www.AmyBultenaArt.com

My work is about control amid chaos. I grew up surrounded by the thick vegetation of the woods where plants seemingly grow wild and unfettered. Yet, to the careful, observant eye a sort of order emerges, a calm amid the commotion. As someone who lives everyday with mental illness, I deeply appreciate watching other organisms find clarity in turmoil. Observing plants steadily grow according to their own rhythms and needs gives me a desperately needed sense of peace. It also reinforces the concept that what feels chaotic and difficult may actually just be a (beautiful) pattern of growth. The lessons I find in observing plants is what I seek to share with my paintings. I observe plants growing wild, contained, and/or cut, and translate the reassuring peace and beauty I find amid the disarray.