Amanda Horvath Derbyshire, United Kingdom

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I’m a contemporary artist creating vibrant, textured landscapes inspired by peaceful woods and delicate light. With a First-Class BA Hons in Fine Art painting and printmaking, I now work from my studio in the Peak District. Inspired by nature, I build layers of acrylic or oil with intuitive, impressionist techniques to evoke calm, colour and a blend of abstraction and realism.

My paintings are about peaceful places and quiet healing woodlands. I attempt to create uplifting work bringing a feeling of optimism and freshness, capturing the spirit of these tranquil places. Inspired by ethereal light and dramatic contrasting shadows, I have a passion for expressing nature in beautiful colours, whilst imparting a feeling of calm. This affinity with nature has grown from early childhood and my past experiences.

Working from observation of nature I often begin a painting outdoors, finishing in my studio. Harnessing optical mixing techniques employed by the impressionists and using a mixture of impasto, scumbling and glazing, I work expressively in acrylics, oils or mixed media. With a palette knife or other mark making techniques the work is created intuitively and quite freely, so the end result is spontaneous and fresh developed as a natural process. The paintings originate from real places and woods nearby continuing the process with photographs, drawings, memory and imagination. Each painting develops layer upon layer until reaching a natural conclusion, forming contemporary paintings that lie somewhere between abstraction and realism. My paintings have found homes with private collectors worldwide.