'Earth Mother', 2020

'Earth Mother', by Aimee Rytenskild, depicts a heavily pregnant woman sitting crossed legged in a field of flowers, staring out at the viewer. The figure sits contently with her arms resting on her knees, as if she is deep in meditation. Her hair is red and wild, reminiscent of tree roots, which alludes to the idea of 'nature', and its connection within mythology to the idea of the feminine.

As a predominantly abstract painter, I have recently been inspired to create more figurative and representational works, as a way to more directly communicate subject matter. This painting is part of a larger series of work that aims to explore the intrinsic relationship between societies associations of femininity and the environment, epitomised by the concept of 'mother nature'.

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I am a visual artist currently living in the South West region of WA.I create figurative paintings that incorporate the abstract principals of materiality and expressionism. Exploring the experience of womanhood through an autobiographical lens, my work examines societal representations and symbolism that have become emblematic of femininity.

Inspired by fellow Australian artists such as Vali Meyers and Del Katherine Barton, I love to create large scale pieces full of dense imagery, often juxtaposing different patterns and colours against each other in order to create lush visual scenes full of vibrancy and detail. The woman in my painting's are always the main character, emoting a sense of strength and holding the viewers gaze.

I started my career completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Sculpture in 2016 at RMIT university, and have since exhibited at a range of galleries in both Melbourne and Perth, including my first solo exhibition at Forty Five Downstairs in Melbourne. In 2019 I co founded Old Coast Studio, a sculpture studio in WA focused on metal based work. I now focus on selling my work directly to buyers as well as working on commissioned projects.