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—are evoked by her canvases’ unique explorations of colour, which range from exuberant bursts of brightness to contemplative reflections on darkness.
A constant passion, painting became more central to Amy’s life during her years of working with at-risk youth. She began producing her own art as a means of processing the disturbing experiences she witnessed professionally.
Inspired by her artist grandmother, who taught Amy watercolour and a range of stylistic techniques, Amy is an observer of her environment. Interested in how anxiety, depression and happiness impact our lives, her art transforms good and bad life experiences into colours and shapes. Amy expresses herself through painting, creating art as a mode of personal survival.
Amy lives with her husband and daughter and paints from her studio on Granville Island. Her art has been sold internationally, and frequently hangs in galleries around British Columbia.
