We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Farley recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Production Design. Because of the pandemic, I had no clear plan for my future. I worked a few random jobs while trying to push myself to still be creative. Over time, I slowly took on more commissions, signed a contract with a gallery to exhibit my some of my work and even illustrated a published book. After more random projects, I decided I wanted a little more control. I didn’t always want to rely on other galleries to show my work or wait for someone to email me for my next commission. In 2023, I created Colony Art Collective where I could create an online platform to display and sell my own original artwork, as well as other artists’. The more people I met in the industry, the more I realized this was a common concern. So many of my fellow artists had great portfolios but no place to show them. Or, they had indirect methods of selling and shipping their work.
At Colony Art Collective, I am dedicated to promote any artwork of my artists’ choosing. Once the artwork is purchased, the artwork is safely shipped to the buyer and the artist is paid their fair percentage of the sale price. The collective also serves as a safe space for new artists to learn the process of critiques and art ventures.
Through this company, I’ve enjoyed supporting my peers and I hope to continue to grow.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My small business, Colony Art Collective, is not only a website to purchase artwork, but a growing community. We often sell artwork in local markets, participate in charity events, and even hosted a group exhibition for our involved artists. I love giving our artists as many opportunities as I can.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think three qualities that were impactful in my journey are time dedication, time management, and passion. I created my idea of an artist collective and took the necessary steps to make it real within just 3 months. Without working hard and believing in myself, I never would have dedicated so much of myself to creating something I was proud of.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’m always interested in making new connections and would love to grow the number of artists in Colony Art Collective. In specific, the group love artists who love to be involved. It’s always great to host an event where our artists can not only use each other for advice, but almost just hang out like actual friends. Our website has a short biography of each current artist and a link to contact me about joining.
Contact Info:
- Website: amandafarley.com
- Instagram: amandafarleyart
- Other: Colony Art Collective: www.colonyartcollective.com
Image Credits
