Amy Stewart

Instagram | @amystewartart

Each painting in Stewart’s new series features a line that points in one direction before swooping away from its seeming destination, while floating shapes feature smooth brushstrokes. With these lines and shapes, Stewart positions concepts that at first don’t seem to go together; upon further reflection, the contrasting elements suggest something new and optimistic. This convergence is reminiscent of our relationship with our past choices.

Vancouver-based artist Amy Stewart has been drawn to the interconnections of art, play and nature since her childhood in 108-Mile House, British Columbia, where she spent most of her time outdoors. That first northern home continues to dominate much of Amy’s current artistic world. The memories of childhood and nature shape her adult imagination, and they are reflected in her paintings’ rich textures and vibrant tones. Her pieces are often inspired by the feelings that come both from the natural world and from engaging fully in her community and with her loved ones. “I paint how I feel and who I am,” Stewart explains. And that sense of humanity—the private experiences of suffering and celebration—is evoked by her canvases’ unique explorations of colour, which range from exuberant bursts of brightness to contemplative reflections on darkness.