Hey There
I'm Amy and that image is of me and my neighbour's dog, Buddy. I take him out most every day for a forest hike. This was the best shot of me that I could find...so, yeah, I used it. He's also the bestest buddy you could ask for.
I'm an artist (painter and photographer) who loves capturing the beauty of nature - birds, trees, sky, water - and finding zen in the chaos. I use photography to tell stories and capture moments that can never be repeated. I paint to express my emotions and capture moments that may not always be visible. I'm constantly exploring new ways to create art that will evoke emotion in others.
The meat and potatoes of what I do:
I have been actively pursuing photography for over 40 years. I worked as a darkroom technician for a local newspaper for several years. There, I discovered a passion for tweaking whatever was on the negative and ignoring those who said: “You can’t do that!”.
I have embraced the digital age and the digital darkroom. Using a technique called “texture-layering”, I now tweak to my heart’s content. Texture-layering is stacking (layering) other images with the subject image digitally (aka on the computer using Photoshop or whatever software you like). The images used can be anything that gives a textural element. A few examples of the texture images I use are; painted canvas, tanned bison hide, a stucco wall (one of my faves), clouds, etc. A piece could have a couple of texture layers to possibly twenty (or even more) to create that final image. Each of the texture layer images is like a tube of paint. I do not, as a rule, add any other elements to the original image. It’s a matter of staying true to what is captured. This is a simplified description of my process, but I hope it gives you a basic idea.
I also paint. After exploring abstract painting, I'm leaning more toward a semi-impressionism style with a titch of semi-abstract thrown in. I use acrylic paint, oil pastels, and woody stabilo crayons. These mediums give me the tools to add a lot of texture to my paintings. A lot! Funny that I want to add texture to my paintings (chortle).
Please note that the "cute but stupid by amy baxter" name is not indicative of my work, as my work has been described as “quiet elegance” and “still but alive”. It’s a phrase I’ve used for many years to back out of trouble when my mouth has been in gear way before my brain. I am a self-proclaimed awkward smartass for a reason.
