Hi, my name is Amy.

I was born on Friday the 13th of November, 1981, in Rock Rapids, Iowa. I am the youngest of three children.

I lived briefly on a farm (i.e. I don’t remember it) in very rural Iowa until my family moved to Vermillion, South Dakota. I lived there until I ran off to college at Augustana College in neighboring Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It wasn’t quite the right fit for me (and maybe it wasn’t quite far enough away from home), so for my sophomore year in college I moved in with my sister in St. Paul, Minnesota, and began going to school at the University of Minnesota.

I worked as a student receptionist at the Bell Museum of Natural History through my college years, and when I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in German Studies, I joined the staff as an accountant. I continued going to classes in photography and graphic design while working full-time at the Bell Museum as an accountant and also “volunteering” for a role in designing publications and exhibits.

I was starting to think about getting a Masters of Fine Arts degree, but I was hired as a designer in the marketing department at a company that provides computer-based testing instead — and this is where I currently work.

I have two silly kitties, Ellipses and Ampersand. I live in “Nordeast,” in the upper half of a duplex, which I rent from my friend, Kristi, and her husband, Jared. Ampersand is currently trying to sit on my hands, so I better put the computer away and give her snuggles.

Frans Lanting’s nature photography is the subject of the current exhibit at the Bell Museum of Natural History. Lanting’s photos have a deeply scientific interpretation and incredible beauty.

If you happened to catch the exhibit Touch the Sky from Jim Brandenburg a couple years ago, you’ll definitely enjoy this exhibit as well.

Frans Lanting will be giving an all-day nature photography seminar on March 21st. Anyone want to buy me a ticket?

Just a quick note on places to find my work these days:

I produced exhibit signage for Art of the Wild, currently on display at the Bell Museum of Natural History through January 4th, 2009. Signage included a 30″x40″ poster, an 8′x10′ building banner (in photo), and a 5″x7″ postcard. And it all turned out to be ever so pretty! The building banner looks especially beautiful with the fall foliage that covers the museum.

I was recently notified that a photo I took of the Newsroom on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis was listed on Schmap.com’s fifth edition for Minneapolis. Check it out (in action) here!

Plastic Chord played a pretty rockin’ show at the Uptown Bar tonight. I expect you to be at the next Minneapolis show on August 25th (at Club Underground aka the Spring Street Tavern aka best Bloody Mary in Mpls). It’s a Saturday so you have no reason to not attend.

Also, I’m all moved in to my new place but it’s sort of uneven. My desk is wobbling as I type. Anyone have a few extra napkins I can shove under one of the legs?

Also, also: volunteer for events at the Bell Museum. There are some pretty rockin’ sci-fi movies scheduled for this month and I’d rather watch you scoop popcorn for me than have to scoop popcorn myself. Though I’m so excited that I’d probably march back there with you and help you make popcorn. What can I say? I enjoy making popcorn and I enjoy the Bell Museum. Anyway, check out the website for the upcoming events that YOU! can help make awesome: bellmuseum.org.

Love,
Amy aka Pork-CHOP