Mandy Bankson
Santa Rosa, CA
I paint abstractly because I love the risk of plunging into the unknown as one color calls to another, and one line leads to another.
MessageMandy Bankson was raised in Indiana where she roamed the woods around her house and fell in love with the patterns and colors of trees and plants. From an early age, she was encouraged to paint and draw in her mother’s art studio. After 20 years teaching special education students in an urban area, she moved to a rural home with a large garden, fruit trees and a studio in the backyard. Although seemingly unrelated, the persistence, passion and patience that she needed for teaching, she brings to her abstract art practice. Largely self-taught, Mandy has dedicated herself to painting for 30 years. She studied under three artists who influenced her: Robert Rice, Nicholas Wilton and Jeremy Morgan. Beyond learning art fundamentals, she was also encouraged to experiment and discover her own voice. She regularly shows in local art exhibits and galleries and participates in Open Studios programs. Mandy lives in Sonoma County, California with her husband, Jim.
Statement
The pattern of seeds in a cut cucumber fascinates me and brings me joy. As I wander our rural property I am intrigued by beauty in ordinary places; the rust pattern on our old truck, a surface of a leaf, or an ordinary weed’s elegant line. My painting practice captures the adventure of discovering these daily surprises. As Mary Oliver in her poem “Instructions for Living a Life” says, “Pay attention, be astonished, tell about it.” My paintings invite the viewer to stop and see the mystery of color, shape, line and space and what it communicates to them personally. I paint abstractly because I love the freedom of plunging into the unknown. Combining the principles of design and color with loose and playful exploration, I apply layers of paint. Acrylics offer me the freedom to improvise and work quickly, and after carefully looking, begin again. This process is both challenging and exhilarating. As I let go of control, the painting takes on its own voice.
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