No Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngai Tāmanuhiri te iwi, Ko Amanda ahau

Amanda has worked as an artist both in Aotearoa and Europe, and over a 30-year period has perfected working in multiple mediums.

She specializes in hand-built ceramic sculpture, often in the form of wall installations.

Her work is very intuitive and energy based. She works in what she describes as a state of ‘No Mind’ and therefore prefers not to hold onto concepts which determine her work.

She does however focus on the integrity of her making processes, as she feels the artwork has the ability then to he mau pūngao (hold energy).

In respect of this, she prefers to use natural materials such as wild clay and oxides, and often includes methods that require the elements (fire, earth and water).

Amanda’s work is deeply localized to her whenua home land but is also expansive in spirit. Her touch stone is the dynamic between light and shadow in our human experience, which expands to all;

Ruku i te pō, ruku i te ao.

Delve into the dark, emerge in the light.

Each work starts with much research but in the making, I clear my head and create from a place of No-Mind with intuition and connection.

My work is often reflective of the natural world, each individual and holds taha wairua (unseen energies).

This is why I prefer to work with natural materials and make in traditional ways when possible, such as pit firing with combustibles collected from the beach.

Absorption in the unconscious and emerge in the conscious

Rongo (open senses) whakaata (to show-reflect)

The dynamic between vulnerability and resilience in our human experience

Whakapapa Interconnectivity with all living things

UKU; clay/white clay/pottery

Amanda has held multiple exhibitions both nationally and internationally.

She was a finalist in the 2017 Wallace arts awards and her work is held in the James Wallace Art Collection.

Selected Exhibitions.

Condensed to last five years……………………

2020 Walker and Hall – Art Awards Finalist Waiheke Art Gallery

2019 Arthaus Elementalis. Orakei Auckland

2019 Allpress Gallery, Nourish, Ponsonby Auckland