In a time where we’re all told to keep doing more, fixing more, healing more, artist and creative Amy Keevy reminds us to make space for rest, and to live and create, without shrinking.

From navigating identity, burnout and body image, to her upcoming exhibition at Lumi Gallery in Cape Town, Amy shares how creativity, sensuality, and self-expression are deeply intertwined.

This is a conversation about knowing your body, embracing the unknown, and finding beauty in the in-between. 

 

Kat: I remember coming across your Instagram account a good few years ago now and thinking there is something so fascinating about how empowered you seem about your body and your art. How does the woman you’ve become relate to your younger self? What have been the major influences in your trajectory? 

Amy: That's so kind of you to say, Kat. I’m always so fascinated by how we perceive those around us. I think we often, as humans, tend to think that other people have it more together or are more confident than we are, when really, we each have the same core thoughts and feelings when it comes to ourselves and our bodies.

I feel that even from a young age, I was aware of my body and had a deep need to explore and understand my identity and who I am. I’ve always loved using different frameworks to learn more about myself. Perhaps this searching and ultimately, acceptance and knowledge of who I am (both what I love and what I don’t love) is what comes across in the way I share about myself. For those interested, I’m a number 4 Enneagram and also a 5/1 Projector in Human Design. Both of those have a deep need to investigate.

I think younger Amy would be proud of who I am today, although she had a very different view of what she thought life would look like. I’ve been working through a lot of that lately - trying to lean into accepting being in the in-between, and realising that not having life all figured out yet doesn’t mean I’ve failed or not arrived at some magical place created by expectations and outside culture.

Kat: You seem able to wear many hats - marketer, artist, photographer, stylist, creative director and designer. How do you find time for it all? Do you need both or all to feel complete?

Amy: Oh gosh, I don’t! I never feel like I have enough hours in my day to accomplish my never-ending task list. In 2021 and 2022 (and beyond), I experienced a period of intense burnout. So I make sure that, no matter what, I take time to rest in the midst of it all. And rest can mean sitting naked in the sun for 5 minutes. But it’s a never-ending journey of juggling the hustle.

I feel blessed that I really do love all the different hats I’m able to wear, though. When I was young, I used to think that being boring would be the absolute worst thing in the world, so I can confidently say I managed to build a career where I’m not able to be bored!

Kat: You paint, you embroider, you write. What’s your creative process? 

Amy: 

"Creativity, for me, isn’t just the physical act of putting paint to paper or stitching thread through canvas.  It’s also what comes before and after. I think part of being an artist is seeing the world in a way that sparks curiosity and wonder.

Witnessing the way light falls on the ground, or the colour of the sky, is a creative act. To be alive is to create.

Kat: You don’t seem to be shy or inhibited about your body, how did you get there? Do you have any advice for others? 

Amy: I found this question quite difficult to answer, actually.

There is a part of me that isn’t shy. But also, I’m a normal woman who faces and deals with all the same cultural pressures and insecurities that we all do.

Ageing, for me, has been the most confronting when it comes to my body. I don’t believe our bodies should look the same as they did when we were teenagers or in our twenties. I want to embrace the creases and wrinkles that are forming on my skin as I travel each year around the sun.

My main advice for others is to cultivate a relationship with yourself, and also friendships with other women, that are filled with kindness. The way we speak to ourselves and to each other is so important. If I’m feeling particularly stuck on something about my body, I make a conscious effort to change my internal dialogue around it. I’ve woken up many a morning to tell my new wrinkles, “I love them, I love them, I love them,” even when the night before I was feeling quite the opposite.

Kat: How do you approach sharing your body on Instagram? The platform often feels heavily censored, especially regarding more subtle, artistic expressions like yours, while more explicit or graphic content is still widely visible. What’s your experience navigating this space, and how do you stay motivated to continue sharing? 

Amy: In all honesty, it used to get to me - but now I’ve just made peace with the censoring. 

Sometimes I try my luck and post something I’m sure Instagram will deem too provocative, just for the fun of it.

The censorship used to make my blood boil, but my relationship with Instagram has changed a lot over the years. I really can’t be bothered to waste my energy on Meta anymore. Now, I use my art account only when I feel inspired to. I’m leaning away from the feeling that the art I make also needs to become content.

Kat: You recently hosted a workshop at Sterreokopje the ‘Art of Vulva’ for their Wild Women Retreat. Tell us what and how you prepared for this, and more about the guests’ experience. 

Amy: This was such a great workshop to host, at the DREAMIEST location, and it was such an honour to be invited into Fleur and Nicole’s magical space. The wonderful Isa Ka Ra is one of the retreat hosts, and she and Fleur both had the idea of contacting me to assist with the ‘Art of Vulva’ workshop they had planned with their guests. Of course, I immediately said yes!

