Amanda Westbrook

Amanda Westbrook

At the age of five, I knew I wanted to be an artist. This knowledge was reinforced in high school when I was selected for a program focusing on artistic development. When I later moved to Alabama, art served to center me and provide a critical outlet for expression. This experience played a significant role in my decision to enroll in the Great Books Program at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Once again surrounded by the strong visual and cultural influences of New Mexico, my artistic instincts were heightened and I began seriously painting and drawing. With a nudge from some amazing women in Santa Fe, I enrolled at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago to focus on painting, drawing and ceramics.

There I learned about acrylic ink which is my current medium of choice. Arcylic inks can be controlled, but if one tries to manipulate them too much or rush, the end results are less than satisfying. The use of them is meditative; knowing when to control the medium and when to let go.

My work reflects Hispanic influences with undertones of the sensual, emotional, childish and illogical. Contemporary pieces explore the depiction of trees’ color, texture and movement. These incorporate the basic beauty of color, line, shape and other elements to create new perspectives of that which surrounds us every day.