#DyadWornByYou with Amy Ayanda

Next in our #DyadWornByYou interviews is Amy Ayands, a multi-talented artist whose canvas stretches from painting to music and beyond. Amy's journey unfolds as she reflects on her early artistic roots and the vibrant hues that infuse her work. Discover the music and literature that soundtrack her life and the figures who have shaped her creative spirit. Dive in below and learn more about her art, her daily rituals, and how she balances her roles as an artist, mother, and partner.

We love your diversity when it comes to being creative. From music to art and more! Can you describe the path that led to the work you do now?
I started painting when I was very young. I was three. It was something that always kept me calm and it was something I have always returned to.  I started music at a young age but the formal training of it really built anxiety in me a rough it and took the joy out of it. So I stopped music when I was 16 and focused on Art in high-school and my tertiary education. I got back into making music with my friend Thor in my Fourth year at art school. We released a song together on SoundCloud with Red bull Studios and it was picked up by VICE. It ended up being something that just fell into place quite naturally and has become a bit of background/hobby/soul work in between everything else. Painting and partnering with brands is my main source of income, I love working with other brands and seeing how we can push things creatively. 

When do you feel your most creative self?

When I have some time to myself, after I have done something that takes me out of my head a bit. Exercise helps this, or just watching a show. I’m able to sit and work for longer periods of time after a good sweat and rest. I also have found getting the kids into my space recently has become easier, letting go and letting them lead, messing up the work a little with the closest crayon and seeing where thing go from there. 

We love the use of colour in your work. It’s no secret that we love colour too! Tell us about your relationship to colour, what attracts you to the specific colours you use and why?

I do things quite impulsively; it really has a lot to do with what I find in the art store and then taking it into the studio and working from there. Lately I have been mixing my colours a lot more as well as working in mediums to make things more transparent. My previous work has a lot of saturated colour straight from the tube but I am enjoying experimenting with colour and mixing more and more.

 

What’s one thing you will always find in your handbag?

A dummy.

What are you listening to and reading at the moment?
I am reading "On Earth We are briefly Gorgeous" by Ocean Vuong. It is brilliant and heartbreaking. I am a very slow reader though. I am always listening to Andy Shauf.

Who has been a big influence on you?

My all time painting inspiration has been Penny Siopis. I also love Cian-Yu Bai's work, and Berni Searle's performance pieces have always resonated with me. In terms of music I always look to the sad girls (and the loud girls); Tomberlin, Phoebe Bridgers and Big Thief to name a few.

 

What’s your favourite piece of art you’ve ever made?
A Flower blanket I sewed with my mother in 2014. It was titled "A Mothers Love" and hung on the ceiling in my graduate show. The flowers were collected over one year and were given to me by anyone and everyone from weddings, funerals. At the time I was processing my mothers illness, we were processing it. We spent a lot of time together that year sewing. I sort of knew that if I wanted more time with her I needed to make something that would include her. We had a lot of chats over sewing. Some more deep than others. I will hold onto those memories. 

As a multidisciplinary artist, a mother of three, a partner, and an individual, how do you maintain your sense of balance and stay grounded in our fast-paced world?

I need to take time to unwind daily. Get good enough sleep and am quite strict with my health as it keeps me with good amounts of energy for the day ahead. Writing a weekly to-do list helps, even small things: take a long bath, drop off prints, package orders. Ticking small things off my list daily gives me a small sense of achievement each day which makes up for a larger feeling after a long week; and makes me want to do more in the day too. Some days I just say NOPE and head to the beach for mental health purposes. I have incredible nannies who help me with the kids, this way I am able to prioritise rest daily, as well as giving myself the best care I need in order to show up for my kids and relationships daily.

 

How do you navigate staying true to yourself while building a brand around yourself as an artist? Any tips for other creatives out there?

I check in with myself often. I am not afraid to make mistakes and let go of the preconceived idea of what something needs to be. 

What about your life now, would be most unexpected to your younger self?

YES, never in my life did I see myself doing this let alone with three children to hold on my hips. It's full and amazing and wonderful.