Amy Werntz

"My goal is to give importance to the ordinary moments in everyday life. Time has always been an obsession for me, whether that meant a fear of the passing of time or a feeling of not living in the correct time. Earlier works were drawn more from the latter — I created pieces from found black and white photos, translating them into bolder, more graphic paintings. Over time it grew into a strong desire to bring back-to-life forgotten moments from the past. In my current work, I aim to capture seemingly insignificant moments in people’s normal lives, removing the environment so as not to influence the viewer’s interaction with the subject. My hope is for people to look at the paintings and see something of themselves, a loved one, or just what they need to see. I feel each subject’s true story is not what is most important; it is the story the viewer creates through his/her own personal history. I would like for viewers to walk away feeling they have interacted with the person in the painting and brought their own experiences to that interaction. Through their postures, expressions, and the uniqueness of every line, I strive to show the importance and value of this generation so often overlooked in our society by the lure of youth. When you are young you live with the face you are given; when you are old you live with the face you have made."