Silent Reflections No. 2

Beautifully framed in Tasmin Oak

It is often said that the best things in life are surprises. Silent Reflections was created in a place of stillness; my right hand was not talking to my left hand. The concept was too free up my creative flow, shake things up and do something out of my comfort zone.

I taped up my board and began with simple broad charcoal strokes using pencils, blocks in all forms of soft and hardness. Once I did that, I started to add colour pops. My mind not committing to the idea of form just shape and composition on the larger page. I intended on keeping it very simple and raw. I wanted to let it all go, to free the constricts of expectations and perception. As I worked in complete silence, listening to my inner creative, I realised something. You will laugh, as it is obvious when you look at my catalogue of work, but it is true. I came to realise that no matter what, I am a landscape artist.

How do I know this, you ask? Well, I know that whenever I scribble to free my soul, I will always see a scape. Sometimes a landscape, sometimes a seascape, but often a sky, a ground, a cloud, a place. I go somewhere and take my viewer there with me.

In creating Silent Reflections, I heard a voice. It spoke to me. It said, "You have arrived. Accept your true nature and create a place of your choosing. Own this; it is yours. You are here."

It is my wish, as you view these reflective pieces, for you to hear your voice and that these images speak to your soul bringing you harmony and contentment.

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Always fond of the subtle dynamic relationship between sea, sky and land, Samantha creates visual landscapes as a way to explore the depth of the soul's connection to our environment.

Growing up in California with her five siblings, Samantha began honing her painting style long before she graduated from the Academy of Arts San Francisco with a Bachelors of Arts in Illustration and Design. She had a career in the advertising industry as an Assistant Graphic Designer and Jr. Art Director. After a few awards and her second child, she left her advertising career and devoted her time to raising her two young boys and painting in her free time.

Leaving the Northern California coasts in 2007, she found yet another coastal haven on the beautiful Northern Beaches of Sydney. She and her two sons have called Australia home for over 15 years.

Her work is an expression of her soul inspired by the raw and beautiful locations in which she has been blessed and fortunate to live and travel.

Her paintings explore the the relationship between soul, sea, sky and land and her landscapes evoke from the viewer a deep and emotional connection, often enriched by a emotional journey and memories. Her medium of choice is Acrylic often underpainted with Charcoal and embellished with a mix of watercolour, pencils or whatever other medium is at her dispense that creates the mood for which she is striving to translate into her work.

Her work often is driven by a personal journey, emotional journey, and mood. She says, “I find it difficult to define my style as I paint what I feel and I paint first and foremost for myself. It is my means of expression, and development as a human. My work can change from day to day, and sometimes differs depending on the medium. What brings me most satisfaction is a buyer who opens up and share their personal connection to my work. Almost all of my paintings are apparitional, they transcend the constraints of an exact location and I find these creative and invented landscapes transport the buyer or viewer into their own dreams and memories. Sharing these stories with strangers, connecting through my art, is what inspires me.”