Amanda Clark-Price returns to the ArtHouse with:- "Contrasts"

FOR her 2nd solo exhibition at the ArtHouse in Southport, Burscough based mixed media artist, Amanda Clark-Price, is providing visitors with a further view into the inner workings of her creative mind where her inventiveness and subtlety results in imagery of extraordinary depth:- "Looking at my current work, I felt the theme must be:- 'Contrasts'. I work in an eclectic way. Sometimes I'm very focused on 1 style or technique and will produce many varied pieces to explore it. Other times, my:- 'butterfly brain' flits from detailed still life to pure abstraction using contrasts of style, technique, colour and tone."

The multi layered composition:- 'Yellow Grid Abstraction,' is part of an investigative series that Amanda originally undertook as an exercise to:- "wake me up! ...I decided to limit my colour palette and explore a series of marks and media across each square. I started with collage, gesso then paint applied with a brush, sponge, print and finally a toothbrush. I worked in layers, watching the different effects of wet on wet or wet on dry until I felt it was complete."

Responding to the routines of daily life, Amanda often finds stimulation in the excesses of the natural world. Regularly taking nature as her muse, Amanda's investigations are so much more than just visual records. Her work presents both a colourful and playful reinvention of the frequently overlooked attractiveness of the uncultivated flora:- "Much of my recent work has been inspired by the nature I see as I walk my dog, Midge, every day, particularly weeds and wildflowers. I wanted to stop and take a closer look at the form and beauty in these often-unwanted plants and tried to combine this with my love of collage and layering media."

A journey of discovery, 'Contrasts' benefits from Amanda's intimate, firsthand scrutiny:- "I made close observation drawings noticing their colours and structures and from these I developed a series of work. Some of these show my exploration of a negative painting technique I recently discovered. Working on collaged book pages, I transfer the drawing using good old tracing paper then add a watercolour wash to the background. I then add in more plants and repeat the process with darker tones until I feel it is complete, sometimes using gouache for a contrast in opacity."

A favourite technique of Amanda's is using the serendipity of discovering phrases in the collaged text as a springboard towards new artwork.

Taking her inspiration from a decorated violin:- 'Why Buttercup' she had created earlier, Amanda's imagination once again took flight:- "The images on the violin included drawings and 'shadows' of buttercups. I found the phrase 'restless little butterfly' on a page from an old book I had been using for collage, so butterflies joined the buttercup shadows. I started with carefully placed collage then used pen, watercolour, gouache and coloured pencil to bring the butterflies to life. I was particularly pleased to find I had a piece of music 'Les Papillons' (The Butterflies) in my worryingly large collection of discarded music manuscripts."

The resulting mixed media image:– 'Restless Little Butterfly' in turn gave rise to:- 'The Droll Bumblebee,' also collaged on a wooden panel, triggered by the phrase:- 'a genial buzz came by' she discovered in the same book.

This exclusive showing is certainly not 1 to be missed. Amanda's distinctive artwork will be on display at the:- ArtHouse, Eastbank Street from:- 11 July to 22 July 2023.
 

ON Tuesday 20 June 2023, road safety charity Brake held its inaugural:- 'After the crash conference' to showcase excellence in post crash care. Nearly 190 people representing the Police, emergency services, charities that support injured road victims or bereaved adults or children, trauma counsellors and therapists, gathered in Manchester to share knowledge and agree the next steps to ensure that people affected injured by road crashes receive the expert support they need.

The day began with 2 strong keynote speakers; from:- Commander Kyle Gordon, National Police Chief's Council lead for National Roads Policing Operations, Intelligence and Investigations, and the National Family Liaison Advisor. Commander Gordon began by stating that 5 people die on UK roads every day, reinforcing the message that road safety must be treated as seriously as murder and terrorism.

Ross Moorlock, interim CEO at Brake, said:- "Support for adults and children who have been bereaved or suffered catastrophic injury in a crash is an essential humanitarian response. It's vital that decisions about road victim care are based on sound evidence, to ensure that support provided meets the needs of families facing shock and devastation, safeguards vulnerable victims and achieves wellbeing goals. Events like this are vitally important because it allows us to demonstrate how partnership working can achieve excellence in post-crash care, while also showing the positive impact it has on families' lives when care is delivered well."