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Amanda Light is a Mother, artist, entrepreneur, creative facilitator, and community advocate currently living and working in the Hudson Valley. Having dabbled in several professional applications both stringent and innovative in the quest for a 'career path', Amanda experienced the beginning of her creative awakening during the early 2013 eruption of the Newburgh, NY art scene. As a resident artist of Teran Studio, Amanda went from a "closet artist" to an active participant and volunteer at many local art and community events. Since then, it has been one of Amanda's personal goals to encourage others to express themselves and engage in their communities, while continuing to make art as a form of introspective conversation and soul to soul communication. Everyone is an Artist!
Amanda has featured her work in over 18 Exhibitions in Newburgh, Beacon, and Binghamton, NY. Of those exhibitions, she served as a crew member and apprentice in the production of approximately ten shows, learning the nuances of curating and outsider gallery proprietorship. Amanda went on to curate and produce her own group exhibition and corresponding open mic event as a part of Teran Studio and Newburgh Last Saturday arts programming. Amanda has also participated in a number of community arts events and projects such as the Lightbulb Project 2013 & 2014, the Windows on Lander Project, the Williamsburg Walks/Northside Festival, and aided in the design and implementation of the Dream Center Mural Project. In addition to her freelance artist work, Amanda was also a full time employee of a Halloween Production company called Rise of the Jack O' Lanterns, working year round wearing many hats such as; artist, designer, sculptor, welder, electrician, inventory supervisor, fabrication crew supervisor, on site assembly and break down crew supervisor, etc. In 2015 Amanda traveled the U.S. for six months, experiencing and taking notes on the various diverse arts communities in cities such as Asheville, NC, Denver, CO, Tucson, AZ, and Venice Beach, CA.
Since her return, Amanda has participated with a number of community and arts institutions such as The Dream Center (Newburgh), Milkweed (Sugar Loaf), Celebratre 845 (Everywhere), and Goshen Green Farm(Goshen) developing her own artistic voice while sharing and exchanging creative ideas and skill sets with the community.

Offerings

Paper-Making Workshops
Canvas for Kids

 Paintings

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& more

Sculpture

 Community

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Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Skills

Amanda is a tenacious visionary and  an amicable and considerate team player in addition to being self motivated, disciplined, and organized. They have a passion for learning new information, view points, and skills while sharing what knowledge, wisdom, and skills they have accrued across their diverse experience in the arts and beyond. Amanda prioritizes succinct communication, and knows how and when to delegate tasks as needed. 

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Experience

Roost Studios & Gallery / Gallery Attendant
March 2019 -June 2019,  New Paltz, NY
https://www.roostcoop.org/

Open and/or close the gallery by making sure all signage is in appropriate places. Adjust lighting and clean as needed. Become familiar with current exhibitions and artists for explanation to patrons. Handle sales of artwork and items from the gift shop. Become familiar with gallery mission statements and members.

Celebrate 845/ Exhibition Assistant Director
November 2017 - January 2019,  Beacon & New Paltz, NY
https://www.celebrate845.com/

Aided in the formulation of the, at the time, CelebrateWomxn845 mission and a general structure under  which the director’s vision could flourish.  Assisted the director in gallery acquisition negotiations, open call, submission processing and documenting, and hanging of work. I offered tarot reading and a paper making workshop in accordance with two exhibitions.

Lumenhouse/ Art Assistant
March 2019 - April 2019,  Sugar Loaf, NY
https://www.aurorarobson.com/

Quickly learned new/unusual skills and processes in order to assemble sculptures in a fast paced, detail oriented environment. Worked with a team to resolve and improve processes and design. Kept a very tidy and organized studio in order to ensure maximum efficiency and a pleasant atmosphere.

Inspire Goshen/ Art Director
May 2018 - September 2018,  Sugar Loaf, NY
https://www.inspirecp.org/

Inspire Goshen is a mobile day rehabilitation service that aims to provide adults and children who have developmental challenges with opportunities to participate and grow within the community.
Designed and facilitated a creative activity for groups of 6-12 individuals on a weekly basis. Classes included: papermaking, ecstatic painting, paper suncatchers, and weighted therapy dolls with a yoga nidra exercise.

Milkweed / Workshop & Events Coordinator
November 2017 -May 2018,  Sugar Loaf, NY

Event Coordinator Corresponded with organizations and individuals to schedule, market, and assist in the organization and implementation of various regularly occurring and special events and workshops such as: Poetry Slam, Milkweed Poetry, Life Drawing, Soul Collage, Qi Gong, Everybody Yoga, Beeswax Candle making with Pam Grossman, Clothing Swap, Refuge Recovery meetings, various music shows, and more.
Gallery Coordinator Worked as part of a team to craft and share open calls. Processed applications and corresponded with artists to coordinate drop off, pick up, and sales. Kept detailed spreadsheets of artists, contact information, artwork information, and sales.

Social Media Marketing Aided in the procurement and promotion of advertising materials across platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. 

Administration Kept and organized financial and attendance records. Drafted weekly scheduling spreadsheets for Milkweed staff. Streamlined workshop application process. Infrastructure organization of promotional materials, contact information, and potential programming.

