Amanda Coen Art: Behind the Scenes in the Studio: Latest Work Underway

At last, I can finally tell you about one of the secret paintings I've been working on. You may remember me mentioning that several pieces in the studio couldn't be shared just yet because they were intended as gifts. It felt as though every painting I was working on was shrouded in mystery. Thankfully, one of those secrets is now out. Meet Noah.      Noah belongs to my cousin, who lives in Perth, Australia. In fact, Perth holds a special curiosity for me because it happens to be where I was born though I have never been back since...

It's funny how some paintings arrive all at once while others wait patiently for years. This one has been waiting for nearly three.  Despite missing a few deadlines lately, both for blog posts and the emails I had intended to send, work has been continuing quietly in the background. Summer always catches me by surprise. Every year I tell myself it will be calmer and every year it arrives carrying a fresh list of distractions, obligations and unexpected adventures. This year has included the hunt for a new car, more travelling than anticipated, an unexpected detour leading to an overnight...

Art Studio Update – April / May 2026 Secret Work, Paper Experiments & A Finished Piece Here we are again - and it’s nearly May. The weather is finally picking up here in Ireland. It’s been a fairly soggy year so far, so we’re due a bit of a break at last. With that small lift in the air, I’ve been taking stock of what’s been happening in the studio lately. And the truth is… quite a lot - even if much of it has been secret. Working Quietly Behind the Scenes I’ve been working away on a number of...

March 2026: The Joy of Dance in the Studio As the spring breeze begins to stir, I find myself swept up in a wave of inspiration-this time sparked by my young niece’s dance. It’s March, and as promised, I’m back in the studio, even if the rhythms of life have been busier than I expected. (Life is busy for everyone but it always seems to take me by surprise...hmmm!' Last month, I was deep in that “murky middle” with my painting of Tango, the curious little cat. I hoped February would bring his final brushstrokes, but life had other plans....

The Murky Middle, Starting Again, and Other February Truths What’s happened in the studio this month? I think it’s fair to say February has fairly flown. All in agreement say “aye”. I say that partly to soften the blow of not having achieved quite as much art-wise as I’d hoped. That said, I have moved forward with my little muse painting, Little Peeping Cat. I’m firmly in the murky middle now and, if I’m honest, feeling slightly dissuaded from continuing. Not because I don’t want to - but because I want the thrill of it being finished. And that is...