Meet Amanda 陳 Beard Garcia: Local Artist Collection
Explore the inspiration, identity, and creativity behind our first capsule to drop in our Local Artist collection with Amanda 陳 Beard Garcia of Likemind Design.
Amanda’s exclusive merch design reflects not just the spirit of our team, but the heart of Boston itself. Here, she shares insights into her creative process, her deep connection to the city, and what professional women’s sports mean to her.
There’s room for all of us.
Tell us about your process. What goes into each of your designs?
My creative process is never truly a linear one! In this case, I pulled together a mood board of punchy visuals and started rough sketching and listing imagery that I felt best represented Boston, women’s sports, and soccer.
Usually these two steps happen in a cycle until I feel like I’ve fully exhausted my ideas. From there, I sorted my favorite elements into three distinct graphic concepts. All of them incorporated lettering and iconography, which tend to be signature aspects of my artistic style.
Choosing which one was going to be refined and produced was up to the NWSL project team, and that’s the one you’re seeing today! The anchor, rope knots, and mayflowers are a nod to Boston’s maritime heritage. Swans might be familiar to those who have visited the Public Garden – they’re often a symbol of transformation and grace.
What about Boston inspires you as an artist?
When I was in art school, there was a lot of hype around relocating to NYC or the west coast for creative “success”... but there’s so much in Boston! The artists that grow up here, or find home here, and choose to stay can make such a profound impact on our communities.
I find it personally inspiring and empowering to watch my peers and women artists of color in particular take the Boston art scene by storm.
Are there any parts of your own identity that are reflected in your work?
I was born and raised on the North Shore of Massachusetts, and am a multiracial, second-generation Chinese American. Both of my parents come from working class families and have deep roots in the Boston area.
This isn’t always obvious at a first glance of my work, but I like to think that these histories and ancestries shape who I am and what I manifest creatively.
What does NWSL Boston and professional women's sports mean to you?
NWSL Boston and professional women’s sports means that women are finally getting the recognition we deserve! It’s about time to feel centered and celebrated. And womanhood is such an expansive identity.
