Journals131
Newest
Exhibition blurb
7 min read
This show is running from 10th September - 28th October. I had a request to share this blurb I wrote about my art online. So here is it!...
Artist exhibition statement
What is this world we live in? How is it possible that a west Scottish coastline that I have returned to, and painted a hundred times in my life, has never changed; yet chaos is constantly reshaping the world around us? Where is the medium? And what shall that medium be? For me, it's Art.
"Colour is a means of exerting direct influence on the soul." Kandinski
You will tell from my art, that I like colour. I find it hues inviting, the blending of colours obsessional. Like a mad scientist desperately wanting a new discovery, I mix and separate to create my own style of painting presented in this body of works. I have spent years perfecting a multi-staged process that is unique, intriguing, semi-autonomous, complex yet simple, but most importantly colourful! Art is for observing so i enjoy giving the viewer plenty to absorb. So keep an eye out for the small details hidden within the paintings!
I left school a sculptor. All my art up to that point was created three dimensionally. Naturally, I studied Sculpture at Edinburgh Art College for 5 years and it was there that i discovered my love of the "process" in art making. I finished my degree and applied for a residency in Vermont, USA, to further my studies. As the residency was not due to start for another 18 months, I decided to take the long road in getting there, which lead me down a different path I did not expect.
That road lead me through China, Indonesia and other South East Asian countries. From Indo Batik to Laos weaving, Buddhist temple art to Chinese Ink paintings, I loved the different styles particular to each country and culture. Whilst staying in China i was introduced to Naruo, a Na'xi artist, who shared the art studio in my cousin's basement. I would watch him produce bodies of work that were fluid, organic and spontaneous. It was in that studio in Beijing that i discovered the beginnings of my own "process" which would develop into what my art has become today.
Discovering Painting made me reassess where my art was going and having worked with sculpture for years I found the constraints of gravity and planning, required to create 3D works, hemmed me in creatively. By the time i arrived in Vermont for my residency, I headed into the painting studio, instead of the sculpture studio.
"A true artist can turn any mistake into a masterpiece" unknown
Painting became my passion. It allows me to artistically express myself at any given moment. When i drew in college, I was obsessed with negative spaces and lines, spotting patterns in everything around me, from the microscopic to the megascopic. In my painting, similar visual tendencies usher me back to finding the microscopic details found within the ink.
For the past 11 years i have painted a variety of different themes using a mixture of materials including inks, gouache, water colour and metallic pens. You could surmise that the main theme that runs through my work is the Environment. The world we live in, not the world we have created as a society. It's animals [where we come from], landscapes [where we are], space and beyond [where we want to go]. Although the aspects of those themes change with my mood, the one constant is the colourful way i present my work. Even when I am presenting a painting that was inspired by unfortunate events. The pain of inaction over many issues causes me great distress in my utter powerlessness to do anything to fix the problems. This has led me to use my art as voice and I continue to explore these themes, because they matter. The Rhino, painted in 2014, was in response to hearing the devastating news that the Western Black Rhino had been declared extinct, I would not taint the memory of such a majestic creature with a morbid representation. I wanted to present it in full colour, with beauty and with life, echoing the continent on which it once lived. That unique combination of star dust, is no more.
The Orang Utan – “Balancing ACT” is another protest piece, created in response to hearing about the extensive burning of Indonesian Rain Forrest and Orang Utan habitat.
Surprisingly, I have had the most success creating works for the medical industry. I was the cover artist for the International Journal of Stroke magazine between the years of 2009 to 2014. I used a mixture of paintings and photography, all with the theme of the brain in every piece. I also designed and painted three medical pieces for Centra, a medical institution in Virginia, USA, which was used in their advertising campaign for a new stroke treatment procedure.
Apart from painting, I am a part time employee and a full time mum. In 2010 Hunter was born, followed by Talyn in 2012, so my art took a backseat, but I continued to paint whenever I could. I also do wedding photography, run, row, play violin in the Meadow’s Chamber Orchestra and take my children castle hunting whenever I can!
