believe that there are energies around us that we don’t have the ability to prove…what those energies are, who knows?

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing? 
I have a long internal list of passion projects I would like to finish that I will regret not doing. If completed, it will be nice to leave behind visual, tangible projects as part of a legacy. While I’m still here, I would also like the opportunity to tell loved ones how strongly I feel for them.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @the.doodleshoppe
• Other: amaranogee.redbubble.com (the doodle shoppe)

  https://issuu.com/amaranogee/docs/amara-design-portfolio-pages (samples)

Image Credits
NufSaid Music