As Seen On : Bailey Campbell
Bailey, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a full-time painter and full-time mom, pasta-enthusiast, fantasy book lover, and certified “indoor cat”. I grew up in Upstate New York, well, North of Upstate - in tiny town called Canton, about 10 miles from the Canadian border. I moved down to Boston after college, which was entirely driven by my (then) corporate job, but I never fell in love with living in the city.
During the pandemic, my husband and I finally felt ready to sacrifice the commute for community, and moved to Merrimac sight unseen. We began to explore our new area, and the moment we stepped foot in Amesbury we knew this was the type of place we wanted to be (shoutout to Silvaticus - I don’t know if it was the beer or the river, but we were hooked). We bought a home right downtown a year later, had a baby, and very much look at Amesbury as our forever home.
What do you love about living in Amesbury? Where are your favorite spots?
The more time I invest in Amesbury, the more I love it. I spoke a little before about what brought me here, and truly it was more of a feeling than anything else. It made me feel at home, even prior to knowing a ton about it. Believe it or not, I didn’t even realize how much of an art scene there was when I first moved!
I would live at Cider Hill Farm if they’d let me - I feel like we’re so lucky to have access to their hard work and harvest. I also love that I can find a little of everything downtown. Need a tube of paint? Alchemy + Art. A cookie addiction? Sweetcheeks by Renee. A craft beer? THREE breweries. Our small businesses are so dedicated to making this city an experience, not just a quick stop.
What has your path as an artist/maker been like? What are your favorite mediums? Subjects?
I've been creating for as long as I can remember, and always envisioned myself in some kind of creative career - until I wasn’t! After graduating from college, I pursued a corporate career in business management, sales, and then talent acquisition, but consistently did commission work on the side. After five years of climbing the corporate ladder, I finally felt brave enough to take the leap and go full-time with my business. I became a full-time commission artist in 2020!
I kicked off my full-time career with a calendar series called “Badass Ladies” where I researched and featured 12 womxn who were bustin’ it to make the world a better, more inclusive place. Some were well known, while others weren’t. It gave me the opportunity to deep dive into the work and lives of so many impressive individuals (even those that didn’t end up in the final selection), and was a way for me to connect my work with something I feel really passionate about - and then share it with the world! It helped me find my creative voice in a lot of ways, but also gave me a ton of practice on the human figure.
I work primarily with watercolor, gouache, and acrylic, and while I still do a lot of portraiture, I also find balance with landscapes and event design. I am inspired by a multitude of artistic expressions, and I often find myself pulled to shake things up. I strive to give myself permission to follow the rhythm of my creative, even if it’s just personal work!
How was creativity + self expression fostered for you? How does it mark your life now?
Hmmm, this is a good one! I have always found myself interested in the world around me, and always felt joy in recreating those moments (whether views or experiences) through drawing or painting. My family has been incredibly supportive of my love of art, and never failed to make me feel really proud of the work I did. I’m really grateful for how they made my work feel worthy, because half the battle of being an artist is imposter syndrome.
I think most kids intuitively love to create things, and I always imagined myself working creatively with kiddos. I haven’t ended up on that path, but it’s really important to me to see children have access to art, and to feel their work is worthy of praise. Art is a form of voice, it’s a form of self-discovery, and it’s a form of resistance - I think everyone should have access to it.
Please tell us about She is the Storm, your collaborative painting series with your daughter:
Firstly, I’ll say that the only way to get any painting done in my house is to accept that some works, intended or not, will be a collaboration with a two year old. At first that was a really hard transition to make, but I found contentment when I took it in stride!
I’m currently working on a collection of acrylic works called She is the Storm that inspects the complexity of motherhood and postpartum. Both are storms filled with endless beauty and overflowing joy, but there’s also a raw wildness and intense loss of control - of your body, your time, your space, your relationships, your everything.
I’ve been pouring my heart into variations of stormy skyscapes on canvas, before passing the “completed” paintings to my daughter, Simone, who adds a personal touch of her own with no limitations other than the use of paint pens.
I love seeing how her confidence grows each time she faces a new canvas, and, if I’m being honest, this is a really powerful journey for me as an artist, mom, and human being. Some may feel that this ruins the work (including me sometimes!), but I hope to challenge the viewer to internalize that discomfort and inspect it. Lose yourself in the chaos and inconsistency that is the experience, and find the beauty in childish innocence within the storm of adult emotion.
