Artist Spotlight | Amica Aindow

Arts & Culture

10 Nov

Written By Phoebe Tully

Meet Amica Aindow, the local abstract artist creating earthy, japanese-esc botanicals inspired by nature.

Photography: Naturally Jek

Q. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

I was born in Germany and raised on the Isle of Wight, England, but my family and I travelled around a lot and eventually found our home in Brisbane. I graduated as a teacher, so I spent several years teaching art before taking the biggest deep breath of my life to step out and establish myself as a professional artist.

I've been in Toowoomba just over two years now, (I absolutely love it - the charming fusion of town intimacy and city allure, not too far from the coast, and at the moment I'm delighting in all the cherry blossoms and magnolias in full bloom!). . . we're currently in the process of renovating our new home in Rangeville.

Q. TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR ART AND ARTISTIC PROCESS?

I draw a lot of inspiration from the colours and shapes of the natural world, but rather than representing it directly, reinterpreting it through my own emotion, spontaneity and intuition.

There's a lot of pouring, dripping and washing diluted inks and pigments onto the canvas, gently manoeuvring them with brushes and air manipulation, and allowing them to blend and evolve, creating earthy patterns and textures. Through an ongoing process I add chaos to the artwork, eliminate distractions or unnecessary areas and gradually unveil a composition that breathes with space, naturalness and simplicity.

Interestingly, my present artistic style actually materialised unexpectedly through the act of painting over a series of ruined canvases.

I had taken a sabbatical from teaching at the time and I was trying to find my "unique artistic voice", but instead I remember (after months of painting) standing face-to-face with a studio brimming with paintings that really didn't resonate with who I wanted to be as an artist (i.e. I really didn't like them). They gazed back at me, silently insinuating that perhaps I wasn't destined to be an artist after all! To avoid wastefulness, I made the decision to paint over them, and while doing so, each sweep of the brush started to uncover these organic, natural shapes and hues that seemed profoundly beautiful to me. That's where it started, and has been a process of refinement and learning and developing ever since.

Q. WHERE CAN WE SEE YOUR ART?

I've been fortunate to be recognized in a number of Australian Art Prizes and be featured in some well-known shows and publications throughout the years (Grand Designs, The Block, Country Living, Art Edit, and Home Design Magazines) and have pieces in some public and private collections. I love to exhibit though; exhibitions give you the freedom to create a full experience and can be a lot of fun.

My recent local exhibition was at The Mills Production Plant Shop and included a gin tasting, which was a whole lot of fun and little bit different to hold it in this vibrant, funky space you wouldn't normally expect.

You can find details of upcoming exhibits and workshops, or see more of Amica’s works here.