Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Macabre
Hi Amanda, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been fascinated and immersed in art all my life. My earliest memories of my journey start in elementary school. At home I was a voracious comic book reader. I’d get lost in my brother’s Spider-Man comics, we read Marvel primarily with the exception of Batman and Superman on the DC side. My favorite superhero to this day is Peter Parker. Back in the 90s, there was a comic book shop in North Miami called Tropic Comics. My grandmother would take us there on Wednesdays to pick up the new comic releases. Sometimes I didn’t even understand the comics I bought, I just knew that I loved the artwork and the illustrations, so I would use those books as drawing references for my own sketches. I admired the artwork of the legendary John Romita Jr., J. Scott Campbell, and Stefano Caselli. In school, I really liked the library and got in the habit of checking out the arts and culinary books and being excited about the book fairs. I had two pet fish: Pablo Picasso, and Vincent Van Gogh aptly named after my two favorites at that age.
In 5th grade, my art teacher took notice of my creative gifts and she suggested that I audition to Parkway Middle, the performing arts school in Fort Lauderdale. She felt that I would do well in their visual arts program. In 2000 at 11 years old, I got accepted into parkway after a successful audition. After completing their arts program, I stayed focused on art throughout high school in my AP art classes. In high school, I also fell in love with dramatic and language arts, and started to divide my time between creative writing, playwriting, drama class/club, and art class/club. I started as the makeup artist for the cast and eventually became part of the cast and started performing in school plays. I would also write my own short plays inspired by my weekend Blockbuster hauls and we’d perform them in my drama class.
I stayed with art throughout college at Broward College, but I was in deep in love with cinema and literature by the time I started FIU in 2012 – so much that I switched my major from Visual Arts to English Literature and enrolled in their film studies program. I graduated FIU in 2015 with my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and spent the next few years as a contributing writer on movie websites and an occasional volunteer in film, primarily horror films.
I kept up with my art somewhat during film school and would occasionally submit pieces to local art shows, but my passion for movies and writing overpowered my art at that time and art took a back seat for a while. I also started getting involved in professional wrestling during college. I’m a lifelong wrestling fan, and in 2010 I started getting involved in backyard wrestling and going to independent wrestling shows in Miami. Eventually I started getting involved as a volunteer. I saw volunteering as an outlet for my theater background, as there are a lot of similarities between the wrestling and dramatic arts. My experiences navigating through the wrestling subculture have provided me with an overwhelming amount of inspiring lessons, great memories and opportunities that I’m forever grateful for.
Fast forward to the fall of 2022: I’m starting to get back on my feet after a lengthy unemployment period due to the pandemic. I was a part time wrestling and variety streamer on Twitch at this time, and I was transitioning back into working a 9-5 office job after relying on streaming full time for so long. I was also losing interest in live streaming. I felt restricted in how I could express the depths of my authentic self and was starting to grow frustrated from the understimulation when I knew that I had more passions inside me to express in the right ways. I naturally gravitated towards my sketchbook and started working on some exercises to get back into the flow of sketching which led to me gaining the confidence to go straight into working with oil paints. The day that I started working in my sketchbook was pretty much the day that I committed to the role I studied my entire life to rightfully call myself: an artist. It’s wild how things come back around full circle, huh?
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?
If I could paraphrase a favorite Pee Wee Herman movie of mine, it’s been a big adventure.
I’ve persevered through my share of disappointments, losses and traumas like everyone — especially when navigating as a minority through niche communities, but the biggest obstacle I always faced was myself until one day it wasn’t anymore. My journey in art was learning to BELIEVE that I AM an artist, which only becomes self-actualized with trial and error.
I struggled with my confidence and imposter syndrome often throughout school to where I would allow distractions to occupy my focus. I could always depend on art to redirect my concentration in some way: whether through visual art, content creation, writing about film and music, or wrestling. Creative arts were always a way to get me back on track. I learn lessons about myself and gain wisdom when I work through a piece. I work through my issues in the creative process; having the gift to do that is a blessing on it’s own. Once I realized that that’s a natural born gift, there was no need to buy into self sabotaging doubts about myself ever again.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a mixed media artist who specializes in pinup girl-inspired illustrations. Growing up, I was heavily inspired by Marilyn Monroe, Bettie Page, and the artwork of Olivia De Berardinis. A few other strong influences on me are Camilla d’Errico, jacquelin de Leon, René Magritte and Mark Ryden. My work is a blend of vintage allure and alternative-punk contemporary style, drawing from various pop culture influences such as music, movies, and professional wrestling.
