Artist Spotlight: Amber Rae Black
photo by Justice Smithers
Amber Rae Black
Factory Obscura Artist Spotlight
Amber Rae Black’s workspace is a patchwork of sketches and swatches, fabric and organic forms. Her hair is pulled back, her dark eyes slightly narrowed. Her hands and her Pinterest board are full.
“I just make things,” she says. “I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t making something.”
If she’s not sewing plush mermaids, she’s sketching. If she’s not creating a giant ragged heart out of felt scraps, she’s thinking. She says it’s kind of always been like that.
“When I was a kid I told my mom that art was my prayer. I very much still feel that way.”
She remembers even then finding a “flow” state where the world would melt away and she’d feel like she was exactly where she was supposed to be in that moment. Today, as a full-time artist for Factory Obscura, she still feels like she’s where she’s supposed to be.
Kelsey Karper, Factory Obscura co-founder and director of logistical creativity, thinks so too.
“As a founding member of Factory Obscura, Amber is a great example of what our team cultivates in artists. She’s a problem solver, never afraid of trying new materials and ideas, and she instills a bit of magic in everything she touches," said Karper. “She’s often referred to as our team ‘fabric wizard,’ but her creativity makes her a wizard at just about anything she does.”
“Working with Factory Obscura has given me the opportunity to explore all of my artistic interests, and to create art beyond my own personal ability and practice,” says Amber. And it’s that “collective magic” that she believes impacts the audience – and the world – on another level.
“Being a part of the collective has inspired me to think bigger, and I believe imparting that same inspiration to our participants is our power.”
Favorite “Feel” Character
Love. "I have a soft spot for anatomical hearts, and love was my favorite of the characters I was able to soft sculpt for the Mix-Tape boombox window display."
Advice to Young Artists
"Work hard and hone your skills, but don’t limit yourself. Play and flow is what keeps art alive."