An Interview With Amber Stokie

Australian artist Amber Stokie creates art that feels deeply human. She primarily uses abstract painting, drawing, and written concepts to unpack her own experiences – those relatable ups and downs of uncertainty, excitement, fear, and feeling overwhelmed. Interestingly, being one of triplets has also made her uniquely explore the idea of individuality and what makes each person special, even within a close bond. You'll see her paintings feature organic shapes, energetic marks, and personal symbols, all coming together in a style that moves fluidly between clear imagery and pure abstraction. It's designed to be open-ended, letting your own thoughts and feelings play a part in what you see.

Can you tell us a little bit about you?

I was born in a small town in Western Victoria, Australia. As one of triplets, I would usually start that sentence with a 'we.' Not surprisingly, this 'we' concept has led to different ways of expressing my identity in my work. I've always been an artist; I was drawing and painting pictures from the age of around 6 or 7, which extended into private lessons from the age of 10. In secondary/high school, I enrolled in every art-related class that I could. I obtained a Fine Arts degree, followed by an MFA quite a few years later. I have always had supportive parents and come from quite a creative family. I'm lucky to have been born in an era where it's possible to pursue a career as an artist. I currently live in Bendigo, which is a small city in northern Victoria, about 2 hours north of Melbourne. I have a supportive husband, a stepson, and 5 animals. I am lucky to be in the studio most days where I make abstract paintings that reflect my inner world and the broader human experience. I've been exhibiting regularly for about 15 years.

How has your artistic practice changed over time?

I felt like I didn't really achieve much at the university I attended, so I didn't leave feeling inspired. But after a few years of odd jobs (which I didn't enjoy) and a desire to return to art, I decided to set up a studio at home and start. The years following, I painted mostly figurative paintings from my sketches. I was also asking myself a lot of questions: What do I want to say? What does a successful artwork look like to me? The more work I made, the more I questioned. My paintings were very colorful and were probably influenced by a broad mix of other artists. I was always interested in painting people: walking, sitting in a park, or crossing a busy street. Everyday scenes from busy Melbourne. Accessible content.

Throughout my MFA, I explored performance and performance photography. I felt that this approach allowed for a more conceptual way of working and led to the development of some interesting ideas. I was looking at the 1960s/70s feminist art movement, Portuguese performer/photographer Helena Almeida, and painters Marlene Dumas and Amy Sillman. This resulted in several successful artworks that reflected my experience of life as one of triplets and started my 'mirror writing' period. My work was becoming more personal as I explored my own identity.

I returned to painting shortly after completing my MFA because I love to experiment with paint, and I enjoy the unexpected outcomes. I enjoy the process of layering in my work and building up a painting over some time. I feel very settled in what I'm painting now, both visually and conceptually. This sense of clarity has come from giving myself the freedom to keep stepping sideways, to experiment, and to let the work evolve naturally. At times this is very frustrating, but I'm glad I have stuck to this way of working. I'm eager to push the expressive potential of each painting, often resulting in a diverse body of work.

Have you been exploring any new themes in your recent work?

I wanted to bring some figurative elements back into my work after a couple of exhibitions of non-objective abstractions. I'm painting about very human experiences and incorporating symbols that hold personal significance—these just happen to be things like plants, flowers, and animals so the shapes that were weaving their way into my paintings were organic like shapes. Most of my new work has a biomorphic - surrealist feel which I am excited to explore further.

Where does the idea behind your unique technique 'mirror writing' come from?

The mirror writing originated from my MFA studies. The original set of questions which started the concept were generated from an activity where I asked my sister to write down questions that are often asked in relation to having a sister who looks identical. One of the question's she wrote was "Are you an artist too? (referring to me). I then used a play on words here and used TWO instead of TOO.  It was a moment where the truth of having someone else born at the same time, who looks the same, and all that carries with it, the comparisons, the idea that you are/should be the same as someone else, and if not? The Left hand represents me (I'm left-handed) and the right represents my sister who is right-handed. I write the question starting from the centre moving outwards, with both hands simultaneously. Both modes of writing, left and right-handed were difficult however after only a couple of attempts I found the writing became quite easy. They supported each other in making the other more coherent.

What does 'Abstraction' mean to you?

In simple terms, the emptying out of information, removing reality or just a different way of organising information. I think abstraction is a powerful medium of self-expression.  I love abstraction and that’s a space where I naturally fit as an artist because I enjoy doing it, I love the ambiguity, the mistakes, and the thought of breathing life into a form or shape without giving everything away. Abstraction leaves a lot of room for the viewer to engage their own imagination in the work and fill in the blank spaces. 

How important is self reflection as an artist?

I think all artists are naturally curious and question a lot. I think self-reflection is a part of this. I do this in my life constantly as I’m very aware of my limited time here (due to the passing of my mum) and really try to make the most of it. In my art, this is a constant cycle of writing, reflecting, pushing, questioning. I’ll always strive to be a better person, and an artist and I don’t think this can happen without a healthy amount of self-reflection. 

Your earliest memory of art?

These memories involve watching my father, mother, two aunties, great-aunt, and grandmother all engaging in one or more of the following: sketching, designing, painting, making clothing, painting on fabric, knitting, and crocheting—just to name a few. My father told me once about his own memories of his grandfather 'whittling' in the backyard, carving things like small animals from wood. Living in a small regional town, I wasn't exposed to much art in a gallery context or even an artist's studio, so this was the exposure I had. Drawing and 'making things' was always encouraged in our family.

Who or what is your biggest artistic inspiration?

What inspires me are artists who push boundaries, who aren't afraid to experiment. I know how hard this is to do, especially in Australia. Often, throughout the day when I'm writing, I'll put YouTube on the TV and have videos rolling. There are a few I regularly watch that inspire me, especially when I'm in a rut or before a day in the studio: The Louisiana Channel, which is full of inspirational artist interviews—artists who articulately and generously share their ideas, inspirations, and processes. Also, any video about the New York School I find inspirational. Abstract artists like De Kooning, Motherwell, Pollock, Rothko, Kline, etc. There was this amazing surge of energy, urgency, and obsession. So many new discoveries, so much excitement!

The late '60s feminist art movement unearthed some incredible performance artists. Again, challenging the existing art canon, making new and exciting work, their desire to embrace and use alternative materials to express their ideas. Artists who push themselves, even at the risk of negative commercial consequences.

Are there any particular artists that you are currently enjoying?

I'm stepping back into time after completing the work for my latest exhibition 'Layers of Life' and having a closer look at Arshile Gorky and Kandinsky and how they employed form, color, symbology, and spirituality in their work.

What is your favourite book or film and why?

My favorite film is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It's an extraordinarily beautiful and clever film about love, memory, and pain. The editing is incredible. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet were exceptional in this movie; I think this is the best acting from Jim Carrey that I've seen. It's been my favorite film since it was released 20 years ago.

Are you working on any projects you are particularly excited about?

I'm in between houses, so my work, unfortunately, will be kept to a minimum for the next few months. There will probably be a lot of drawing on the kitchen table as we navigate our next steps. But I'm also dreaming of a bigger, lighter studio in our next move, so I'm sure that will throw me into an exciting new period of art making.

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