Amy Dryer

Through the Wire I + zoom	Through the Wire II + zoom	Through the Wire III + zoom	North + zoom
Train Through + zoom	Homeward + zoom	Windows & Wires + zoom	Alley + zoom
Typography + zoom	Walk I + zoom	Strings + zoom	Falling Into + zoom
Cello + zoom	Centre Stage + zoom	Evolution to Red + zoom	Fiddler + zoom
Changing Notes I + zoom	Duo + zoom	Finding Continuum + zoom	Push Pull + zoom
In Stride + zoom	With Grace + zoom	Turning Point + zoom	Beyond, Beyond + zoom
In Step + zoom	Into the Fire I + zoom	Into the Fire II + zoom	Into the Fire III + zoom
Internal + zoom	Three Part Harmonies I + zoom	Three Part Harmonies II + zoom	Three Part Harmonies III + zoom
Tango Embrace + zoom	Trust + zoom	Twins II + zoom	Tune + zoom
Cross Over + zoom	Overlap + zoom	Petals and Rain + zoom	Poise + zoom
Focus I + zoom	Focus II + zoom	Facing + zoom	Surfers + zoom
Red Umbrellas + zoom	Trunks I + zoom	Trunks II + zoom	Trunks III + zoom
Gold Dust + zoom	Swept Away + zoom	Totems I + zoom	Totems II + zoom
Blue Birch + zoom	City Patterns I + zoom	City Patterns II + zoom	Entangled Umbrella + zoom
Blues Band + zoom	Twin Dances + zoom	Queen of Hearts I + zoom	Queen of Hearts II + zoom
Rouge I + zoom	Waiting I + zoom	Waiting II + zoom	Hidden Pathway + zoom
Day Dreaming + zoom

Artist Statement

My work is situated within the artistic and theoretical spectrum of German expressionism. Like German expressionism, my style is bold, free and personal. It tends to combine contrastive colors with immediate expressive gestures. This technique conveys a sense of energy and power to a viewer – a power of emotional expression. Though my brush strokes may be aggressive, they are balanced by a sensitivity to line, form and draftsmanship. I think of my paintings as human calligraphy combined with the power and simplicity of primitive mark making.

My style mirrors my subjects. Personal marks reflect the small, sweeping, passing moments of various subjects including: music, women, children, flowers, landscapes and butterflies. Through my brushstrokes – either dramatically layered or elegantly simple – I explore abstract themes of movement, stillness, and transformation.

In correlation with my style, I create paintings and drawings that capture gestures and patterns around me. My most recent work focuses on women’s private, unseen moments that pass and are gone. Likewise, my musical paintings depict the lyrical, impermanent moments of musical creation. The paintings of butterflies embody a sense of expectation, while the images of children become swirling moments of gesture and recollection. My expressive combination of bold brush strokes and soft drawing lines capture the under-layers, subtleties, complexities, and vulnerabilities of everyday moments.

Biography

Amy Dryer attended the Alberta College of Art and Design, the Glasgow School of Art (Scotland) and the Fine Art program at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, to receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts. She completed an artist residency at Emma Lake, Saskatchewan in 2009. Heritage Property Corporation chose Amy to receive the 2009 Purchase Award. In 2008, she was on the cover of Avenue Magazine as 'Calgary's Best' and more recently she has been featured as a 'Profiled Artist' in the 2012/2013 Issue of Essential Magazine. Amy is now preparing for a show at Axis Contemporary Art that will be exhibited in the spring of 2013. Her most recent work explores the origins of a city. Amy's paintings are in a number of collections throughout Canada, and the US, including the Alberta Foundation for the Arts public art collection. Amy is based in Calgary, AB.

www.fragmentsofsoul.com

Education

Selected Solo / Two Artist Exhibitions

Selected Group Exhibitions

Reviews/Media

• 2012 - Alexander, Rob, Branches, Skies Transposed: Rocky Mountain Outlook, Canmore, AB
• 2012 - Doig, Ian, Artists to Watch: Two Takes on Artistic Process, Essential Calgary 2012/13
• 2012 - Doig, Ian, Editor's Pick, Where Magazine, Calgary, AB
• 2010 - Hayes, Scott, Human form uncovered for exhibit: Go Figure opening at Studio Gallery, Preview, St-Albert
• 2008 - Neighbors, Route finding takes painters on artistic voyage, The Arts, Calgary Herald, Calgary, AB
• 2008 - Montgomery, Bryson, CKUA Radio Interview, Calgary, AB
• 2008 - Attwell, Karen, Best Of Calgary, AVENUE magazine, front cover & inside cover, Calgary AB
• 2007 - Bennett, Fern, Hopping for Saint John culture, here, Saint John, NB
• 2006 - Blagrave, Sheila, Alumni Profile: Recent Fine Arts Grad Living her Dream, RECORD No. 81, Sackville, NB
• 2005 - Paddy, Patricia, Answers in the Arts, Faith Today, Sept-Oct 2005
• 2005 - Kerr, Kate, Saint John Art scene is hopping, Saint John Telegraph Journal, SJ, NB
• 2004 - Rai, Illiki, Rising Women, Front cover & Inside cover, Calgary, AB

Awards

• 2011 - Alberta Foundation for the Arts Purchase Award, Calgary, AB, Recipient
• 2009 - Heritage Property Corporation Art Competition, Winner, Lougheed Building, Calgary, AB
• 2001 - Printmaking Award, 3rd Year, Mount Allison, Sackville NB
• 1997 - West Irwin Scholarship, Calgary AB

Public Collections

• Alberta Foundation for the Arts
• TransCanada
• Heritage Property Corporation
• AGS Energy
• Whiskey Jack Resources
• Courtyard Group
• Pengrowth
• Strathcona Tweedsmuir School
• The Calgary Children's Hospital
• The Doorway
• The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
• Lazy Poet Creative