Indie Artists Amelia Netto and Danny Grant

Many of us who are artists at heart find that we need to do something else on the side to pay our bills. But it's our art (music, writing, dancing, painting, etc.) that truly drives us.

Amelia Netto, an artist currently living in Atlanta, GA, and her boyfriend, musician Danny Grant, both understand this side of life. Netto is in the process of developing her body of work; she says that currently, her favorite medium is textile design. Grant plays bass in The Status, an Atlanta band that describes their music as a mix of "rock, powerpop, and melodramatic pop."

I first encountered Netto's work at ChocoLate Coffee in Atlanta, where several of her paintings were for sale. What struck me was the amazing unusual style, and the combination of different media. One, in particular, stuck with me; it was entitled "In Between the Lines," and featured a motif of small airplanes flying over a green background.

"The airplanes came from my senior portfolio," Netto explains. "[They represent] my friend from Argentina; we met when we were 8 years old. At 10, she moved back to Argentina. Then we became pen pals; we wrote back and forth for the next 15 years. For my senior portfolio, my work was about her; it stemmed from the idea of traveling and moving."

Netto's artwork has recently been featured at the Swan Coach House Gallery, co-curated by Marianne Lambert and Junco Pollack, Associate Professor of Textile Art at Georgia State University. According to MyArtGroup.com, the exhibition featured the work of both new and reputable artists from the South, each of whom used thread as a medium.

Netto says that she first discovered the textile medium while in art school; in the beginning, it was inspirational to be around other artists pursuing a similar vision. "We all work within textiles, but what we do is so different...I find going to museums and galleries, and researching what's going on within contemporary art [helpful]."

In terms of critique, Netto mentions that one comment she received at ChocoLate Coffee was negative: "The person felt it was 'incomplete'...everything else I've gotten has been positive."

Netto has considered promoting her work online, but feels that something is lost when people view it over the Internet. "I think that because it's fabric, stitched and printed, it loses the texture online; it loses dimension if things are on top of one another."

Since Netto and Grant are both artists, in a sense, they have considered collaborating in some way, but haven't come up with the best method so far. Explains Netto, "I made a shirt with a jungle gym on it and a lot of Danny's friends wanted one." They have also discussed somehow combining Netto's artwork with Grant's music as a background.

Grant describes The Status' music as "melodic pop/rock. We have a record coming out October 7th, called So This Is Progress." Netto adds that she "wanted to record sounds outside my window" to supplement the band's music, but hasn't taken on that project yet. She also mentions that she has artwork at home that she wouldn't sell. "I have pieces that I want to keep because they have very sentimental value; one is called Plaza de Mayo, and the other is Home Sweet Home."

Grant also mentions that he recently discovered a site through which artists could create their own template for their portfolio, called Other People's Pixels. The site's creators say "You don't need to do any of the tough stuff, just plug in images of your work and your portfolio can be online today." Artists can sign up and design their personal page in any way they choose.

The Status recently played a show at The Masquerade, on North Ave. in Atlanta. It's a major venue that has hosted artists such as punk rockers Against Me and sludge metal kings Soilent Green. "There's another [show] in November...it comes through on November 6th," says Grant. They also have upcoming shows at Newbury Comics in Norwood, MA, and St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit, MI. For more information about tour dates, see The Status' Myspace page: The Status

Both Amelia Netto and Danny Grant have their work cut out for them as artists. If this has inspired you in any way, check them out! I promise you won't be disappointed.