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Amanda Jane Wilkes

Artworks & CollectionsBioExhibitions & Awards

Amanda Jane Wilkes graduated in the early 1990’s with a BFA in painting from the University of Canterbury. Her abstract landscape paintings have their roots in New Zealand’s rich landscape tradition with artists such as Petrus van der Velden and the Canterbury Regionalists but they also have a connection with Mid-century American abstraction and the sublime in the landscapes of Milton Avery and the humming, hovering forms of Rothko’s late works.


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Amanda Jane Wilkes
Amanda Jane Wilkes - Artist

Amanda Jane Wilkes

Amanda Jane Wilkes’ abstract landscape paintings have their roots in New Zealand’s rich landscape tradition with artists such as Petrus van der Velden and the Canterbury Regionalists, but they also have a connection with Mid-century American abstraction and the sublime in the landscapes of Milton Avery and the humming, hovering forms of Rothko’s works.

Amanda was first introduced to painting in her family home.  Her mother used to do quick watercolours while at the kitchen bench in the midst of bustling everyday life. Her formal training began under the tutelage of Mark Lander for over 2 years at Hagley High School, which led her to pursue a degree in fine arts.

Amanda graduated in the early 1990s with a BFA in painting from the University of Canterbury under the tutelage of Ridwan Tompkins. She has sold her works by commission over the last 3 decades and in several prominent galleries. Her work is held by many private collectors in Europe, China and Australasia.  She is currently represented by Chambers Gallery in Christchurch and the Wanaka Fine Arts Gallery in Southland, Otago.

Since graduating, Amanda has also tutored private drawing and painting classes from her home and through local community organisations.

Amanda uses forms drawn from landscape and reduces them to basic shapes, allowing an examination of the formal relationships between shapes and colours.  The layering of abstracted forms creates deeper illusory pictorial spaces and a greater complexity of spatial relationships for the eye to explore.  These painterly processes employed by Amanda mirror the same strata and layering of the rock formations she observes.

In her most recent works, Amanda applies thin veils of colour by rubbing back the painted surface and then layering, often employing pastel tones over high-key colours, juxtaposing tints of complementary colours as a foil to their opposite. This gives her work a vibrant luminosity. She has departed from a naturalistic colour palette in favour of stronger hues reminiscent of Gaugin’s Tahitian paintings and the Fauves.

Work History: 1987/88 - Evening tutorials with artist Mark Lander, Preparatory work for entry into UC Fine Arts Degree.

1989/92 - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

1991 - Group exhibition, Fine Arts Gallery, University of Canterbury

1992/94 - Exhibition with potter, Philip Hadfield, The Cornerstone Gallery, The Arts Centre, Christchurch

1995 - Solo exhibition at The Celebration Centre, Christchurch - Commissioned oil Painting, St Silas Anglican Church.

1998/02 - Exhibited work over 4 years, The Arts Centre gallery

2000/02 - Exhibited work at Min Fine Art's Gallery, Merivale, Christchurch - Creative charity art auction for Ugandan ministries - Group Exhibition The CC, Christchurch

2004/05 - Group exhibition, The Look Gallery, Redcliffs, Christchurch

2005/10- Exhibited works at The Art Centre Gallery.

2006 - Women's painting tutorial, at The Lighthouse Art Studio, Christchurch

2009 - Initiated and tutored a 6 week drawing and painting class, Central Christchurch - Community Art tutorial for women, Aranui Primary school, Christchurch

2010 - Invited tutor, landscape painting tutorial, The CC, Christchurch

2011/19 - EQC contracting work, rebuilding residential and corporate properties after the Christchurch earthquake.

2018 - Commissioned work for private collector Work accepted for the cover of the Ngai Tahu quarterly magazine

2019/20 - Excursions into Southland and Canterbury to build a new body of work for exhibition

2020/22 - Continued painting during lockdowns and restrictions to build latest body of work.

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