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

In my last blog post I was quietly hinting that I was pretty much ready to finish The Duck's Lunch. Well... Truth be told, I haven't been able to get back to it at all in the last month.  Meanwhile, I have been busy wearing my other creative hat. I've been designing my Gnome Christmas card collection for Parade Handmade. You probably know by now that I like to add some new images of my favourite little character each year... I can hardly believe it myself. As I write this, I'm also conscious that I may not actually publish this post...

Well, it's finally happening. The painting that has been quietly occupying my thoughts, my easel and a considerable amount of studio /kitchen space over the last while is finally on it's way to being completed. The Duck's Lunch has officially nearly landed. If you've been following my recent studio updates, you'll know this piece has been years in the making. Not years in paint exactly, but years in waiting. Some paintings arrive quickly. Others seem to sit patiently in the background until the right moment comes along. This was one of those. More Than Just a Painting When I first...

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...