This year, 2016, I have returned to painting regularly after the “nappy years” of my children’s lives. I’m delighted with how my painting influences my children. We have fun creating illustrative works together which appeal to them. They are my greatest fans!
I plan to return to sculpture with a collaboration piece, once again exploring the theme of the Orang Utan and bringing my art full circle.
I’m deeply grateful to The Stick Factory for hosting my artwork in September and October 2016, allowing me to present some of my collection.
If you wish to see more, please visit www.amyhooton.com
Many thanks for visiting…
Amy Hooton
Artist exhibition statement
What is this world we live in? How is it possible that a west Scottish coastline that I have returned to, and painted a hundred times in my life, has never changed; yet chaos is constantly reshaping the world around us? Where is the medium? And what shall that medium be? For me, it's Art.
"Colour is a means of exerting direct influence on the soul." Kandinski
You will tell from my art, that I like colour. I find it hues inviting, the blending of colours obsessional. Like a mad scientist desperately wanting a new discovery, I mix and separate to create my own style of painting presented in this body of works. I have spent years perfecting a multi-staged process that is unique, intriguing, semi-autonomous, complex yet simple, but most importantly colourful! Art is for observing so i enjoy giving the viewer plenty to absorb. So keep an eye out for the small details hidden within the paintings!
I left school a sculptor. All my art up to that point was created three dimensionally. Naturally, I studied Sculpture at Edinburgh Art College for 5 years and it was there that i discovered my love of the "process" in art making. I finished my degree and applied for a residency in Vermont, USA, to further my studies. As the residency was not due to start for another 18 months, I decided to take the long road in getting there, which lead me down a different path I did not expect.
That road lead me through China, Indonesia and other South East Asian countries. From Indo Batik to Laos weaving, Buddhist temple art to Chinese Ink paintings, I loved the different styles particular to each country and culture. Whilst staying in China i was introduced to Naruo, a Na'xi artist, who shared the art studio in my cousin's basement. I would watch him produce bodies of work that were fluid, organic and spontaneous. It was in that studio in Beijing that i discovered the beginnings of my own "process" which would develop into what my art has become today.
Discovering Painting made me reassess where my art was going and having worked with sculpture for years I found the constraints of gravity and planning, required to create 3D works, hemmed me in creatively. By the time i arrived in Vermont for my residency, I headed into the painting studio, instead of the sculpture studio.
"A true artist can turn any mistake into a masterpiece" unknown
Painting became my passion. It allows me to artistically express myself at any given moment. When i drew in college, I was obsessed with negative spaces and lines, spotting patterns in everything around me, from the microscopic to the megascopic. In my painting, similar visual tendencies usher me back to finding the microscopic details found within the ink.
For the past 11 years i have painted a variety of different themes using a mixture of materials including inks, gouache, water colour and metallic pens. You could surmise that the main theme that runs through my work is the Environment. The world we live in, not the world we have created as a society. It's animals [where we come from], landscapes [where we are], space and beyond [where we want to go]. Although the aspects of those themes change with my mood, the one constant is the colourful way i present my work. Even when I am presenting a painting that was inspired by unfortunate events. The pain of inaction over many issues causes me great distress in my utter powerlessness to do anything to fix the problems. This has led me to use my art as voice and I continue to explore these themes, because they matter. The Rhino, painted in 2014, was in response to hearing the devastating news that the Western Black Rhino had been declared extinct, I would not taint the memory of such a majestic creature with a morbid representation. I wanted to present it in full colour, with beauty and with life, echoing the continent on which it once lived. That unique combination of star dust, is no more.
The Orang Utan – “Balancing ACT” is another protest piece, created in response to hearing about the extensive burning of Indonesian Rain Forrest and Orang Utan habitat.
Surprisingly, I have had the most success creating works for the medical industry. I was the cover artist for the International Journal of Stroke magazine between the years of 2009 to 2014. I used a mixture of paintings and photography, all with the theme of the brain in every piece. I also designed and painted three medical pieces for Centra, a medical institution in Virginia, USA, which was used in their advertising campaign for a new stroke treatment procedure.
