Amy Laskin
Painter based in Jamaica
ABOUT
Amy Laskin was born in Philadelphia, has residence in New Hampshire, but currently creates from her studio home in rural Blue Mountains Jamaica. She received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the late 1970's, and lived in the great windy city for 10 years. She exhibited her work and taught locally, before she decided to explore new lands and broaden her horizons. She secured a job as a US Peace Corps Volunteer and found herself on the shores of Jamaica. Upon arrival she was captivated by the lush tropical beauty of the country diverse ethnicity, and fascinated by the new sights, sounds, language, rich multi cultural layers. She hunted for ways to marry her Chicago art influences of visual puns, surrealism, decorative abundance and attention to detail with her new natural environment. When her contract ended, still fascinated by the resplendent environment rife with unusual plant forms and verdant landscapes to explore, she found a cottage in the mountains so that she could continue her practice among the undulating mountains. Laskin has had many solo and group exhibitions in Jamaica and the US. She is an invited artist for the Biennials at the National Gallery of Jamaica and has work in the permanent collection of The Bank of Jamaica. She also has work in the permanent collection of the Phillip and Muriel Museum at Ursinus College. Her work is represented on EJ Gallery at Experience Jamaique in Switzerland and she has exhibited with Garvey Simon in NY. Images of her work have been on book covers and featured in art magazines. She is represented by Carl Hammer Gallery in Chicago, where she has had two solo exhibitions, been included in gallery group shows and art fairs. She has work in private collections internationally.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Research for my work begins with intense observation. I constantly hunt, discover and collect, save images and make models. I study patterns and scrutinize everyday objects in my environment. I observe how they look, how they feel, how they grow, the color shape, texture, form, and continually make decisions about what fascinates me whether it is organic or man-made. I ponder how to control illusion and describe atmosphere. I hunt for ways to combine compose and synthesize in order to create new contexts and visual foils for these disparate components. They are amalgamated to form fantastical anonymous feminine figures which brings our focus to the mystique of nature gender and identity. They are a botanical explosion of body and bloom, and a celebration of the empowerment of woman kind. Creating in the naturalness of rural Jamaica somehow allows me to feel the interconnectedness and the points of intersection between the nature/ human interface. When my process begins, the meaning and end result is not evident to me. It's an additive process that unfolds as I combine various elements of my fascination. I embrace the notion that humankind and our natural environment are interconnected and it is important we understand this connection as our plant is in peril.
Website: www.amyclaskin.com
Instagram: @amylaskin_