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

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...

Another month has passed and I’m feeling excited about the opportunity a new year brings - and a little trepidation too. January always surprises me. After all the excitement of Christmas and New Year, I feel relaxed and ready to hibernate, longing to immerse myself in paint, pencils and canvases. And yet… January is rarely as quiet or event-free as I imagine it might be. There’s always more going on than expected. Though I have been making time for painting and drawing, in fact I've a sketch on the go of Ed. That is, my husband Ed for those who...