Seafloor Secrets

In my series of plane-window-shaped paintings, featuring otherworldly flora, I aim to weave together the threads of travel, discovery, and transcendence within a unique visual narrative – of aligned plane windows within the gallery space.

These artworks are an exploration of the interconnectedness of our world, both terrestrial and beyond, and the wonder that comes from venturing into uncharted realms. Each painting serves as a portal to unearthly gardens that stretch the boundaries of botanical possibility. Through vibrant hues, surreal forms, and intricate details, I seek to evoke a sense of curiosity, inviting viewers to step into a realm where the familiar and the fantastical intertwine. The fantastical flora, thriving in unfamiliar soil, embodies a spirit of discovery by defying conventional expectations and inviting contemplation on the infinite variations of life's forms.

As an Australian artist, my creative path has been shaped by nature found both on my home soil and abroad. The inspiration for this series more directly stems from my encounters with Hawaii's diverse landscapes – a place that resonates deeply with its own unique blend of flora and vivid beauty, infusing these Hawaiian works with a special synergy. The works reflect discoveries of small oasis-worlds of life that live beneath the buoys off Ala Moana, the nooks and microcosms within the gardens, the forests, the urban canals, the volcanic terrains and the moment of interplay between land and sea.

The technique of fluid painting echoes the organic processes found in the natural world. Just as rivers of lava carve their own paths through landscapes, the fluidity of paint allows me to navigate the canvas intuitively, mirroring the way nature shapes itself. The flow of the paint captures the essence of the otherworldly, echoing the random growth patterns and vibrant colours of the exotic flora.

This series strives to communicate a transcendental essence - a reminder that the act of exploration, whether through physical travel or inner reflection, offers us glimpses of worlds that expand beyond the known, inspiring us to contemplate the interconnectedness of all things.

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Amanda Krantz is an Australian artist whose work has been informed by residencies in Japan, Thailand and Tasmania. Her practice is an exploration of materials, science and nature, and image making. She completed her Bachelor of Visual Arts at Queensland University of Technology in 2001, and has since continued study at the University of Melbourne solely to inform her arts practice. Her most recent projects include a large scale public commission for The Ritz Carlton in Puerto Rico, artwork for the Presidential Suite of Renaissance Plano in Texas, and she was also commissioned to create 10 large paintings for The Ovation of the Sea, a new Royal Carribean liner that has been dubbed the contemporary art gallery of the high seas. She was also recently one of thirty painters worldwide to take part in ‘Premio Combat’ in Livorno Italy, was a Saatchi Online‘Back to Nature’ finalist, and a finalist in the prestigious Clifton’s Art Prize. Krantz’s most recent solo show ‘Plasmo’, held in 2015 at the GallerySmith in Melbourne, was an exploration of alien yet eerily familiar forms and landscapes. Other solo shows include ‘Hypnagogia’ at the Angela Robarts-Bird Gallery in Melbourne, Graydon Gallery and Percolator Gallery in Brisbane, and she has been involved in group exhibitions worldwide including Time Square in New York city, and in the Museo Di Storia Naturale in Italy. Current Artist Statement: I think of my work as organic-psychedelia. They are familiar representations of ecology, but not quite of this world. My process is underpinned by a playful exploration of materials, and questions the role of painter in painting creation. The method of paint delivery to canvas, in random pours, throws and squirts, employs nature to mimic nature. The natural fluidity and reactivity of paint mixtures, is itself alive in it’s own ability to move and mix, playfully creating chaotic patterns and diacritic effects. I often act merely as a facilitator, allowing the paint itself to capture the essence of time and place. It’s a scientific process, executed organically, creating science fictional landscapes and quasi-alien life