art is a battlefield

Notes from my studio

It has been a couple of months since I have written a blog post...it has been on my to do list, but then so have so many other things, most of which haven't been ticked off. I am finding it difficult not to drift from one thing to another, the days do seem to be passing by so quickly and I jump around with creative projects. Art shows have been cancelled, galleries have closed, but I still feel the urge to create, even though I don't know whether the work will stay in the studio or whether it will make it into new homes in some other new strange way.

This time has definitely brought about a new way of thinking with my painting. If I am honest it has been quite an internal battle. Whilst I am so thankful to have had my studio space at home. It has been a godsend. There has been a lot of time spent in it reflecting and pondering the meaning of it all. Usually I paint with the next event in mind and started this year very excited to have 3 shows booked throughout the year. Two of these shows have so far been cancelled, the 3rd is still hoping to go ahead in October, but we will see. It has been wonderful not to have the freedom of no deadline ahead, but it has also force me to reconsider why I paint and why I paint what I paint. The world we knew at the beginning of the year has irreparably changed though I feel it is not all bad. My work has always been reminiscent, to what seemed like simpler times. Perhaps we will eventually return to simpler times, but we will have more turmoil first I fear.

My mood in the studio seems to move wildly from day to day. Somedays I feel calm and the draw of a return to nature creeps in. Softer, more subdued colours appear. Other days I feel agitated by all the change and feel daring and brave. I work on several paintings at the same time, so the mood of the day dictates which painting that ends up on the wall. The changes have also given me the urge to attempt new things,new materials and new techniques because I now have time.

I thought I would share some of the work I have been working on and am currently working on.

I have really enjoyed using more muted colours in these two large paintings. I decided that if these paintings were to stay home with me, what would i like to have in my home. My home has been my sanctuary, a calm place to retreat to. I wanted to convey that in these paintings.

This is another from the same series

Please excuse the mess of my studio floor, but this shot really is the best way to show the size of these three. I have been working on these since the end of last year now and they have definitely evolved with the time passing. I love the daring of the colour combinations and the mid century modern feel, that I am often inspired by. These are almost finished and I imagine i will show them at the Affordable Art Fair at the Royal Exhibition Building in October.

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Thanks for reading :)

Amanda

www.amanda-ketterer-art.com