American artist Aimee Erickson, is an internationally renowned oil painter, teacher, and author. Aimee has exhibited and painted all over the world, and has won numerous awards. Aimee was born in 1967 at the American Hospital in Paris’s 16th arrondissement. She is the second of five children born to Ed, an astrophysicist and Beth Erickson, a high school English teacher, both from Seattle, Washington. When she was three years old her family returned to the US via a brief spell in England, settling in Sunnyvale, CA. As a child, Aimee “had lots of bonus extracurricular education and activities - cello, baking, sewing, soccer, lots of reading, and my mom taught us all to speak French, plus lessons or gear for anything I wanted to learn, like oil painting from the age of six, unicycling, gymnastics, and we were all required to play the piano”. Aimee gained her BFA from Brigham Young University in Utah in Visual Communication Design with an Illustration emphasis. But after college she struggled with depression and moved back to Oregon taking jobs in stage scenery. Growing up as a Mormon proved to be a challenge for Aimee and even though she spent 18 months in France as a missionary, she was never comfortable with the religion. In 2003, after much heartache she left the Mormon faith which she says was a turning point to liberating her both personally and professionally. Aimee has spent her life as an artist; her portfolio extends from landscapes to still life to portraits. She lives in Portland, OR. Aimee’s website: https://www.aimeeerickson.com/ Instagram @1aim Aimee’s Playlist: Jason Isbell, "How to Forget" Chris Stapleton, "Traveller" Wilco, "California Stars" The Finn Brothers "Won't Give In" Favorite female artists: Sophie Franz. Kathleen B. Hudson Jessie Wilcox Smith Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram Email: [email protected]