I work with various mediums such as ink, acrylics, and digital techniques to bring out the best textures and effects that suit each individual artwork based on my connection to it. Each of my pieces captures a unique energy, and I name them after the song, movie, or wrestler that sparked the initial inspiration. For example, when I’m listening to a song, I visualize how the melody and lyrics would translate into a pinup girl — whether it’s the attitude, colors, or overall vibe. Similarly, a movie or wrestler might inspire me with their persona, storyline, or visual style. This allows me to infuse my artwork with deeper meaning, giving each piece a narrative that’s personal yet connected to broader cultural themes. My watercolor piece “Jane Lane Cassidy” is a mashup influenced by the wrestler Orange Cassidy, his entrance music “Jane” by Jefferson Starship, and the character Jane Lane from one of my favorite TV shows, Daria. My digital piece “he ain’t so great” is a mashup of the 90s wrestler Jeff Jarrett who is known for wrestling as a heel (a bad guy), and Mary J. Blige – an artist who makes music to heal broken hearts from the actions that the guys like Jeff Jarrett can cause. I’m currently working on an acrylic on wood piece, “Cherry Waves” that’s inspired by Deftones. I’m very proud of this piece because I reimagined the “Saturday Night Wrist” album cover with my version of the original model and I’m pushing myself to expand on it with abstract elements.
Sometimes it’s difficult to articulate how a song makes you feel because the emotions are too overwhelming, and as attention spans dwindle, it gets harder to share that amount of depth in casual conversation. I hope that my artwork encourages people to appreciate the songs I share beyond a superficial level, and maybe even give wrestling a chance to fulfill them too. My artwork is my way of providing visuals to accompany my interests without talking your ear off, unless you want me to!
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
The Simpsons – Early Simpsons lessons after school granted me a lot of wisdom that I still use to this day. It also opened the door to my interest in film, as a kid I would go down the research rabbit hole to connect the movie reference to the Simpsons joke.
Dogs – I’ve raised dogs all my life, mainly Shetland Sheepdogs. I currently have an 8-year old Sheltie named Daisy and she’s my entire world.
Yoga – It’s the most important part of my day. Yoga has taught me a new art of breath and movement, and it’s blessed me with a profound serenity that I am very grateful for.
Going to live wrestling shows and going to watch my favorite bands play live – There’s nothing like getting lost in the energy of a live show, and the experience when you get to see your favorite guitar riffs played, and hear those lyrics that touched you performed live. There’s not many places where you’re encouraged to vent your frustrations at a person, and a live wrestling show gives me that safe space to do that when I get to yell at a heel (a bad guy). They’re great outlets for me.
Independent movie theaters, and going to special milestone screenings of my favorite films at those theaters – There’s a lot of love and personal care that comes with an independent movie theater, it’s a genuine experience that you’re not going to feel at a commercial theater. There’s an intimacy from the DIY aspect that comes with an independent theater that makes me feel deeply connected to cinema and the world around me. I watched Kill Bill volumes 1 & 2 in 35mm last summer for its 20th anniversary at Savor Cinema in Ft. Lauderdale last summer and I was moved to very ugly tears! There’s a warmth in the crowds at special event screenings when you can feel that everyone is here because they also have a deep connection to the same films that have touched me. Knowing that there are others who take the initiative to show respect and appreciation to movies brings overwhelming joy to me.
Good Food – I love culinary arts, I’m a very good cook and baker. I appreciate the amount of thought, effort and care that it takes to create a meal for others. You can share history, exchange cultures, provide comfort, and nurture a soul with food. It’s my favorite love language, if I take the time to cook or bake you something, then you’re on the right track with me.
The Beach – I love being outside in nature, and the beach is my favorite place to go work on art, do yoga, and unwind. The saltwater in the air provides clarity and inspiration, locals are generally relaxed and welcoming, and the waves refresh me. It’s also my favorite place to listen to my two favorite bands, Glassjaw and Deftones.
Pricing:
- Stickers | $3 – $7
- Prints | $12
- Watercolor Commissions | $25 an hour with a $40 deposit
- Acrylic/Oil Commissions | $25 an hour with a $50 deposit
- Digital Commissions | $25 an hour with a $60 deposit
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hopelessmoongallery.bigcartel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeless.moon.gallery?igsh=bnR3endudWhuMHBw
- Twitter: https://x.com/amanda_macabre
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@nerdzoneproductions
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HopelessMoonRomantic
Image Credits
Seaplane Entertainment Group
