Though I grew up in Southern California, I moved to Tucson, Az at a young age, and it’s always felt more like home. I went to the University of Arizona, twice, where I received two degrees; a B.S. in Government and Public Policy, and a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. The natural sciences definitely resonated much deeper with me, and I decided to pursue a career in Conservation Biology.
Though my long term career goal was initially fieldwork and research, I was fortunate to get a position as a Zookeeper in Herpetology, where I’ve gained so much knowledge through mentors and piers, have met many amazing people, have had opportunities to attend and speak at conferences, lead field trips, go on trips to do fieldwork and find endangered species, and in addition to working with tons of incredible animals on a daily basis, I also get to teach visitors and share my passion for the Sonoran Desert.
Through this job, my second degree, and the countless hours spent in the field on hiking adventures, I fell in love with the natural history and biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert which has become the largest influence on my art. In art, my goal is to capture the overlooked beauty, hidden talents, mystery, and importance of more obscure creatures that can be found in the Sonoran Desert. While most people are well aware of more charismatic species like mammals and birds, I’ve made it my mission to share the not-so-obvious beauty that can be found in the little guys that are just beneath our feet...
Where did you grow up?
My earlier childhood was spent in Southern California, but my family moved to Tucson, AZ when I was barely a teenager, so Tucson feels more like home.
Tell us about your family
I moved to AZ with my mom and sisters when I was younger, and the rest of my family lives in CA. My mom, sisters, and their partners all currently live in Tucson. I’m enjoying the single life with my pets at home.
Do you have pets, if yes, tell us about them
Yes, two cats— Mushu and Neo— who are my loves, and 10 snakes— mostly Carpet pythons (a species from Australia).
When did you know that you would be an artist?
I’ve always enjoyed art from a young age and my mom said I would be an artist someday. I remember creating detailed drawings for book reports in second grade, and I continued drawing until I reached college. College put a damper on my creative spirit due to lack of time, and I didn’t revisit art until I graduated. I started exploring painting around that time, and though it was very irregular over the following years, I picked it up again and have been creating art somewhat consistently for the past decade. Only in the past few years did I decide to pursue art as more than a hobby, and create on a regular basis with intention to share it with others.
What is your favorite media to work with?
I love working with acrylic paint, and I recently picked up markers a few years ago as an experimental side project. Though it was a steep learning curve initially, I improved my skills over the following years, and not only do I love using markers now, but all of my stickers and invertebrate art have been created using this medium! I also sketch and occasionally mess with watercolors.
What do you do when you’re not doing the voodoo that you do?
When I’m not creating art I’m at my job working with reptiles and invertebrates, hiking, at the gym, reading, learning piano, baking, spending time with my kitties, and during the summer I enjoy Blacklighting (for moths) and looking for reptiles.
The mesmerizing charm of the Desert Southwest has captured my heart completely. The interplay of its enchanting light, resplendent colors, and profound cultural history serves as an endless source of inspiration for my paintings. Among the various artistic mediums at my disposal, I find myself wholly enchanted by the Colored Pencil. This versatile medium seamlessly merges my love of both drawing and painting, enabling me to express my passion with finesse and grace.
I hope you are as enchanted by the Southwest as I am.
Please find me at:
Website: Amberpierson.artspan.com
Instagram and Etsy: apersonsart
My motto: Nothing has more possibilities than where colors land!..
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Toronto, Canada
Tell us about your family
My parents are both Dutch. My mother was born almost smack in the middle of Amsterdam. My father was born in Indonesia when it was still a Dutch Colony. Unlucky for him he, was there when the Japanese invaded, and spent almost four years in Japanese Concentration camp. Dutch was actually my first language. My parents immigrated to Canada a year before I was born. I come from a very artistic family on my mom’s side. Both my Grandfather and Uncle were famous artists in the Netherlands. My Uncle had some work in the Portrait Gallery of the famous Rijksmuseum. My cousins are all well known artists as well. I am married and have two children. My oldest is a tech guy in San Francisco and my youngest is Jeweler in Tucson (Austin Pierson Jewelry). He also has some pieces in this Gallery. My husband is now retired, he worked in the mining business.
Fun fact, we met in Colombia South America, I was teaching and he was working in the mine. He is a Tucson native. That’s how I ended up living here and I love it!
Do you have pets, if yes, tell us about them
Yes! We have two dogs. Oreo is an English Pointer, and is getting on in years, yet can still drag me down the street. Radar is a Papillion and spoiled rotten! He always wants to play.
When did you know that you would be an artist?
I have always wanted to be an artist. I just had a lot of competition in my family and never felt good enough. I wanted to go to the Ontario College of Art, but wasn’t accepted. I was accepted at Sheridan College and York University for art. I chose to study Illustration at Sheridan College and did not like it at all. I was worried about feeding myself so I went into teaching instead. I continued drawing and took as many art courses as I could throughout my career. One day I had enough..quit my teaching job and decided to pursue my passion. Life is too short not to enjoy yourself!
What is your favorite media to work with?
My favorite Medium is the Colored Pencil. I love to draw and paint. This medium gives me the opportunity to draw in color. I call it drawpainting. The colored pencil is detail orientated and not a fast process, but I find it soothing. Occasionally I will combine it with other mediums such as inktense pencils, watercolors or the air brush.
What do you do when you’re not doing the voodoo that you do?
When I am not doing my art I enjoy the outdoors. I like to walk and hike. I also enjoy camping, fishing and traveling. I have a vegetable garden and am an avid lap swimmer.
