Today we’d like to introduce you to Ama Appiah.
Hi Ama, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always loved drawing and art in general since childhood. At the time I grew up in western NY, there wasn’t a big art industry at that time. Plus, with both of my parents being teachers, I was steered toward the belief that art could only really be a hobby, but not a career that provided a sustainable lifestyle. It wasn’t until I went to college that I heard of a career called graphic design. As part of studying graphic design, I had to learn the basics of art like drawing, typography, illustration, art history, etc.
I continued to struggle with reconciling my belief system with my passion for creating art and designing. I graduated from my undergraduate school having majored in graphic design, but I eventually did go to law school. I have practiced for over 18 years as an attorney.
During the global pandemic shutdowns, I found myself looking for an outlet that I enjoyed and that could reduce my stress levels. I pulled out all of my old drawing pads and art supplies and just started drawing and trying new techniques. I also found design websites for creating art and indulged myself in all the capabilities, fonts, and colors.
At first, it was very difficult to stop overanalyzing my every move. Eventually, I began to trust my intuition more than what my analytical and practical mind was telling me. This led to me thoroughly engrossing myself in art and deciding to make it a second career. So besides having my own law practice, I decided to form my own graphic design and art business, a.Appiah Designs, LLC.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest struggles have been pushing through fears and anxieties when taking risks in the art industry, as well as keeping up with the latest technology.
Taking risks means putting forth my best effort even in the face of fear and negativity, and having faith that the outcome will be my best solution for the task at hand. The challenge of feeling the fear and doing it regardless is common amongst all creatives though. We all know that success comes from stepping outside of our comfort zones, and envisioning the result before it even arrives. Throughout my years of debating which career to pursue, it wasn’t until recently that I accepted that I needed to make a real concerted effort to pursue my passion to feel like I was authentically living my life. In the course of that discovery, I am continuously pushing myself to take on new projects.
The second challenge is keeping up with the constant developments in the art world. There are so many new technologies, and variations of those technologies, and improvements upon the technologies. It can be overwhelming if you feel like you have to have all the answers at one time. Thankfully I don’t have that feeling. I know that I will have the information, or know where to get the information or technology, I need to complete whatever project I am working on at the time.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a graphic designer and fine artist. I design promotional material and social media for businesses and nonprofits, as well as create commissioned artwork. I have had the privilege of working on a wide variety of projects, from designing promotional material for events to designing wraps for food trucks to commissioned portraits.
I am very proud of the portraits I have rendered. They challenge me to depict the subjects as close as possible to the actual pictures of reference and to explore different media.
I am also very proud of projects that challenged me to do something I had never done before. Those projects have required researching methods and techniques, and then designing around any limitations while still providing all the needed information
What sets me apart from others is that besides being a graphic designer and artist, I am also a private attorney who practices in the areas of entertainment, trademark, and copyright law. I enjoy speaking with other artists about contracts they are provided, and discussing issues with them that may arise when trying to get designs approved for trademark registration.
I also stand out because I like to try a variety of media to create art projects. I design using digital art, colored pencils, pastels, watercolor, acrylic, and oil paint, and have created NFTs.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
In my opinion, the art industry in Tampa Bay is among the best in the world. I believe the traditional art industry will continue to thrive and attract art enthusiasts.
However, I foresee the trajectory towards NFTs, or some other similar platform, continuing as well. There seems to be a market for buying intangible items despite the risks. Traditional art will still always have a market, but I believe NFTs, or their progeny, will continue to be part of the discussion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aappiahdesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aappiahdesigns
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aappiahdesigns
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aappiahdesigns
