Artist of the Month - Amelia Hamlet
Grace MiddletonThis month, we’re delighted to feature Amelia Hamlet as our Artist of the Month, a painter whose work is rooted in the beauty of everyday life, from sunlit gardens to vibrant seasonal florals. We asked Amelia a few questions about her creative journey and what’s been inspiring her recently, as well as the tools, references, and influences that shape her practice, offering a glimpse into the thoughtful, expressive world behind her paintings.
Q. Where have you found inspiration lately?
A. The sun shining more recently has been a huge inspiration- I’ve been spending more time outside in our garden which of course influences a lot my floral work particularly. Tulips are some of my favourites so I’ve been making a special effort to see them in their bloom.
Q. Is there a piece of art or a project that you are particularly excited about right now?
A. I was commissioned by the Artists cup to create a piece for their opening earlier this month. I painted on the biggest scale I have ever done some seasonal flowers by a local florist. It was such a joy to create at this scale and is something I’ll definitely continue trying, but what’s special about this one is anyone can own it as it’s part of a raffle. I love this idea to make art even more accessible.
Q. What kinds of tools or references do you like to use when creating artwork?
A. I have a lot of books on flower arrangements and growing which are staples for my practice. As much as I like working from life these books are the second best and give me endless ideas of colour combinations and composition that feel real and natural.
Q. What artists or artworks (from your life or art history) do you admire or consider influential to your work & why?
A. My bright and colourful style is influenced massively by modern artists - I especially love how easy it is to interact with artists nowadays with social media. Emily Powell in both her practice and style is a huge influence for me, painting expressively en plein air and using rich colours in the natural world. I love how she thinks beyond the canvas too, painting her house with equal love and encourages my work to be more experimental and less restrictive .
Q. What advice do you have for other new or aspiring artists?
A. My advice would be to start before you think you’re ready. There’s always one hundred reasons not to share your art but the opportunities that come from taking a big leap are definitely the best. And it may be hard but trust your gut!
Q. Professionally, what has been your biggest achievement so far?
A. Showing my work at the artists cup is the first time I’ve shown my work in a gallery and I am so grateful for all the new people I’ve met through this. It’s given me the confidence to share my work more and definitely feels like one of my proudest moments so far .
Q. What is your first memory of creating art?
A. Although I never met my grandad, he was an artist and creative mind his whole life, and I like to think it’s where my creative mind comes from. My grandma taught me from a very early age like he would’ve done, teaching us “peas and carrots” for sketching figures in a distance.
Q. How do you spend your time when you’re not creating artwork?
A. I feel so lucky that art takes up a lot of my time as it never feels like work, and I still love to use my creativity to relax, spending a lot of time cooking up a storm, reading or knitting a jumper that’s very slowly making progress.
Q. What work do you most enjoy doing?
A. Definitely painting. I personally never know how a painting will come out and I love this versatile exciting nature. I’ve always used acrylic but I’m looking to try oils for the first time this summer.
Q. What is your dream project?
A. There are so many exciting bits I imagine for my future that I keep on a spider diagram in my studio. One I want to work towards soon is a solo exhibition - no idea how but I am manifesting this for sure.
We are honoured to print Amelia’s beautiful work and help share her art with the world. From sunlit garden inspiration to her love of painting florals and experimenting with scale, it’s been wonderful to get a glimpse into how her art journey is evolving. You can explore more of Amelia’s work on her website and Instagram.
