Artist Profile: Amy Duke

Painting Serenity

By Ellen Samsell Salas

“When you go to the coast, the sky gets bigger, the city melts away, and as you stare at the horizon, the vistas and colors are ever-changing. There is something about that play of the horizon and the changing sky that draws me,” said Amy Duke.

Through her paintings, Duke captures the beauty of the coastal horizon in landscapes that create serenity in their seeming simplicity. Choosing palettes of only three to four colors, and often leaving portions of her canvases white, Duke creates a mood that engages the viewer.

“I’m very pleased when I exhibit and hear people say that my work is peaceful and calm,” she says.

While Duke knows her subject and palette before starting to paint, once she begins, she tries to relax, not let her brain take control, and paint freely and quickly.

“I love acrylics because they make the process fluid. I’m usually working on a few paintings at a time – sometimes a series of boats, small canvasses of birds, and large landscapes. It’s fun to move my brain from one to another,” she says. “Acrylics dry quickly, so I can work on a piece and then move on to another, then return. And, if I’m not happy with what I’ve done, I’ll let it sit a few days, then when I return to it, it works.”

Although they are somewhat more detailed, Duke’s paintings of boats and birds also evoke calm.

“For me, art shouldn’t be too much. I try to keep my works clean. Now, I’m using white backgrounds and don’t feel compelled to fill the canvas.”

Duke says she finds great satisfaction in sharing her art and especially enjoys doing commissioned work.

“I try to make my art accessible to people. It’s an honor to paint for someone who has seen your work and enjoys it,” she says. “I like knowing the home where it ends up, and getting to know the people who will enjoy my work.”

With grandparents and parents who loved art, Duke found her calling by the time she was in high school. After graduation, she earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art at Hollins College in Virginia where she met friends who encouraged her to move to Atlanta.

“My grandfather was an artist, and that’s where my love for art began. Papa would sketch and photograph during his travels, and when he returned home, he would put on slide shows. He was inspiring. And my mother still goes to every museum she can. When she visits, she says, ‘Let’s find a museum!’”

Inspired by her grandparents, parents, teachers, and professors, Duke knows painting is her calling.

“I can have a frustrating day, and then there are the days when I can’t stop. I love that. That’s when I’m completely in my own world. When you are doing what you are meant to do, it just clicks.”

Duke's paintings can be seen at AmyDukeFineArt.com