Australian landscape painter Amanda Holman in her studio, The Corner Store Gallery. Photograph by Madeline Young.

Studio Visit with Amanda Holman

Local painter Amanda Holman has been consistently exhibiting with The Corner Store Gallery for a number of years now. We first discovered Amanda through one of our many group exhibition opportunities, as we do many of our fabulous artists. From one entry comes many, and her popularity has grown exponentially during this time resulting in Amanda’s first solo exhibition Beyond 4 Walls opening this April at The Corner Store Gallery.

Amanda Holman is a truly lovely and warm person, as well as a wonderful artist in her own right. Her quiet and beautiful depictions of the Australian landscape begin with field trips and drives across this beautiful country we call home. Sometimes painted within the landscape, sometimes painted from photographs back in her home studio. Amanda’s studio is the stuff of dreams, located on the ground floor of her home, accessible via a courtyard from the street. It’s here I first laid eyes upon the new body of work for Beyond 4 Walls. Take a look and find out more about Amanda’s practice in our interview below.

Beyond 4 Walls in on exhibition from April 10th - 20th, with online sales launching at 8pm April 9th via our website. We’d also love to see you at the official launch on Friday April 12th from 6pm, help us celebrate Amanda’s first solo exhibition in style.

VIEW THE EXHIBITION CATALOGUE

Australian landscape painter Amanda Holman artist studio, The Corner Store Gallery. Photograph by Madeline Young.

Tell us about your background. How long have you been painting?

I have been painting full time since my husband and I moved back to the country about five years ago.

In my youth, whilst living in Mudgee, I painted as often as I could and, because I loved art so much, was considering graphic design as a career. However, because I also love structures and building, I decided to apply for a cadetship as a survey/civil drafter.

This qualification led to a structural drafting job when we moved to Sydney. Eventually I became a qualified Building Designer, and had my own Building Design business for a number of years, as well as very much enjoying being a wife and mum.

With a view to refresh my knowledge in interior decoration, I finished a colour and design course about ten years ago which included nearly a year of mixing an enormous range of colours with gouache paints. This was a sliding door moment for me. I realised that, somehow, I needed to pick up the paintbrush and pursue art again!

What inspired this new body of work? What was your motivation?

I think I have pretty much painted in my head for as long as I can remember.

I have always looked at the landscape around me and marvelled at the variations in colours and hues in bright sunlight, in deep shadows, during different times of the day, different seasons, and various locations. If you happen to be talking to me and I look distracted, I am probably painting the scene in my head and working out my colour mixes and best composition!

I am motivated to portray the stunning scenes that catch my attention and evoke a feeling of calmness and tranquillity.

Can you talk us through your process?

When I was younger, I painted in oils. However, the experience of extensive colour mixing using gouache paints during my refresher design course led me to try acrylic paints. Acrylics seem to suit my method of painting more than oils as I prefer the faster drying time.

I will either paint en plein air, or in the studio using reference material.

When painting en plein air, I use a wet palette which is a large flat cake container with a damp (but not saturated) paper towel underneath a square of baking paper. This works very well to keep the paints wet during the time outside.

To paint in the studio, I lay a piece of baking paper on a flat surface and use this as my palette. The acrylic paints tend to stay wet for quite some time using this technique.

I tend to use deep sided stretched canvas because I like the flexing of the canvas during painting.

I will always colour my primed canvases with a red, orange or deep yellow background before painting, as this gives depth and warmth to the artwork.

Once the painting is finished, I will wait for over a week or two for it to cure and then coat it with a “fixer” isolation layer. Then after 24 to 48 hours I’ll finish it off with an acrylic varnish.

Amanda Holman, *Ripples and Reflections*, 2024. Acrylic on canvas, 64x64cm framed. Part of *Beyond 4 Walls* solo exhibition April 2024.

What's your favourite thing to paint?

I so enjoy painting anything that captures my attention and makes me marvel at its colour, composition, or atmosphere.

I really don’t think I have a “favourite” subject but am always on the lookout for interesting landscapes with arresting compositions.

Mother nature has an amazing ability to compose scenes beautifully. I have been known to move a tree a little in my paintings or possibly remove a shrub but rarely do I need to!

Can you describe your fabulous studio to our readers?

When we moved into our current house, I was so excited to see a largish room with a sink!! I instantly “bagsed” this room as mine to become my new studio. Such a luxury!

I now have a fairly well kitted out studio space with a central table which I use for laying out materials. I have one end as my palette area so that I can set up my easel in good light.

I stand while I paint. I find that sitting whilst painting tends to make me finicky with my brushstrokes. Standing allows me to regularly step back from the painting to assess the composition. Standing also allows me to dance.

I listen to 1980’s UK new romantic/new wave music when in the studio….because it’s my dog’s favourite music, of course.

What's next for you?

I am always looking to embrace new challenges. Perhaps portraiture is something to include in my range. But really I am always striving to improve. I constantly critique my own work and visit as many inspiring exhibitions as possible to feed my hunger for all things art.

Art is never boring,…. I have been on a learning curve all my life!