Requiescence Painting

Requiescence is an original painting by Amy Devlin. My process starts with taking the photographs I work from, I like to experiment with angles and light in the photographing. Every inch of the canvas has multiple layers on to build up the feeling of light, water and body, every layer focusing in on more detail until there is a balance of tight detail and watery fluidity. On a trip to Crete I got some fantastic shots in the incredibly clear water around the west side of the island. This painting is the beginning of a series I am doing focusing on the fabulous greens in open sea water, the depth of the water gives incredible colour and beautiful reflections on the body. Born and raised in New Zealand, Amy Devlin has lived in the UK for 20 years, first in London, then since 2015 in rural Kent. Amy’s current body of work focuses on bodies in water and bodies of water. “I love the exploration, chasing the physical memory of being underwater. That tranquil feeling of the sun on your body even through the water, being at one but also entirely separate.” Although Amy works in an almost photographic manner, her intention is not to create photorealist paintings, preferring the texture of paint and brushstrokes to add depth to the image. Amy sends her work out from her studio at the bottom of the garden to private collections across the world.