Amy Werntz

My goal is to give importance to people in their everyday lives.

 

Time has always been an obsession for me, whether that meant a fear of the passing of time or a feeling of not living in the correct time. Earlier works were drawn more from the latter -- I created pieces from found black and white photos, translating them into bolder, more graphic paintings. Over time it grew into a strong desire to bring importance to events in the lives of regular people in the past. I have come to realize that this is stemming from a fear of being forgotten, as well as the role of youth/beauty vs. aging in our society. In my work, I am drawn to people who look like they have a story. I like the idea that I am preserving a moment in these people’s lives and letting their clothing, postures, expressions, and the beauty in every line, tell their story.

 

When you are young you live with the face you are given, when you are old you live with the face you have made.

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 15^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.