Amanda Jane Shears, the artist
The typcial bio should start.. Amanda studied at….her creativity style is… etc, etc.
I prefer to tell you why I paint and create, and how much I love to do it. Every day I have an urge to pick up a palette knife, mix colours or swirl charcoal across a canvas. The smell of wood as I chisel and rasp it into shapes and forms is exotic, potent and nostalgic. The form is always directed by the wood itself, the original sketch and maquette discarded. Stone, whether purbeck, bathstone, sandstone, each medium dictating the shapes that emerge. Covered in powder, exhausted from hammering stone or wood I am utterly contented and can lose myself for hours. This is why I create. It is necessary. I do not try to copy nature, animals or humans, it would be impossible. Nature is far too beautiful. I prefer to immerse myself in nature and channel its beauty. Each piece tells a story, has an emotion and often blood, sweat and tears.
I have always been surrounded by art. I grew up with creative parents. I lived in London as a graphic designer. In Barcelona I was surrounded in the art scene for many years. I studied sculpture in Ciutadella, Menorca for four years. Printmaking in Truro, Cornwall.
I grew up in Cornwall. I travelled a lot, and now live in the depths of Somerset surrounded by green hills, rivers, apple trees, rabbits, sheep and friendly people.
Questions at my exhibitions are usually along the lines of, ‘so how many artists are exhibiting?’ I reply..err..just me! They are surprised by the sheer eclectic mix of media. I guess I should concentrate on one thing, but all media inspires me. The thought of learning a new technique utterly excites me.
One day I may stand in front of a huge abstract canvas throwing paint, lines and curves with a passion that I cannot stop until I am utterly exhausted and the next day I will want to sit quietly with a linoprint carving absorbed with engraving tools and fine detail.
My wish is to surprise and to engage a reaction, whether delight, passion, disgust..I do not mind! But react! Feel free! Come fly with me!
