Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Lee Jones.
Hi Amanda Lee, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. In my twenties I pursued classical drawing and painting classes at a local atelier. I was offered a job teaching there and eventually built a career both as a working artist and as an educator teaching observational drawing and painting to children and teens.
Over time, my work evolved from technical exploration into something much more personal and psychologically driven. In my thirties, I was diagnosed with stage 3 uterine cancer. That experience profoundly changed both my life and my relationship to art. It pushed my work toward themes of mortality, genetics, grief, vulnerability, spirituality, transformation, and the tension between beauty and suffering.
Today, I divide my time between creating paintings and teaching. My studio practice has become increasingly symbolic, often using the body, fabric, yarn, light, and forms in movement as metaphors for emotional and existential states. At the same time, teaching has remained deeply important to me because I care about helping young artists develop both technical ability and authentic creative voices.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Like many artists, I’ve had to balance practical realities with the need to protect time and energy for creating art. I also struggle with self-doubt, the emotional vulnerability of making deeply personal work, and the challenge of creating art that takes time and feels sincere in a culture that often rewards speed, trends, or superficial engagement.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create contemporary figurative paintings that combine classical painterly techniques with symbolic and psychologically charged imagery. My work is often described as atmospheric, haunting, or emotionally raw. I’m especially interested in light, ambiguity, and the emotional weight the human figure can carry.
What I’m probably most proud of is the artistic community I’ve built with my young students over the last 22 years of teaching private art lessons at my studio. Many of the young artists have achieved a high level of skill and confidence, built lasting friendships, and developed a deep appreciation of the craft of handmade, technically skilled art. Watching that transformation is incredibly rewarding to see.
What sets me apart is probably the combination of emotional intensity and technical discipline. My work isn’t ironic or detached. It fully commits to emotional depth while still being rooted in strong observational and painterly foundations.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Choosing to pursue a life in the arts is already a risk in many ways. There is often not a lot of financially security. Building a business around teaching highly skilled art is also somewhat countercultural because it requires my students to view art making and skill building as a long-term commitment in a world increasingly oriented toward speed and instant gratification.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amandaleejonesart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaleejonesartstudio/
- Other: https://www.amandaleejones.com
