This fortnight I'm thrilled to introduce Amanda Lyon-Smith, a Devon-born and bred mixed media artist whose bold coastal abstracts and vibrant still lifes are turning heads – including in America.
From paddling for GB to painting for clients across the Atlantic, Amanda's story is one of a creative spirit that simply couldn't be contained any longer.
Tell us about your journey to becoming a professional artist – what were you doing before, and what made you take the leap?
"I was a weird and very artistic child – always walking around with a sketchbook and often making the class laugh with my caricatures of the teachers. I came from humble beginnings, so art school was never an option. I've had many different jobs and passions over the years, often having to compromise to fit work around childcare: Aesthetician, Aromatherapist, Athlete (I once paddled for GB), and Aerobics Instructor – always bringing my A-game.
At 40, I started a promotional merchandise business with my husband called The Purple Company (UK) Ltd in Exeter. It's still going strong today, and although I'm no longer involved day-to-day, I remain a director.
During the first lockdown in March 2020, I had my 'epiphany' – I realised that all I had ever truly wanted to do was paint. The floodgates opened and all that repressed creativity came pouring out. I was painting every single day. I joined Teignmouth Art Society, started getting work into local gallery open calls, and within six months I was offered my first solo exhibition."
Your work ranges from serene seascapes to bold, punchy abstracts – how do you describe your artistic style?
"Intuitive and eclectic. My work is mainly coastal-inspired, through both abstraction and seascapes, but I also love floral still lifes. I work with different media and tools, often combining collage. The common thread is that everything I create comes from a place of love – joyful, uplifting, energetic, and usually full of bright, saturated colour."
Being Devon-born and bred, how does Devon inspire your work?
"Devon is beautiful everywhere, but my heart and soul belong to the coast. My childhood dream was to live in rolling fields with a sea view – and after 20 house moves, I now have my dream (so never give up manifesting). I wake up to the most beautiful sunrises over the sea, with calming sky and ocean blues and vivid sunshine oranges that feature heavily in my art."
What does your studio look like and do you have any creative rituals?
"I'm very lucky to have a home art studio with big windows taking in spectacular views across rolling fields and out to sea, looking towards the Jurassic Coast. My studio is open to the public by appointment and during Devon Open Studios."
What's been your proudest moment as an artist so far?
"There have been many 'pinch me' moments, but my first major exhibition in London in 2023 was pivotal. It was the moment I truly started taking myself seriously as a professional artist – my work sold, and I received commissions from it."
What do you wish people understood about being an artist?
"That being an artist involves a lot of hard work, self-doubt, and wearing many different hats – just like running any small business."
Which artist, living or dead, would you love to have coffee with and why?
"I love spending time with other artists and creatives because they're the only ones who truly understand the struggles. I'm inspired by the work and passion of Frida Kahlo, Tracey Emin, Maggie Hambling, Barbara Hepworth, Peter Lanyon, Picasso – the list is endless."
What are you working on right now that's got you excited?
"I've started working on really large canvases, which is pushing and stretching me creatively. It began with two commissions for America, where the work needed to be sent in tubes – and I've fallen in love with working big."
Where can people see and buy your work?
"My website:
www.AmandaLyon-Smith.com, where you'll find my current originals and a selection of prints. I'm also currently running a Valentine giveaway of a framed canvas print of 'Blooming Lovely' – to enter, you simply subscribe to my newsletter. It's a quarterly email with studio news, offers, and upcoming events.
I'll also be exhibiting with the Torbay Guild of Artists at the Spanish Barn, Torre Abbey, from 14–29 March. Full details are on my website."
What's your big dream for 2026?
"To be represented by a gallery that exhibits internationally – and to have an assistant to handle the admin, so I can spend more time doing what I love most: painting."
What strikes me most about Amanda is how her whole life has been building to this moment without her quite realising it. The artistic child who couldn't go to art school, the entrepreneur, the GB athlete – all of that determination and creative energy was simply waiting for the right moment to pour out. And pour out it did.
Her dream of waking up to sea views after 20 house moves is a reminder that persistence pays off – in life and in art. Those sunrise oranges and ocean blues she sees every morning aren't just a backdrop; they're feeding directly into her canvas, and it shows.
If you'd like to catch Amanda's work in person, she'll be exhibiting with the Torbay Guild of Artists at the Spanish Barn, Torre Abbey from 14–29 March – well worth a visit. And if you fancy being in with a chance of winning a framed print of 'Blooming Lovely', head to her website and subscribe to her newsletter before Valentine's Day.
If you'd like to be featured in our Artist Spotlight series or know of local creative projects we should cover, drop me a line athannah@print2wall.co.uk. At Print2Wall, we offer museum-quality fine art printing and bespoke framing services to help artists and photographers bring their vision to life – visit us at www.print2wall.co.uk
