Sweet Creative Soul: Meet Amy Nelson

It’s one of the greatest feelings to discover a sweet soul whose personality can be felt through his or her work – whether it’s through words… music… photography… In this case, it happens to be all three – and then some.

I discovered Amy Nelson on dear old Instagram, and was immediately drawn to her sweet, simple photographs embellished with dainty touches of nature, and the beautiful captions that went along with them. When I saw that she had a blog, too, I fell even more in love. I knew I needed to find out more about this lovely gal. Friends, meet Amy!

You seem to be a lady of many talents: poetry, music, photography… tell us about the importance of creativity in your life. If you had to choose a favorite outlet, could you?

Creativity to me is like swimming in the sea. Some of us jump in for joy or to cool our bodies on a hot summer’s day, while others swim because the sea calls their name and makes them feel alive. Being creative is not always a choice and joy isn’t always a part of the creative process, many times the creative person was born this way and they spend the rest of their lives learning how to make the most out of it. When I am being creative, I feel most alive and true to myself.

If I had to choose a favorite outlet, I would probably choose music because music is poetry set to sounds and it gets me out of the house and into the community.

I adore your photography. What pulls me in the most is your incorporation of bits and pieces of nature in almost every shot. Do you have a go-to spot for collecting all these little gems?

There is a ravine behind my house where you can find all sorts of woodland goodies! You don’t have to pull from the trees or living things, you will find flowers, berries and sticks on the ground. I love going there. It is very quiet. I also love gardening, and because our summer is so short, I’ve learned how to press and dry my flowers so I can enjoy them in the wintertime too. I place the petals & stems into hard-covered books until they’re ready to see daylight, then I use them in my photographs and décor.

Name a few things we could find you doing on any given day.

You could always find me playing my banjo, pressing flowers or having my daily rant about something that bothers me. I always try to be positive but there is usually at least one moment in the day when I feel the need to rant. I think if you can find somebody you trust and let them in on your thoughts, it makes your mind and heart feel better.

You live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, yes? What’s your favorite hidden gem of the city?

I love living in Calgary. My favourite hidden gem is Edworthy Park ― a beautiful park in the heart of the city filled with trees and wildlife. Most people who visit the park stay on the main trail with their pups or hiking shoes. If you wander to the left of the trail, you can find little hideouts beneath the trees. If you stay long enough, you begin to wonder if you’re the only person left in the world. It’s a really fun place to explore!

If you could wake up and find yourself in any time period for just one day, what would it be? What would you do?

This is a great question! I’d love to have the experience of hearing the banjo and guitar played by some of my favorites that came and died before me. I would want to hear Mississippi John Hurt or Elizabeth Cotten play guitar and listen to Doc Boggs on the banjo. I’d like to meet my grandmother there too, we could dance and sway together.

What’s one unexpected thing you’ve learned from your boyfriend, or from the love the two of you share?

Before I met Carter, I had only experienced the kind of love you have for your family and friends. I never realized that when you fall in love, the recipient of your love becomes your family. Our relationship isn’t just about kisses, compliments and having a best-friend. We are together when we’re sick, when we’re clumsy, and even when we’re scared. I’ve learned how to be selfless and open minded through my love with him.

To you, the perfect date would be…