Amy Oestreicher

Amy Oestreicher is a  PTSD peer-peer specialist, artist, author, writer for The Huffington Post, award-winning founder of the Fearless Ostomates, and CT based actress and playwright.  As a survivor and “thriver” of nearly 30 surgeries, a coma, sexual abuse, organ failure and a decade of medical trauma, Amy has been challenged with moments of extreme difficulty.  But as an artist, newlywed, actress, 28-year old college student and overall lover of life, Amy eagerly shares the lessons learned from trauma and has brought out the stories that unite us all through her writing, mixed media art, performance  and inspirational speaking.
 
Piecing her life together after her initial dreams of performing musical theatre took on a beautiful detour into broader horizons.  Amy has written, directed and starred in a one woman musical about her life, Gutless & Grateful, has flourished as a mixed media and acrylic artist, with her art in multiple galleries and mounting dozens of solo art shows, and continues to share her story through her art, music, theatre, workshops and writings.

 

Amy specializes in acrylics, mixed media and collage.  Her first solo art exhibit in 2011, Journey Into Daylight (Westport Women’s Club) featured over 70 original works spreading her message of hope in the darkest of times, and the celebration of life.  Since then, Oestreicher has mounted solo exhibits Discovery Museum, Temple Shalom, Picture This Gallery, Ridgefield Tusk and Cup Fine Coffee and several other venues.  She has also participated in juried exhibitions at Blue Lemon, Beechwood Arts Gallery, City Lights Gallery, G & B Cultural Center, Carriage Barn’s Art in the Windows, and Ridgefield Art Walk. and her show “Coming hoME, Finding heART honored the grand opening of the Prescott Tavern in Amherst, MA.  Her work has also been featured in various boutiques such as Palooza in Fairfield CT, Hazel Daze Boutique and featured on NBC’s Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda.  Oestreicher’s work is currently for sale on her personal website www.amyoes.com and her Etsy Shop, AllspiceAndAcrylics.  She currently teaches her Show Me Your heART workshops, which encourage mixed media explorations and discoveries.  Amy is studying abstract painting, art education, art history and Expressive Arts Therapies at Hampshire College.

 
Amy’s “beautiful detour” has inspire her passionate desire to create and help others.  She created the Detourist#LoveMyDetour movement to bring a positive light to life’s bumpy, unexpected routes.  Her writings have appeared in Washington Post and On Being with Krista Tippet, her story has appeared on the TODAY Show andCBS, and her one-woman show has been seen in theatres across the country, earning rave reviews and accolades since it’s BroadwayWorld Award-nominated NYC debut.
 
Amy has collaborated with Beechwood Arts founder Jeanine Esposito in creating a series of monologues titled “Five windows on a Resilient Journey”, expressing the life-altering detours and ultimately the invaluable gifts of her resilience journey.
 
Amy is currently touring the country with her one-woman musical, Gutless & Grateful, her keynote presentations, workshops and signature talkbacks, which she has devised specialized versions for corporations, college campuses, survivors, healthcare professionals, and artists.  She is also leading mixed media creativity workshops to promote creativity as a mindset, an essential survival skill.