Consultant Amy Parry marks a decade on her own.
Amy Parry says her life experiences as far back as childhood have led to her job as an art consultant. Though in some challenging moments she asked herself, “Why didn’t I go to nursing school?” the 48-year-old mom of two has hit her stride, working on major renovations, redos and new projects, including State Farm Arena, the westside’s Bellyard hotel and more. Here, she traces the journey that brought her to this point.
How did your upbringing influence your career choice?
My dad’s a philosopher who taught at Agnes Scott College, and we did a lot of academic traveling, nothing fancy. He was always dragging us into cathedrals and museums, and I grew up seeing a lot. I went to Guilford College in North Carolina and studied abroad in Munich and Paris, which is the best way to learn art history. I graduated thinking I’d be an academic, but I found school wasn’t my passion. So I managed an art gallery, worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia and met a lot of Atlanta and Georgia artists. It wasn’t long before I realized the commercial realm made more sense for me.
How did you get started in that field?
I curated some of my own art shows in the early 2000s and ended up working for Julia-Carr Bayler at Belvedere [a high-end furnishings store]. I learned my design skill from her. We brought in a lot of designers from New York as the westside was emerging. It was a fun, creative, highend market, but I was still an art person. When [chef and entrepreneur] Roger Kaplan hired me in 2007, I learned the ropes about hospitality art consulting. I knew nothing, but I had an eye. Our biggest client was the Dubai Ritz. I was really lucky to jump into these amazing projects— until I got laid off a year later.
And then the economy slowed…
Then few people had money for art. But by 2013, the economy had picked back up. It wasn’t until my mother died that I had a moment and went off on my own. I started calling design firms asking them to give me a stab at it. My first job was placing a $1,350 piece of art; the next was $7,500, and then it was $15,000. And then it was doing a whole hotel. That was the most exciting thing ever. And now it’s been 10 years!
What are some of the major projects you’ve selected art for?
State Farm Arena in 2018 was a big break for me. I chose most of the art in the suites and a couple of large public areas. The Bellyard was completed in 2021 with a lot of cool, urban items; it’s not just framed art but lots of accessories, like little sculptures on shelves. My niche is boutique hotels, a trend that took off as I was starting my business. I love staying in hotels myself, and it’s really fun creating a feel and look for a new space.
Who are some of the local artists you like to work with?
Some of my favorites are Peter Ferrari, Hannah Ehrlich, Sonya Yong James, Lillian Blades and Lela Brunet. Some artists I’m dying to place are Eric Mack, Kim Ouellette, DL Warfield and Niki Zarrabi.
What do you do outside of work?
I love to travel; I’m a big fan of the south of France and all the little villages there. I love sitting in a cafe over a glass of wine and chatting with other people while all that art, culture and beauty is all around you.
AMY PARRY PROJECTS
404.312.6557
amyparryprojects.com
@amyparryprojects
