Amanda - Contestant

[Critical]

Amanda - Contestant

A Cornell University graduate, Amanda studied and practiced architecture for a number of years before committing to a fulltime pursuit of her true passion, painting. Since that time, she has quickly developed an artistic presence within the fine arts community. Amanda has cultivated a signature style combining color, space, text and fragments of conversations she’s overheard to create pieces that deal with identity and personal freedom. Her work is sold through several galleries across the country as well as from her own studios. Amanda has exhibited nationally including: the Studio Museum in Harlem, YBCA in San Francisco and DePaul University’s Art Museum in Chicago. She was the inaugural recipient of Hennessy Cognac’s, Emerging Artist Award, and 2008 winner of a public art commission from the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. Amanda also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology and the California College of the Arts.

Amanda's website: aw | gallery

[fluff]

Wasn't impressed with her first challenge piece, which is a shame because I loved some of the pieces they showed when she was introduced.
She just didn't seem to capture her subject at all and I don't think she was even particularly enthused over the piece herself.
Perhaps she's just generally low-key. I would have hoped for a stronger defence of her work.