You are participating in Amesbury Open Studios as both an organizer with the Amesbury Cultural Council and as an artist - can you tell us a bit about what you will be showing in November? What are you excited about? Nervous about? Hopeful for?
I am! I’m so excited and grateful to live in a town that truly celebrates makers, but also makes them accessible to the larger community. I’ll be showcasing original works - both from the She is the Storm collection and watercolor landscapes - as well as prints, notecards, and ornaments.
I’m definitely a little nervous - I actually only started showing my professional work in galleries within the last three years, so each baby step I take out into the world of professional art feels massive. I’m a perfectionist, and tend to analyze a decision into oblivion before moving forward. It feels like an Amesbury-artist rite of passage to participate in this event, and seeing it from the backend last year was so helpful - the amount of work, joy, excitement, and love that goes into this weekend is unmatched .
This will be my first time doing something like this, and I’m equal parts worried about running out of inventory and massively overdoing it - time will tell!
How did you and Amy come to know each other? Do you remember the first connection or your first meeting?
I met Amy last September when I attended my first ACC meeting as a community member. At that point, I was just curious about what they did, and interested in how I might find some purpose outside of my personal and professional life. The Council was in full planning mode for Open Studios, and I was in awe of not only how much work was going into the event, but also how, despite the workload ahead, Amy and the others completely stopped to welcome me, get to know me, and help me get involved. I came home from that first meeting certain that I would attend another, and excited to have been plugged into the art community in such an intimate way.
Amy and I walked past each other a few times in the following weeks (we then discovered that we only live about a block from one another), and each time she stopped and greeted me by name, which speaks so intensely to her attention to detail and kindness.
What has it been like working together with Amy on the Amesbury Cultural Council?
I am so grateful for my time working with Amy. As someone new to the Council, and new-ish to Amesbury, I’ve really appreciated having her as a resource in all things ACC. Every conversation can evolve from logistics to curiosities, catch-ups to musings, business to fun. She’s always the first to jump on a call if I have questions, send pictures to help with marketing, and is a true advocate of arts and culture in our community.
What pieces of Amy’s jewelry line do you wear? What drew you to those pieces? What do you like about wearing them?
I wear Amy’s jewelry every single day. My first pair was the Millie Huggie Hoops, which I immediately fell in love with. I was looking for something delicate, but interesting, that I could wear day-to-day and they called to me. I pair them almost daily with my Gemma Threaders and Georgia Studs! Most recently I commissioned Amy to make me a single, custom Ginny Stud for my tragus, and I’m truly obsessed with it - a perfect, dainty stud!
What I like most about all of Amy’s pieces is that they are comfortable, well-made, and thoughtfully designed to balance organic creativity and everyday wearability… but they’re also versatile enough to pair with a funky, bold contrast without clashing or overpowering.
I’ve got my eyes on the Aris Dangles - I just love the intricate swirls and twists that counterbalance the gem - and her new Sincera collection! The texture and rawness are absolutely stunning.
How are you most often seen wearing this?
I truly wear these with everything, and my wardrobe ranges from neutral and comfortable to loud and eclectic. Whether I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt or dress, or even crazy, printed pants, it’s my go-to stack!
Is jewelry the first thing you think about or the last thing you adorn with when it comes to outfitting for the day?
I think it depends on the side of the bed I wake up on! I like a balance of everyday wear that pairs perfectly with any aesthetic, but I also love a funky, fun piece (or ten!) that I can switch out here and there if an outfit is calling for it!
Thank you so much for reading the latest installment of As Seen On. You can learn more about Bailey + her beautiful work here.
You can also visit both of us during Amesbury Open Studios! Bailey will be set up and showing her work at Studio Stop A : City Hall and I will be at Studio Stop D : Artists’ Muse Studio. Amesbury Open Studios will be on Saturday, November 8 from 10am-5pm and Sunday, November 9 from 11am-4pm. The Muse is hosting our annual kick-off party on Friday 11/7 from 5:30-8pm with drinks + snacks + live music. The city-wide studio tour will be on Saturday, November 9 from 10am-5pm and Sunday, November 10 from 11am-4pm.
And in honor of Bailey, I will be offering each of her favorite earrings [ Millie Huggie Hoops, Gemma Threaders, Georgia Studs , Ginny Studs and the Aris Dangles ] at 20% off on my website through the end of November.
If you or someone you know wears AVE jewelry and is interested in being featured in this “Ode to the Wearers", please reach out so that I can learn more about you and what you wear.