My work has often grown out of themes I did not fully understand until I saw them appearing in the paintings.

As a child, I remember travelling often and feeling uprooted. When I began painting seriously in my London, Ontario studio, I found myself repeatedly painting tree roots. It seemed significant that this began at the same time I settled into the house where I have remained ever since.

I soon discovered that working in series — returning to a theme, subject, symbol, or image over time — allowed psychological narratives to emerge almost inadvertently. Stories appeared in the work that related to what was happening in my life, often before I could name them directly. What I saw in the art, and in the process of making it, seemed to challenge, provoke, and mirror back how I engage with the world, relationships, memory, and being.

Through this process, I discovered that art can deepen my connection to myself. It can become a form of mindfulness, reflection, and visual inquiry: a way of creating a snapshot of the present moment and how I am meeting it. Starting with a blank canvas means entering a field of unlimited possibility. So begins a journey of experimentation — playful exploration, pause, discernment, and choices that lead toward an excavation of what matters, what we love and value, and what we want to be about.

Across these bodies of work, I continue to be interested in what is revealed, concealed, carried, projected, remembered, and transformed.

As the work evolves, words, images, and songs increasingly arrive in conversation with one another. A fragment written privately may reappear in a painting; a song chosen for vocal practice may suddenly echo something I am living or trying to understand. I am interested in these moments of resonance — when the work seems to know something before I do. Music also often holds the space while I paint, shaping mood, rhythm, gesture, and the emotional atmosphere in which an image emerges.

ART, MUSIC & PSYCHOLOGY

Amanda Rowe is a London, Ontario artist, psychotherapist and musician whose creative practice explores psychological narratives through painting, music, memory, identity and visual inquiry. Her artwork has been featured in solo, two-person and group exhibitions, including exhibitions at McIntosh Gallery and the Woodstock Art Gallery. She is a recipient of a Juror’s Choice Award selected by Michael Gibson of Michael Gibson Gallery, and has previously been represented by commercial galleries including Circle Arts Gallery, Martin’s Art Gallery and Carmen Art Gallery.

Amanda has been a frequent participant in the London Studio Tour and a member of Junction 8, a Toronto-based exhibition group. As a vocalist, her recorded performances of original songs by other songwriters have reached the finals and semifinals of Canadian songwriting competitions. Her psychotherapy and coaching practice is informed by occupational therapy, psychology, creativity and the arts. She is also the founder and facilitator of Creative Nomads, a local group for plein air painting, creative exploration and shared art experiences.

A small selection of original works may be available for collecting. If something resonates, enquiries about availability, pricing or viewing work in person are welcome.