about the artist
Ayemurs (aim-ers) was born and raised and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has studied music and art throughout her life, but found an interest in printmaking in 2010. She attended the University of New Mexico, where she studied several techniques including lithography, screen-printing, relief and intaglio processes. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in December 2016, focusing the majority of her upper course work in lithography.
She currently creates work in her home studio located in Albuquerque. She mostly focuses in relief print techniques on paper and upcycled textiles, and plate lithography techniques. She has displayed artwork at different local pop-up events in Albuquerque, the New Mexico State Fair, and around the southwest. She has also participated and exhibited in several international print exchanges, as well as hosted them.
She is very active within her local arts community, and is a teaching artist with several programs. She also holds the Artistic and Experience Coordinator position on the SOMOS ABQ Co-Coordination board, where she co-curates and manages selected visual and performance artists as well as art making projects for a city wide festival, and is the programming assistant with Albuquerque Arts Hub where she engages with early to mid career artists to provide creative career professional development and community collaborations.
Outside of her arts practice, she maintains a full clientele at Lorenco’s Salon, where she is a licensed nail artist, esthetician and permanent makeup artist. Her artistic background has assisted her heavily within the beauty industry as many of her clients request her for her nail art skills, and her understanding of color theory, symmetry and line aid in creating natural looking tattooed cosmetics. She has been with Lorenco’s since 2014, starting as a part-time receptionist and working her way into management, and master stylist services.
Artist Statement
The multiplicity of printmaking is attractive to me as an artist due to the accessibility of the artwork. I am very much influenced by the ideas of Edo Period ukiyo-e printmakers, who were able to economically produce large amounts of work that could be easily obtained and accessed by many average people rather than only those who could afford access to higher education or art experiences. My work is influenced by mythological and legendary creatures, and natural sciences, and combines heavy relief carved images with bold color flats to create interesting blends of the natural world with these mythological elements . I use the prints as a way to educate myself and others on different figures and forms that may surround us, whether that be fictitious or realistic. With the use of block printing, I am able to produce large quantities of images rapidly that I can then sell or trade throughout my community. I also strive to keep materials as sustainable as possible, and consistently create work with scrap pieces of linoleum, erasers, or other carving material I have left over, while also diving into making my own papers. I strongly believe that the public should have constant accessibility to artwork in any sense, and for that reason I work in mainly open editions, on both paper and up-cycled textile. I print on whatever objects and paper I am able to procure so that I am able to share it as effortlessly with the public as possible.
CV
EDUCATION
2016 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM — Bachelor’s of Studio Art
2019 The Basics of Block Printing with John Hogan, The Hat Ranch Gallery, Santa Fe NM
2019 Tin Type Photography with Kevin Black, Light Art Space, Silver City NM
2023 Mask Making with Dennis McNatt (Wolfbat), Container Gallery, Santa Fe NM
2024 Bosque Education Guide, Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, Albuquerque NM- Certification
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
September 2024-Present Artistic and Experience Coordinator- SOMOS ABQ Music and Art Festival, Albuquerque NM
April 2024-Present ABQ Arts Hub Program Assistant- Albuquerque Arts Hub, Albuquerque NM
September 2023-December 2024 Printmaking and Beginner Piano Instructor- Zia Family Focus Center, Albuquerque NM
August 2023-Present Teaching Artist- Creative Campus/smART Classroom Albuquerque Arts Hub, Albuquerque NM
February 2014–Present Lorenco’s Salon, Permanent Cosmetic Artist | Manicurist | Esthetician | Asst. Manager, Albuquerque NM
AWARDS, Residencies, FELLOWSHIPS
2024 Shared.Futures ArtScience Fellowship, Explora! Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque NM
2023 Fall Maker in Residence, Explora! Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque NM
2023 Spring Maker in Residence, Explora! Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque NM
2022 Arts Hub Fellowship, North 4th Arts Center, Albuquerque NM
2011 Rotary Youth Leadership Award, Monzano Mountain Retreat, Torreon NM
2011 Volcano Vista Art, Albuquerque NM- Third Place Printmaking
2010 Volcano Vista Art, Albuquerque NM- First Place Printmaking
2010 Albuquerque Public Schools Metro Youth Art Show, Albuquerque NM- Merit Award, Flux Contemporary
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
August 2021 Artist of the Month, Differential Brewing Co. Albuquerque NM
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
October 2024 Southwest Print Fiesta Exchange Exhibition, Power and Light Press, Silver City NM
Fall 2024 Women Who Print Online Exhibition, maripaper.com
September 2024 New Mexico State Fair, Hispanic Arts Gallery, Albuquerque NM
February 2024 Fun-A-Day Exhibition, 1415 Gallery, Albuquerque NM
April 2023 Print! Santa Fe Exchange Exhibition, Black Rock Editions, Santa Fe NM
October 2023 Southwest Print Fiesta Exchange Exhibition, Power and Light Press, Silver City NM
February 2023 Remarque Annual Print Exchange Exhibition, Newgrounds Remarque Print Workshop & Gallery, Albuquerque NM
February 2023 Print! Austin Print Exchange Exhibition, Blue Genie Art Bazaar, Austin TX
February 2023 Fun-A-Day Exhibition, 1415 Gallery, Albuquerque NM
May 2022 eMerge Print Exchange Online Exhibition, ericabarajas.com
February 2022 Print! Austin Exchange Exhibition, Blue Genie Art Bazaar, Austin TX
October 2021 Southwest Print Fiesta Exchange Exhibition, Power and Light Press, Silver City NM
August 2017 Animal Humane Benefit Show, La Cumbre Brewing Co, Albuquerque NM
COMMISSIONS
2022 Corporate Art Commission, Sheet Metal Contractors Association of New Mexico, 300 hand block printed 16inx28in tea towels
WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS
2024 “Meet Amy Maestas”, Canvas Rebel, https://canvasrebel.com/meet-amy-maestas/
2024 “About Ayemurs”, People of Print, https://www.peopleofprint.com/solo-artist/ayemurs/
VISITING ARTIST WORKSHOPS
January 2025 Pixel Printmaking, Off Center Community Arts Project, Albuquerque NM
December 2024 Intro to Block Printing Holiday Cards, Catalyst Coffee Co., Albuquerque NM
October 2024 Eraser Block Printing, Lost Cultures Tea Bar, Albuquerque NM
Spring/Summer 2023 Pixel Printmaking, Series of 6 workshops, Off Center Community Arts Project, Albuquerque NM
June 2023 Pixel Printmaking, Albuquerque Academy Think! Summer Program, Albuquerque NM
Fall 2023 Pixel Printmaking and Beginner Linocut, Explora! Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque NM
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2024 Critters Creatures and Cryptids International Print Exchange, Online Exhibition