Today we’d like to introduce you to Chaila Amundson
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born And raised in a small town called Redwood Falls, Minnesota. I have one younger sister and three older brothers, and 8 nieces and nephews.
I grew up loving volleyball, doing arts and crafts, cooking, and baking.
I suffered some health issues beginning in the 7th grade that affected my school attendance and I ended up doing online school from 8th through 10th grade due to that.
I’ve been an artist my whole life. I started drawing in middle school and really took a liking to faces. I eventually dabbled in acrylic painting, Still gravitating towards portraits of people (specifically Marilyn Monroe. I even painted a mural of her on my wall when I was 15!)
By the time I was a senior in high school, my art teacher told me that I had to try oil paint for my next project, and that I didn’t have a choice because she knew that I would fall in love with it. I was hesitant at first because everyone always talks about how hard it is to work with oil paint, but I quickly found out that she was right. Once I started using oil paint, there was no looking back. It’s my favorite medium to use today and I use it for all of my portraits.
My muse has always been Marilyn Monroe. I love the femininity, sensuality, beauty, and boldness she exudes—I love capturing it in my paintings. I have painted about 10 Marilyn Monroe’s in oils over the past 8 years.
My first commission was in 2018. I was commissioned by a 93 year old man that I did home care assistant work for. He really encouraged me to use my talents. (He passed away in 2019 but I think he would be proud of me today.)
I started getting a ton of commissions in 2020, and then fell into a depression at the end of that year. funny enough, it was triggered by my older brother, Colton, Moving to Austin. He moved to Austin to pursue his dreams in video production. I felt like I was going nowhere in life and I spiraled from there. 2021 was a big struggle for me—with the depression and then a devastating turning point in a significant relationship, it didn’t feel like things would ever get better. This inspired one of my favorite pieces to date “Roses Still Have Their Thorns”. That was the only painting I created during that 2 year span.
I was able to slowly pull myself out of the depression and I was ready for a big change. I moved to Austin from my small town in Minnesota in April of 2024 to pursue my dreams of being an artist! My big brother was a huge inspiration for my decision, and having him here made the transition very easy. My entire family is extremely supportive of my endeavors—especially my parents. I feel fortunate to have the support system I do.
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 biggest challenge I face as an artist is not being good enough. I have a fear of being seen and feel introverted/reserved. I struggle with connecting with people even though I want to so badly. I just don’t know what to say usually. And then I overthink and that usually makes things worse as most people can probably relate to. This makes me want to avoid interacting with people, and that’s obviously not an option as an artist. All of that leads back to feeling like I’m not good enough. It’s a vicious cycle I’m working on getting out of.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a photorealistic oil portrait artist, specializing in black and white paintings of people. (I also do pet portraits and a colorful boudoir style painting as well) I primarily do commission work, and that’s because I really love capturing the emotion and every detail of someone’s “perfect moment” and turning it into an everlasting art piece that they get to cherish for life. I love being able to evoke emotion in my viewer, and it’s exactly the reason why I paint portraits. Whether it’s a pet portrait I painted for a grieving owner, or a portrait of a sweet baby that makes a mom’s heart explode when she sees her most precious creation perfectly captured in on canvas—I love every emotion that comes with painting portraits for people.
What sets me apart is my value of precision and emotional authenticity. I understand that the moments I paint hold deep significance and represent “perfect moments” of someone’s life. I want to honor those moments by capturing every detail and emotion exactly as they remember it so it holds the same meaning that inspired them to preserve it as a work of art.
How do you think about happiness?
Playing volleyball with my friends on a Friday night.
Being an auntie (4 nieces, 3 nephews, and a nephew on the way! But they’re all 1000 miles away, unfortunately.)
Having a good conversation with someone new.
Making a delicious nutritious meal. And making a dessert that is mostly healthy… and honestly unhealthy desserts also make me happy. Sugar is my favorite food group.
Little moments of peace make me happy. Feeling like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be and things are going to work out. That surrender that lifts the weight off your shoulders for a little while and allows you to be extra grateful for other things in life is nice, and I’ve been getting more and more moments like this recently.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Chailacaeart.com
- Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/chailacae.art
- Facebook: https://Www.facebook.com/chailacae.art
Image Credits
Baron Silverton (personal photo, 1, 2 of additional photos)
Farsch from Internet Marketing Party (3)
Ashley Diane Photography (5)
Colton Amundson (8)
