Amber Gout

Amber Gout (b. 1993 Toronto)


My paintings are done on the back side of plexiglass sheets. I put thick layers of acrylic paint onto the surface and then scrape away most of the paint to only leave traces. This leaves a record of my movements and gestures. Once the first layer dries, another and another are applied until patterns and relationships start to emerge between the lines, marks and colours. Since each layer is always being done behind the last (on the reverse side of the plexi), the way that it will interact with the previous layers will always be somewhat of a surprise.

In this work, I am most interested in the colour relationships and the patterns of line that emerge through interacting and playing with paint. The works excite me because they have subtle intricacies that could never be planned in advance, but which show clues to my process and actions. It is somewhat controlled but has results that are always unexpected.

Some of my influences include: Joan Mitchell, Agnes Martin, Gerhard Richter, Charlene Von Heyl, Kaye Donachie, Cecily Brown, and Julia Dault.