Rise of the Jack O’ Lanterns / Artist
May 2013-2015 (full time)
September 2016-Present (seasonal) Peekskill, NY

 The Rise of the Jack O’ Lanterns is a Halloween art display that features a half mile trail of over five thousand hand carved Jack O’ Lanterns and Jack O’ Lantern sculptures made from synthetic foam and live pumpkins. The Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns has been presented in venues such as: Old Westbury Gardens of Old Westbury, Long Island, The Bronx Zoo, Descanso Gardens of Los Angeles, California, The San Diego Zoo, Santa Anita Raceway of Los Angeles, California, Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey, and more. Production of this show would take place year-round, from concept development, design, fabrication, packing and shipping, load in, event, and load out. Although I was initially hired as an artist or carver, I took on multiple roles within this small, dynamic company. 
Artist/Carver Paint or stencil detailed images onto pumpkins, both organic and foam before carving out the lightest areas of the the images. Used dremels, ribbon loop tools, die grinders, reciprocating saw, and linoleum cutters for carving. 
Designer Utilized the Adobe suite programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign to edit images and create stencils for painting and carving. Created blueprints of the various displays and individual sculptures, some over 20ft tall using the aforementioned programs. 
Fabrication Floor Supervisor Mentor and supervise labour crews in the construction of framing structures, fabrication of the sculptures using materials such as insulating foam, bondo, construction adhesive/caulk, and repurposing of foam pumpkins. Oversaw and revise processes to ensure the most efficient production possible without sacrificing time or quality of the work. Experimented with a variety of materials to perfect the aesthetic and functional elements of our designs, as they had to withstand shipping, at least a month of constant outdoor exposure, and potentially last for years to come. Ensured that all necessary materials were purchased and stocked in their appropriate places, mentored and supervised crews in the efficient fabrication, labeling, and storage of the sculptures, and maintained safety standards. 
Project Manager Assigned a specific display which could span a few hundred feet of the half mile show trail, and would be responsible for the design, fabrication, storage, and shipping of all elements of said display which included large sculpture, individual carved pumpkins, and supporting elements. 
Inventory Manager Ensured that all necessary materials were purchased and stocked in their appropriate places. Utilized Excel to document raw unprocessed materials, completion and storage of the individual art pieces, sculptures, supporting elements, and miscellaneous materials. When it came time to ship the content of each show to its specific location, I oversaw the loading of the trucks according to excel spreadsheets specific to each venue. Before and during the loading of the trucks I would check the displays for damage and direct the necessary crews for repair.
Electrician Built, installed, maintained, and repaired electrical lighting arrangements (C9 strings, CFL Lamps) both in the warehouse and on site, and would later go on to teach new employees these skills as well as supervise them in the implementation. 
Welder FCAW MIG welding. Created sculpture frames, repaired stanchions
Event Technician Supervise labor crews during load in and load out at venue. Ensure that all displays were distributed and assembled properly across the grounds. Utilized quick and creative problem solving during load in and throughout the event to ensure that all displays were performing optimally, ie) structurally and electrically sound, accommodating diverse/unexpected outdoor environments/elements
Production Manager Designed floor layout and led labor crews in preparing warehouse space to accommodate over seventy five contracted artists and thousands of 300lb pumpkins. Supervised the production of illustrated and carved jack o'lantern products. Utilized specialized systems to ensure that the completion of work was documented and the artists were accurately paid. Organized and set up the preparation and shipping of the finished products. 
Assistant Producer  Monitored volume on event trails and communicated with door staff to adjust accordingly. Determine appropriate show start time.  Choose particular appropriate staff locations dependent on the requirements of the trail/show, assured all staff were in those locations at the correct times and were accommodated and covered for breaks. Dealt with a variety of unforeseen problems/complications quickly, effectively, and creatively. 
Customer Service Agent Assisted customers in navigation of websites and purchase of tickets via phone and email.

Teran Studio / Assistant Director
September 2013 - June 2015,  Newburgh, NY

Designed gallery exhibition programming for one year. Coordinated with artists for drop off and pick up of artwork. Participated in hanging the artwork. Procured labels and information packets for hanging artwork.Contributed to social media advertising and flyer/postcard distribution and networking.  I participated in the acquisition of new artists and support from local restaurants and community members. I also maintained the gallery/workspace to keep it clean, organized, and stocked with necessary supplies.

I also curated a group exhibition from start to finish including crafting an open call, advertising the show, coordinating with artists, hanging the work, having labels made, coordinating an open mic, and acquiring food and drink donations from local businesses as a one person project. 

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Education

SUNY Orange / Liberal Arts
September 2007 - December 2008,  Middletown, NY

Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Online / Media Arts and Animation
December 2008 - December 2009,  Online

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Awards

The Dream Center / The Dream Effect Fellowship
March 2017 - October 2017,  Newburgh, NY

With the guidance and mentorship of Ozioma Egwonwu, I designed a number of different skill sharing and creative workshops and events to engage with the community and highlight local creatives.

More about the Dream Effect Fellowship: [here]

More about The Dream Center workshop design and implementation: [here]

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Projects

The Lightbulb Project/Newburgh Illuminated 2013

Windows on Lander 2014

Williamsburg Walks/ Northside Festival 2014

The Dream Center Mural Project 2014

Tree-Cycle, Earth Day Warwick 2017

Kids & Kanvas 2018

Terrain Biennial 2021

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Residencies

Teran Studio 2013-2015

Arts, Letters, and Numbers 2021

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