I’ve always been interested in female identity and sexuality as a topic. In fact, when I studied Fine Art, my 3rd and 4th year work all revolved around this. So I guess you could say I’ve been preparing since then! Creating spaces for women to get in touch with their creativity is also so close to my heart. Our creativity, identity, and sexuality are so closely linked, and this topic is something I love speaking to other women about.

The workshop itself was a space for the women to connect with themselves as they played with inks and watercolours without putting pressure on the outcome. They were invited to use colours they were drawn to and explore the oval shape - an ancient iconography of the vulva. Ink and watercolour is a medium that lends itself to letting go, as you need to lean into the unexpected way the pigment, water, and paper interact.

Kat: What tools do you use in everyday life to better connect with the world around you, your intuition and a sense of intention? 

Amy: Rest. Friendship. Walking in nature. Dancing. Napping. Breath. 

Kat: Do you have any daily rituals? 

Amy: I struggle to stick to doing tasks day after day. But a daily ritual I do have is bathing. I need to bathe for my mental health. I find that submerging myself in water and feeling the heat on my skin helps me get grounded in my body.

I also practice the To Be Magnetic manifestation work. I use their DIs (meditations) and journal prompts as a form of ritual in my life.

Kat: What brings you joy? 

Amy: At the moment, I’m getting the most joy out of the amazing collaborations I’ve been working on with some very talented women. Jessica Adams, a sex coach from Austria, has curated a beautiful exhibition called Vulvasphere - Woman Beyond the Surface - which includes some of my work. It opens this Thursday, 5 June at 6 PM at the Lumi Gallery in Hout Bay and runs until 15 June. Come visit!

“This exhibition honours the vulva not as a subject of silence or shame, but as a radiant symbol of femininity, awareness, and strength. Through art and dialogue, we open space for connection, healing, and celebration—inviting every visitor to witness and embrace the stories that shape us all.”
~ Jessica Adams

Oh, and of course - eating good food!!!

Kat: What do you do to feel grounded? 

Amy: Nature grounds me. I’m lucky to live on a farm outside of Plettenberg Bay in the sweetest little cottage, and I particularly love the sound of the birds at different times of the day and how close nature feels, even when I’m inside my home. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, my go-to is to schedule a daily walk. I’ll often put on a podcast and walk down to the river to regroup.

I love the concept of beauty orientation. It’s a way of relating to the world by noticing the simple, often-overlooked beauty in everyday life. It’s a practice of presence - remembering to notice how the light filters through the leaves, the movement of birds in the sky, or the colour of a landscape you love. These small moments become anchors for the nervous system.

Other tools I use:
– Conversations with good friends
 – Lying flat on the ground - preferably in the sun - closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths
– A To Be Magnetic DI
– Getting lost in a good book
– Spending time organising my home

Kat: Who inspires you? 

Amy: I’m so inspired by the untold stories of women throughout history - be it in the arts, science, or beyond. I love listening to podcasts and reading books where I can learn about what women have accomplished, often despite all odds.

Kat: Any people, places, words, books, rituals that have profoundly impacted your life? 

Amy: My love for reading has profoundly impacted my life. Growing up in a conservative environment, getting lost in books allowed me to travel the world and learn about different cultures, all while curled up in my bed. To this day, reading is one of my favourite things to do. I’m a total bookworm! My favourite genre is historical fantasy - a little bit of history and culture mixed with some magic.

Kat: What does success look like to you? 

Amy: Success to me looks like freedom. Freedom to manage my own time, freedom to be myself, freedom to live life in the way that is uniquely authentic to my inner landscape. 

Kat: How do you go about change and transitions in your life? 

Amy: With difficulty, like everyone else 😝

Kat: What are the areas of your life that you are most working on? Any current manifestations? 

Amy: I mentioned it earlier, but I’m currently working on letting go of the expectations I had for life and leaning into this in-between space of not knowing what’s next, and being okay with that. I recently got out of a very long relationship, and the journey of being single without children in your late 30s is not for the faint-hearted. I’m working on finding clarity within myself about the life I want to live. What does that practically look like? Where have I outsourced my safety in the past, and how can I change the narrative to one where I am my own home, not relying on external factors to provide me with belonging?

Kat: What three things are you currently loving? 

Amy:

Okja Cafe Hot Chocolate on Kloof Street in Cape Town (I'm obsessed!)

The song Big Desire by Rachel Sermanni

Blink, a podcast (For those who love a little shocking, immersive true story listen!)

Follow Amy Keevy via @amy_keevy and find her art online at www.amykeevy.co.za. 

Images thanks to Sophie Smith and Janelka Lubbinge.