Amanda Rosmann - Artist Bio

MEET AMANDA ROSMANN

I’ve loved drawing since I was very little and have always loved creating with my hands. My creative background began largely in theatre and dance, where I worked as a performer and choreographer. I first began painting in college, mostly “for fun,” and for a long time I thought of it simply as a hobby.

After taking a long break from painting, I found my way back to it while I was pregnant with my son. I began painting an alphabet of animals for him before he was born, and that project unexpectedly reconnected me with a part of myself I had always loved. In the years since, with the encouragement of my husband, who I consider my muse, painting and drawing have become an increasingly important part of my life.

I work primarily in watercolor, painting birds, animals, food, and whatever else I feel moved to explore. I’m especially drawn to illustration and to the moment when an animal begins to develop a personality on the page. I’ve always loved personified animals in stories, particularly in children’s books, and I think that influence naturally finds its way into my work. I’m fortunate to have plenty of inspiration around me: the squirrels and blue jays in our yard know me, and my own birds are cozy enough to sit on my hand. The more I observe the world around me, the more personality I seem to find in it.

My background in theatre and dance also continues to influence the way I approach a painting. As a choreographer, I was constantly thinking about stage pictures—formations, patterns, movement, and the relationships between bodies in space. That way of seeing has translated naturally into composition. Even in a still image, I’m interested in creating a sense of movement, gesture, and interaction.

Illustration is especially meaningful to me because of my love of children’s books. The artwork in a book is such an enormous part of what draws children—and readers of all ages—into a story. I love the idea that an image can make a character feel alive before a single word is read, or make a familiar subject feel a little more magical.

At the heart of my work is simply noticing. I’m interested in the personality, movement, humor, and beauty I find in the things I observe around me. I don’t necessarily see these subjects as ordinary; I see them as endlessly interesting when I take the time to really look.

I plan to continue working in watercolor and painting whatever subjects I feel moved to paint. Right now, I’m working on a series of 11 × 15-inch paintings inspired by playing cards, while continuing to explore illustration, animals, and the many other things that catch my eye.

Ultimately, I don’t think my work needs to accomplish anything too complicated. If someone looks at one of my paintings and it makes them smile—even just a little—I’m happy.