Amanda|@kittysmothersart

Meet Kitty Amanda Smothers, a talented artist from South Alabama with over 25 years of experience in painting portraits and fine art. Amanda’s artistic journey took a transformative turn three years ago when her husband was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer. In the midst of his treatment, she discovered a therapeutic outlet in gardening, learning to grow flowers in her yard as a way to cope with her anxieties. This newfound passion led her to explore flower preservation, where she found WiseDry silica gel crystals to help her create heirloom pieces that capture the beauty of nature. With her husband now recovered and her garden flourishing, Amanda has embraced this unique blend of art and nature, turning flowers into stunning creations that honor special moments. Join us as we delve into Amanda’s inspiring story, her artistic process, and the meaningful connections she fosters through her floral art.

Amanda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kittysmothersart/

Amanda, can you do a little bit of an introduction of yourself first?

My name is Kitty Amanda Smothers and I’m an artist from South Alabama. I have painted portraits and fine art for more than 25 years. I didn’t have a flower in my yard until about three years ago when my husband was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer. He had to undergo major surgery and then six months of chemotherapy. During his treatment, I found that learning how to grow flowers in my yard gave me a great way to deal with my anxieties about his illness. From there, I started learning how to preserve flowers and turn them into art. Wisedry was the product I found early on to help me “freeze” these beautiful flowers in time so I could create heirloom pieces of artwork. My husband ultimately recovered and is doing well and my garden has flourished while I’ve been able to continue this new passion of creating art with flowers. Thank you, Wisedry!

Aww, I am so happy to hear that! Why do you choose flowers to deal with anxieties? Is there a special moment?

I choose flowers because they connect me to the Creator and remind me that life goes on and there is beauty everywhere.

That’s so meaningful. Have you tried other brands of silica gel crystals? Why do you choose us at the end?

I have tried other brands but they made an unnatural texture on top of the flower petals that I didn’t like. Wisedry is the only product I’ve found that retains the most natural look of each flower.

Thank you so much for your appreciation. During the career, you must have preserved memories for many people. Is there a story that leaves you a strong impression?

Yes! I was painting live at a wedding for a special bride. She had me take her bridal bouquet and preserve it in two resin hexagons- one for her and the other for her mom (as a surprise). She also had me include a little gold charm inside her mom’s resin hexagon that said, “you are my sunshine.” It was a sweet way for the bride to honor her mother for being her best friend.

Awww it’s so sweet and cute. If you could sum it up in one sentence, what does this job, flower preservation mean to you?

Creating art with flowers is a fun way to honor special people and moments that make life so beautiful.

It’s amazing. Thank you.

Writer Mingzhu Wu

23.08.2024