Issue 1 Writer Spotlight | Amanda Knight
C+B: Tell us about yourself, Amanda!
AK: My name is Amanda and I'm a Merrimack Valley native. Growing up in this area has provided me with many opportunities both personally and creatively. I feel like I have the best of both worlds as for as location. I'm close enough to a few of my favorite cities which satisfies my curiosity for culture, history and the arts and on the other hand, I'm just as close to the ocean, mountains, and lakes to satisfy my need to connect with the natural world. Currently I'm not a full time creative. I actually just recently reentered the world of finance. I had left after twelve years to pursue other professional opportunities. I've had a variety of different jobs over the years from food service and retail to marketing and photography services. I also enjoy being actively involved in the community in a variety different ways. All of these experiences have had major impacts on who I am as a person and how I approach life and art. In my spare time I enjoy connecting with people at my favorite local coffee shops, hiking, zip lining, kayaking, forest bathing, reading, playing and watching sports, enjoying live music, photography, painting, and modeling. I absolutely love learning and appreciate people who can teach me something new! I love getting up early and watching the sunrise from my favorite spots in Newburyport! There's something so invigorating and at the same time calming about being up that early. It's a great time for me to reflect and be a little introspective as well as an opportunity to write and explore my interest in photography. I haven't always considered myself a creative person. Even though creativity is something we all possess, I never really felt connected to that side of myself. It wasn't until I started modeling nine years ago that I began to recognize that part of me and it just progressed from there as I learned to embrace it. I realized I could help others through my experiences and use creative outlets to do that. Combined with my love of the arts, especially the local art community, it seems like the rest has just flowed organically. Although I don't currently live in Newburyport, it's definitely a place I've felt very connected to in many ways, for the past decade. I'm very grateful for the amazing art community in the city and how it continues to inspire and encourage me in so may ways.
Ideal creative retreat: My ideal creative retreat would definitely take place in nature. Morning nature walks followed by meditative forest bathing would set the tone for the day. Time for reading, writing, painting, and any other creative outlets would be very important as well; opportunities to really reflect and hone in on your craft. Building in time to relax with fellow creatives and enjoy conversations and really connect, taking in all the inspiration and creative energy! Being able to gain that sense of community through activities and experiences is so valuable to me. For me that's where life happens, in those little moments and it's where a lot of my inspiration comes from. Daily tai chi to respect and strengthen the flow of energy throughout the body and connect mentally, emotionally and physically would be incorporated. I think regardless of the actual itinerary, being in nature, showing up authentically and allowing creativity and inspiration to flow organically would be amazing!
Find and support Amanda here:
IG: @a_k_inspired
Amanda Knight
C+B: What are your long-term goals for creating?
AK: Being relatively newer to the creative community, I feel like I have an abundance of long term goals for my journey! As a writer, I have a couple of book concepts in the works and I'm eager to learn everything I can about that process. I'm very passionate about the arts and the local art community here in the Greater Newburyport area and I'm very excited about the prospect of collaborating with a variety of artists for one of these projects! Having my work featured in a local art gallery would be a huge honor and something I'm currently working towards achieving. I do enjoy a variety of creative outlets and I'm excited to keep exploring and experimenting with different mediums along the way. Connecting with other creatives and sharing my passions in such a way that I can positively impact those around me and make a difference in the lives of others is the ultimate long term goal I hope to achieve. Whether that's through writing, modeling, photography, painting or anything else.
C+B: What other creative outlets do you currently enjoy or want to try?
AK: I've recently started experimenting with watercolors in addition to acrylic which has been a fun challenge to day the least. An experience I'm really looking forward to creatively is pottery. I've had an undeniable urge to create with my hands recently. Feeling the clay and having something so tangible and so malleable is very appealing to me. On a deeper level, it's representation of the fact that throughout my life I can be constantly changing and reshaping and evolving myself along the way. Working with a medium that allows for that is just one of the many reasons pottery is so appealing to me. I cannot wait to get in the studio this fall to start!
Currently inspired by: There are so many creators that inspire me for a variety of reasons! A few of them are @kblackheartpoetry, @thelaineydayblog, @maevepoetry, @grimdrops, @brad.neaton.writes, @luniakmonika, and @wakeupwithwillie.
