Amanda Houston

MASTER ARTIST

Unlock Your Artistic Potential

Mentorship is the fastest way to go from where you are today, to where you want to be!

Learn How Mentorship Works or join this mentors group below.

Mentoring Emerging Artists
Not sure if you’re an emerging artist? Visit our How It Works page.

MEDIUM: Oil | Drawing | Charcoal | Pastel 
SPECIALTY: ✔ Generalist

I meet students where they need guidance, usually from five main areas:

1) Techniques & Tips: For emerging artists, I show them different techniques on different surfaces to help them find what works for them.

2) Composition & Design: I explain and review the design fundamentals (Values, Color, Shape, Armatures, etc..) so all the students can strengthen their artistic eye and design skills. (for all mediums)

3) Critiquing, Curating & Goal Setting: I help them learn how to self critique, assortment plan, and curate a strong body of work that compliments. This includes identifying their purpose, motivation, and putting together a strategic plan for short and long term goals. All of this work dovetails into clarifying their artistic voice.

4) Boosting Creative Confidence: By sharing neurological research, I help artists better understand the creative process of expansion and contraction, how to cultivate more creativity and how to reduce the road blocks when they get stuck. In understanding the neurology behind the scenes, I help artists boost their creative confidence and move through the ups and downs of the process with more grace and acceptance.

5) Business Advice: With almost 20 years in corporate America, I show artists the art of making money in the art world. I review pricing structures, selling venues, marketing and how to present yourself as a trusted business partner with galleries, patrons and vendors.

Artwork by Michaela Hoppe
Artwork by Michaela Hoppe
Artwork by Michaela Hoppe
Artwork by Michaela Hoppe
Artwork by Michaela Hoppe
Artwork by Michaela Hoppe

Amanda’s EXPERTISE

Listed below are this Mentor’s specialty skills. Join this group if you want to grow in these areas.

Specialty: ✔ Generalist 

I help artists find their artistic voice and reduce the mental roadblocks.
As a creativity coach, I help you boost creative confidence and teach about the neurological mental process of creating.

Technical:

Z

Colour and Composition

Z

Supplies and Tools – what to use, where to save, and where to spend

Z

Studio Setup for Art Production

Z

Providing Art Critiques

Z

Teaching How to Self Critique

MARKETING & BRANDING:

Z

Advertising, Brand Messaging, Clarifying Your Voice

Z

Shows and Exhibits

Z

Website Design

Z

Artist Statement & CV

Z

Marketing & Branding

Business:

Z

Goal Setting, Assortment Planning, Curating a Strong Body of Work

Z

Running your art business the day-to-day

Z

Products, Prints, Reproductions

Z

Selling Online

Z

Studio Time Management

“Mastrius is a perfect balance of accountability, community and fun.
It feels like family. Family that makes you a better you.”

~ Elizabeth, Emerging Artist

JOIN NOW

select your mentorship group

If the group you’re interested in has a waitlist, you have the option to join another group to get started. When your group opens we can transfer you over.

MORE ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artwork by Michaela Hoppe
Artwork by Michaela Hoppe
Artwork by Michaela Hoppe
Growing up on three continents, Amanda has been inspired by much of the world. She now lives on 30 breath-taking acres in Cornelius, O.R. capturing the beauty of the landscapes that surround her.

As a child living in Africa and Saudi Arabia, she remembers watching her mother paint oil landscapes as a hobby. Both her parents were educators and encouraged her to follow her creative passion. Amanda was educated in New England and holds a B.S. in Apparel Design & Merchandising from University of Vermont and a graduate degree in Textile Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She was L.L. Bean’s first Apparel Designer in the 80’s, Nike’s first Apparel Innovation Director in the 90’s and then helped launch Nike’s first e-commerce business (www.Niketown.com) during the dot-com boom.

After almost 20 years of corporate America, traveling, designing, and merchandising sports apparel for big global brands, she found she was creating less and managing more. In 2004 she took the leap, embraced motherhood and allowed the artist in her to finally come out. “I knew I wanted to be an artist when I retired, but I didn’t want to wait until I was 65 to start.” Amanda has been painting and refining her evolving voice ever since. She has been teaching and mentoring others nationally and internationally since 2016.

She is a Master’s Circle Member of IAPS (International Assoc. of Pastel Societies) and the current President and Signature member of the NW Pastel Society. She participates in national shows as a member of the American Women Artists, American Impressionist Society and Pastel Society of America. She has won numerous national awards and is collected internationally. She is nationally published by Editions Limited Inc. and is seen throughout the nation in the hospitality industry. She is represented by Cole Gallery in Edmonds, WA, Scott Milo in Anacortes, WA and Valley Art in Forest Grove, OR. She works with private clients, art brokers, interior designers, as well as two winery tasting rooms in Oregon, (Penner Ash Wine Cellars and Colene Clemens Vineyards).

She lives in the foothills of Willamette Valley wine country in an old historic hunting lodge near Hillsboro, OR on 30 glorious acres overlooking vineyards and rolling cultivated with her black lab and cat where she has built a workshop space for art classes and Creativity Retreats. She is devoted to guiding others to find their creative voice and inner joy.

As a retired Nike triathlete, and empty nester she spends her non-working time cycling, practicing yoga, swimming, cooking, gardening, and traveling. Amanda is a recent alumni NYU’s InnerMBA program focusing on bringing mindful, conscious practices to her world and her leadership skills. She splits her time between Oregon and the San Juan islands squeezing painting time whenever she can.