Apart from painting, I am a part time employee and a full time mum. In 2010 Hunter was born, followed by Talyn in 2012, so my art took a backseat, but I continued to paint whenever I could. I also do wedding photography, run, row, play violin in the Meadow’s Chamber Orchestra and take my children castle hunting whenever I can!
This year, 2016, I have returned to painting regularly after the “nappy years” of my children’s lives. I’m delighted with how my painting influences my children. We have fun creating illustrative works together which appeal to them. They are my greatest fans!
I plan to return to sculpture with a collaboration piece, once again exploring the theme of the Orang Utan and bringing my art full circle.
I’m deeply grateful to The Stick Factory for hosting my artwork in September and October 2016, allowing me to present some of my collection.
If you wish to see more, please visit www.amyhooton.com
Many thanks for visiting…
Amy Hooton
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
A Red Drop In The Ocean - Amy Hooton
1 min read
A new Amy Hooton art exhibition opens 10th September 2016 at the Stick Factory gallery, 69b Mayfield Road, Edinburgh
All welcome.
The show runs throughout September and October.
New work and prints available for purchase.
All welcome.
The show runs throughout September and October.
New work and prints available for purchase.
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Fresh new creativity found
2 min read
Hello all,
I've been painting so much recently I'm delighted to announce!
Working for a couple of commissions has been great fun and I really like my collection of recent seascapes...
Working at A1 size has been utterly liberating and joyful to have space to experiement with my style.
More to come soon I hope!
Love
Amy x
I've been painting so much recently I'm delighted to announce!
Working for a couple of commissions has been great fun and I really like my collection of recent seascapes...
Working at A1 size has been utterly liberating and joyful to have space to experiement with my style.
More to come soon I hope!
Love
Amy x
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Life, news and art
2 min read
Its been ages I know. I've struggled to be creative for the last year or so. Forcing it when I had to for the odd commission that came along. Around Christmas I started to vaguely notice my eyes weren't seeing so well. So... eventually I went to see an optician and I have long sight. Which means I basically need to wear glasses all the time. I find painting quite difficult - the close up detail is hard to focus on. On the positive, I can see generally and my work paid for my glasses - which was a nice wee bonus. I also look amazingly geeky with my dark rims! 
My art recently has been surfacing. I had a wonderful holiday in argyll with my family and I drew almost every day! Amazing!
I was drawing my kids mainly and some landscapes.
Art for the soul, Art for sanity... I have to do a little bit of painting at least every other night now or I will go mental.
My stroke journal people have moved away from their Wiley Blackwell publishers - so it seems I may not be painting brains again this year. Sad! But aparently this is the way publishers are going.
Original art rocks!! Use artists where you can!
Say Hi if you remember me? I'd love a wee chat!
xxx
Amy
My art recently has been surfacing. I had a wonderful holiday in argyll with my family and I drew almost every day!
Amazing! I was drawing my kids mainly and some landscapes.
Art for the soul, Art for sanity... I have to do a little bit of painting at least every other night now or I will go mental.
My stroke journal people have moved away from their Wiley Blackwell publishers - so it seems I may not be painting brains again this year. Sad! But aparently this is the way publishers are going.
Original art rocks!! Use artists where you can!
Say Hi if you remember me? I'd love a wee chat!
xxx
Amy
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Thanks!
1 min read
Hello!
Just wanted to say thanks to
for the gorgeous feature of my work. And a "hello" 
to my new watchers! I'm a busy working Mummy so don't have much time on dA anymore but still, its my creative home on the internet, so I'm always dropping by when I can!
Best wishes,
Amy
Just wanted to say thanks to
for the gorgeous feature of my work. And a "hello" to my new watchers! I'm a busy working Mummy so don't have much time on dA anymore but still, its my creative home on the internet, so I'm always dropping by when I can! Best wishes,
Amy
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In