Amanda Bates's Biography
Amanda Bates started off in the East Midlands and then followed a mildly eccentric path around England in pursuit of higher education and employment. She eventually landed in North Hampshire, where she is ensconced among the Downs with her young family.
The hills of North Hampshire proved to be the irresistible inspiration for a second career - now full time - in art. Working predominantly (but never exclusively) in palette-knife oils, she has a keen eye for a landscape that is born, in part, of time spent within the landscape.
She is influenced by many strands of art, particularly Turner, Cezanne and the Impressionist ideal, and believes in the importance of direct experience. Her subjects include the Hampshire hills, the Cornish coast and prehistoric sites from across England, as well as an eclectic selection of still life.
Combining an innate talent for drawing with a recently realised ability to find colours behind colours, her art is a compelling mix of atmosphere and reality and frequently draws attention to the overlooked beauty of everyday places and objects.