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I am a Vermont Artist: Amy Hook-Therrien
Amy is a watercolor artist and native Vermonter. She is also a member of the Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation.
Amy grew up “nestled on top of a hill overlooking the valley below–surrounded by nature and adventure.” She left the state for college but was drawn back to the place of her birth and her heritage. The natural environment continues to inspire and inform her art. Recently, Amy shared her thoughts about being a Vermont artist.
How has living as an artist in Vermont affected your creative process?
Living in Vermont you are surrounded by nature, and watching everything change through the four seasons has always influenced me as an artist. I love getting outside and finding inspiration among the trees, hidden in the snow, or basking in the sun. I love to see the dead beech leaves shivering in the cold, the birch trees picking up the color of the sky. Nature inspires me and Vermont is the perfect place to find it.
What is something about your art that has changed over time?
When I first started painting with watercolors I focused more on patterns and abstraction. I now like to concentrate on the details that give each flower, leaf, or tree its own characteristics. I have started to use pens to get the really fine detail into my work then go over it with watercolor. I love them to be individuals, so you can recognize who they are. This is important to me because I feel that it is actually the imperfections in nature that create its beauty. A collection of crinkled leaves, a flower missing a petal, or trees with broken limbs tell more interesting stories.
What is the vision for the next several years?
I would love to become a full-time artist, the more time I spend working towards my goal the more I love it. I am hoping to get a few more solo exhibitions, and add a few more galleries to my résumé. I have illustrated a book and would love to do more that in that field as well. Anything that gets me to paint more and more often.
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The “I am a Vermont Artist” series explores how artists’ creative expressions reflect their experiences of ethnicity, gender identity, religion, disability, or age. Covering all artistic disciplines, and a range of backgrounds—from New Americans to the state’s first residents—we hope to amplify voices that deepen our understanding of what it means to be a Vermont artist.