The October DGWGO featured artist is the Amazing Amanda Sunderland , who creates wonderful work from her studio in the Isle of whithorn !
I am an artist living and working in the Isle of Whithorn. I live with my daughter Sarah and little dog Ash.
As a child I used to visit my grandparents here and I always loved it, so when I was older although I travelled to various parts of the world I always came back after a while because I missed being here. I don’t know quite what it is ,the scenery to me is beautiful even though it is not as grand as other parts of the country, but to me it has such a variety in such a small area especially in this little corner of The Machars, take for example the walk down to St Ninian’s cave especially in spring time when the walk through the wood is a carpet of bluebells and wild garlic,and what a surprise to come out after a short distance onto a pebble beach and be met by the crashing waves, or clambering up onto the cliff top on the right come across the remains of an ancient fort or discover the old tin mines along the blustery walk along the coast..
I always loved beachcombing as a child and still as an adult I very often like wandering down on the beach looking for old bits and pieces and still finding my ‘treasure’ the little glass stoppers that I found and still do find frequently on the stretch of beach where I live. Probably silly but I get the same feeling of joy when I come across them as I did when I was little.
So this love of my little place, I hope comes across in my landscape work. I am always trying to express that joy and the feeling that I am part of the elements,especially the sea with it’s ever changing moods, peaks and troughs,(hhmmm very like me) . I use a variety of media from fine drawings with ink pen, pastels, watercolour to very heavy acrylics and oils sometimes using a brush,sometimes using my fingers, to capture the immediacy and movement of the landscape, that very second when you know you have captured some spirit of nature,
This can mean I get through quite a lot of paint because as in nature it is so easy to miss something magical,so it can easily be overworked to a muddy mess on the canvas when I am using the paint straight from the tube.
I never stick with one way of doing things or one subject and I also really enjoy drawing and painting wildlife and people or slightly odd topics like my daughters dolls, and of course The Wicker Man.
My paintings are based on the film made among other locations in the Isle and at Burrowhead in 1972 which starred Christopher Lee ,Edward Woodward , Diane Cilento,Ingrid Pitt, Britt Ekland and several extras including my father and two uncles,and over time it seemed more and more people were interested in it,so it seemed ridiculous to me to have nothing to say about it as more people came on holiday and wanted to find the locations and hear the stories of filming.
I was very young when I first saw images of the structure and it stayed with me and it’s funny how it is still part of my life, and I am still painting pictures based on it.
I was recently asked to paint a picture for the actress Lesley Mackie who plays Daisy in the film(the little girl in the classroom who has the beetle tied to a string in her desk).
I am very glad to have this opportunity to show a small selection of my work and I hope you enjoy it.
Please get in touch if you have any enquiries,
my email address is [email protected]
Kind Regards
Amanda Sunderland
