Amy Pilling's work integrates art, nature, ecology, and science. Working with unconventional materials, and sometimes in concert with other living organisms, her work focuses on the invisible, including the hidden elements and forces in nature that surround us, support us, permeate us -- that we are a part of. Amy’s work ranges from sculpture to environmental and social practice work inspired by natural phenomena and our perceptions of our connection to nature.
Pilling worked as a ceramicist in her 20s and 30s, then began to explore bio-art and sci-art in 2015. She collaborated with artist and educator Stephanie Rothenberg on The Myco-planning Network, a citizen science-art project working with collective organisms such as fungal mycelium and slime mold to address hunger and equitable food distribution in New Mexico. The Myco-planning Network won a juried award in The Land Mark Show at Muñoz Waxman Gallery at The Center for Contemporary Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pilling participated in a 2017 Santa Fe Art Institute Water Rights residency where she realized that she needed a laboratory of her own. She received a Fulcrum Fund grant through 516 ARTS, a regranting organization for the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, as seed funding for Life Arts Laboratory, a mobile bio-art laboratory for artists, citizen scientists, and educators. Pilling is passionate about creating opportunities through her work for a new generation to experience deeper connection to the natural world through art, science and education. Pilling collaborated with STEMarts Lab, PneuHaus, STEAM NM and University of New Mexico, College of Fine Arts to create Space Bears, an installation and educational experience introducing the wonders of the micro-world and tardigrades to children at Imagine Children's Museum in Taos, New Mexico, and through an installation at the 2022 Paseo Festival in Taos.
Pilling received her B.A. in 1985 from Scripps College in Claremont, California where she studied German, Russian, and Holocaust Studies; and began her study of ceramics under Paul Soldner and David Furman at Pitzer College. She attended the Anthropology Film Center in Santa Fe in the 80s and pursued studio art at Santa Fe Community College and the University of New Mexico.
For a CV, please email Amy through the Contact page.
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