Collection of paintings and spirit art dolls.

These are a few of the new paintings I've been creating over the winter months for a solo exhibition at the 'Shire Hall' in Bodmin this May. These are smaller paintings to be shown with the larger landscape canvases.

 My little girl, Megan has been helping me to make spirit art dolls with painted calico. Sewing tiny crystal chips and beads onto these dolls to give them extra specialbility. A few rag dolls inspired from people we meet at the summer festivals. We have yet to make more clothing for them from recycled fabrics and found treasures.  I will be selling the spirit dolls soon.

Artwork by Amanda Clark 2011

Re-newing from the old.

Rediscovering the ideas of past paintings.


Looking back at the artwork I painted about 15 years ago has given me the inspiration to mix up the old with the new. Extending the body of work of the last few years.
The warm coloured paintings of the 'Old World' interiors are places of the heart and home with secret places, doorways and stairs leading the viewer on mysterious wanderings and things to explore; artifacts, sacred objects, candle holders and cupboards.

'Morning Light' by Amanda Clark

Within these works of art I began painting doorways and windows connecting directly with the outside world. Contrasting landscapes and views of the natural world with folklore and fairytale, stories and journeys, another world of mystery and magic.    The windows and doorways connecting us to our soul's journeys.   Secrets being revealed at every turn on our path.
Every new day brings along with it some beautiful new bird song, light and wisdom.

'Persephone'. An illustration from the book 'The Miracle of Flowers'

'Persephone' by Amanda Clark. 2010.


Snowdrops are here!  Spring is on it's way and I want to write a little about the Greek creation myth and the Goddess, Persephone.

Beautiful Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter ( Mother Earth ). Persephone is the Goddess of Spring and helps Demeter tend to the plant kingdom.
Hades, lord of the underworld, snatches Persephone away and makes her Queen of the underworld without Zeus's consent.
Her mother Demeter is broken hearted and thought her daughter had left. Demeter stopped tending to the plant kingdom and went in search for Persephone. Animals and humans began to starve. 
Demeter insisted to Zeus that Persephone was found and returned to her. So Zeus went to talk to Hades and begged that Persephone leave the underworld before everyone on earth starved to death.  Hades protested. Zeus with all his power declared that Persephone's marriage will be void as long as she ate nothing from the garden of the underworld.  Hades managed to woo Persephone with a pomegranate and she ate this fruit from the garden of the underworld which consummated her marriage to Hades.  So as the story goes, Persephone must return to Hades and the underworld at the beginning of every winter but her return to Zeus and Demeter marks the beginning of spring.

I love to see the earth come to life again in February. The catkins on hazel, daffodil bulbs pushing through the earth. Birds are getting busy and their songs are floating in the crystal air. I can feel the winter lifting and my time of introspecting during the long nights are ending to bring new energy and creativity  into the light once again.  Time for sewing seeds.