Artist – Amanda Johnson

Statement

Black eye liner, nail polish, glitter, “who am I?”, coming of age, sex …more black eyeliner. Sexy, fish nets, skulls, Play-Doh, naked, icon, restraints, restriction, eyes, all seeing eyes, overseer, aliens, not of this earth, glitter, hair, flowers, mirrors, self reflection, death, fantasy, after life, other worldly, amber, time capsule, “we are not alone.”
These mixed media tablets sprung to life in a vision I had- more of a dream, really. Looking back they feel like I was quite literally cracked open and a sort of liquid primordial ooze poured out. Unable to keep a written diary as of late, I felt compelled to encapsulate certain feelings and ideas. These 23 tablets document an intense period of self reflection and embody a certain chapter of my life driven by transition.
I have found myself over the past few years roaming my local beauty supply and dollar stores. I find these types of stores fascinating, I see our society as well as myself reflected in what the aisles are stocked with. I have amassed a collection of personal favorite pieces from these stores over the years, and drew from my collection to create this particular body of works.
Using unconventional materials I was driven to play, take risks, incorporate ideas and process some big feelings into a new media. These tablets are created with multiple layers of epoxy resin, paint and found objects assembled over a period of time. Like layers of skin and protective tissues, these pieces document and preserve what is underneath my surface.
I am debuting this collection for the first time in Baltimore as a show of my eternal gratitude for my hometown. This body of work would not be possible without my early life experiences here.