K-OODI Magazine March 2016, Issue 4 | Page 201

AMBER STANFORD Amber Stanford is artist who draws inspiration from sci-fi, movies, music, even women of the Bible. She likes to take a concept or even a well-known topic and put her own spin on it. She is inspired by Frida Kahlo, both her life and persona, perhaps because she had a pretty colorful childhood - and it's all coming through in her art. Drawings courtesy of Amber Stanford. Interview by Kimmo Matias. Tell something about yourself and your background? Born in San Bernardino, California, lived in the rough neighborhood with a lot of gang activity and crime, so my childhood was pretty colorful. I think we got robbed like 3 times while living there. Spent lots of time outside but I enjoyed being indoors drawing a lot. Mostly mermaids as 'The Little Mermaid' was my favorite movie at the time. I was always into scifi/fantasy. I didn't really excel at school, mostly I struggled with math, my worst subject. Creative stuff I was always good at, like drawing and writing. I did win quite a few awards for spelling and writing stories. I'm of mixed Native American/European descent and Ira Hayes, who raised the flag on Iwo Jima is one of my relatives. Are you a self-taught or do you have formal training? No formal training. My older brothers were always able to draw very well and they gave me tips. How long have you been creating art? Since as long as I can remember, since I was very little. I've always been interested in it. How do your pieces come together? What do you draw inspiration from? I'm very interested in sci-fi and fantasy. Musicians. Music is a huge inspiration for me, as well as Native American themes. I am not religious but I'm interested in the women of the Bible, like Dinah for instance. I'm also interested in Buddhism, as I tend to lean more towards that. What attracts you in the said source of inspiration and the way you interpret it? Anything that I find inspiring, I interpret it the way I see it. Sometimes I take something and give it my own little twist, like 'The Scream' that I did with cats. Have you been published or exhibited? I have not been exhibited but I have sold some of my works online as prints. Who are the artists that have inspired you personally? Frida Kahlo, both her art and the person she was. She