The world in transition and the fragility of our environment are issues explored by Cairns-based artist Amanda Emmett. Through her beautifully detailed paintings, Emmett encourages us to consider positive actions we can take that will lead to remedy and renewal of our world before it is all too late.

Emmett’s beautifully detailed paintings focus on life forms that are barely surviving the threats that human increasingly pose to them. 

Insatiable Armada reflects on the ravenous devouring of Great Barrier Reef coral by the Crown of Thorns starfish, while Yearning for Bees is a commentary on the effects of pesticides and increasingly compromised levels of fertility in humans.

Amanda grew up in a family of professional artists and, at a very young age, was encouraged to explore what lies beneath the surface - to give feeling, form and function to abstract emotions and concepts. She describes this as ‘revealing what we do not see but know’ and says this is the basis of her art practice.

I am mostly inspired by nature and experiences and try to convey how being in a certain environment makes us feel, the dilemmas, disturbing truths, and repercussions of the choices we make in our social behaviour, what we consume, and the pollution we create. 

Many of us are feeling the heavy burden of our planet’s health, some are feeling overwhelmed, some want to ignore it and turn away when faced with negative images and angry demanding slogans.

By presenting ‘heavy’ subjects in a beautiful way, through images such as the Pink Underwing Moth, the artist hopes that people will experience positive and uplifting emotions that will encourage them work together to take positive actions leading to remedy and renewal.

Image: Amanda Emmett, IMBALANCE  2021, synthetic polymer on aluminium, 140 x 92 cm, Courtesy the artist