Amaya discovered her passion for art through her father, a painter, and began her formal training at the School of Fine Arts of Pamplona in Spain. In 1999, she moved to New York City to advance her studies at the National Academy of Design, the Art Students League, and the Grand Central Academy. In 2014, she played a key role in founding the U.S. branch of the Florence Academy of Art in Jersey City, later becoming an Adjunct Professor of Anatomy and Drawing at the New York Academy of Art.

Amaya’s artistic process involves meticulous layering of graphite, chalks, gouache, charcoal, and mixed media. This experimental technique blends narrative and form, crafting works that are intimate and cohesive. Her exploration delves into the intersection of personal narrative and universal human consciousness, uncovering new layers of meaning and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.

In 2020, Amaya was commissioned by Time magazine to create a cover for their "100 Women of the Year" project. She has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Richard Estes Grant and the Evelyn Chard Kelley Memorial Scholarship. Her works are exhibited regularly in the U.S. and abroad and have been featured in several prominent fine arts publications.

Currently, Amaya serves as Co-Artistic Director of the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT, where she collaborates with her husband, Jordan Sokol, to inspire the next generation of artists alongside their 8-year-old son, all while continuing to develop her own artistic career.