Amanda Milke is a mixed media artist who draws her inspiration from her life and faith. She has developed a distinct style of abstract perspective that creates strong bold compositions using a variety of materials along with bright colors and rich textures.
She has exhibited her work around Alberta and has sold her paintings to collectors around the world.
She is the President for the Society of Fort Saskatchewan Artists and teaches Art classes out of her home art studio.
Hey Folks its that time of year again for the Fort Saskatchewan Artists Studio Tour. It will be running June 7th and 8th from 10am to 4pm both days. I’ll have lots of art on exhibit and for sale so I’d love for you to stop by. Saturday I’ll be set up at the Legacy Park Festival creating a suncatcher community art project while my awesome Husband man’s my art Studio for me. Sunday I’ll be back in studio meeting and greeting all you wonderful people ❤️
Exciting changes this year include the Society of Fort Saskatchewan Artists participating as a group so make sure to check out their location as well!
One of my favorite things to do as an artist is to invite people into my studio space and as luck would have it, Fort Saskatchewan is hosting their very first Artists Studio Tour coming up in June.
This is such an exciting opportunity to tour the local creative talent that Fort Saskatchewan has to offer. As the President for the Fort Saskatchewan Art Society I have spent several years on my soapbox promoting and shouting to passerby’s of the wonderful creativity that our community has to offer so I am very excited for this unique chance for the community to engage in the ARTS!
So without further delay here’s all the details you need to know to participate in this awesome weekend of creative splendor.
I’m a firm believer that art is best experienced in company. I have had so many wonderful conversations and met so many amazing people over the years who have taken a moment to just stop by and chat and get to know the whys and hows of my creative process and some have become students and life long friends.
This weekend gives you the opportunity to slow down, get out from behind a computer and engage in person with the artist. My studio will be open June 15th & 16th from 11am to 4pm for drop in visits. I know life can be busy so if these times don’t work for you I also offer private studio appointments which can be arranged simply by sending me a message via email at amandamilkeartist@gmail.com
Below you will find the map of all the participating artists. I encourage you not to miss out on the opportunity to support and engage with the Arts and Artists of Fort Saskatchewan.
As a Bonus I am offering some in studio specials and a promo on art classes that can only be taken advantage of in person. If you have any questions feel free to reach out.
To give you an idea of what I will have available in studio to purchase I have a variety of mixed media paintings and art objects, needle felted art and gifts, artisan jewelry, watercolor paintings and posters, artists greeting cards, stained glass gifts as well as enrollment in art classes and private lessons.
“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their colour.” –Maya Angelou
Unity in diversity is used as an expression of harmony and unity between dissimilar individuals or groups. It is a concept of unity without uniformity and diversity without fragmentation that shifts the focus from unity based on mere tolerance of physical, cultural, linguistic, social, religious, political, ideological and psychological differences towards a more complex unity based on an understanding that differences enrich our human interactions creating diverse but united communities.
In January I had the pleasure of leading some local youth through my art exhibit “Unity in Diversity” at the Alberta Lottery Fund Art Gallery which is located inside the Shell Theater in Fort Saskatchewan. Each group participated in an Art Talk and then an art project where they got to create their own interpretations of the theme.
I lead a local group of homeschoolers through on January 18th and then on January 25th the Fort Saskatchewan Girl Guides came out for an evening of art.
Both groups were a great bunch of kids who had loads of questions and enthusiasm.
I walked them through my creative process and about what it meant to be united in diversity and how we can pair those two seemingly opposite qualities together. We discussed how families are one example of what this looks like. A family may have people with different views, interests, or preferences who show diversity in many aspects, but they demonstrate a sense of unity among them as a family and how this can be applied in a broader sense to community.
We talked about how this theme was reflected in the art how each piece though different and unique fitted within the body of work on exhibit. Finally we talked about how sometimes it’s easier to see the differences that divide us than the things that unite us; but that we can train our eyes and our hearts to extend grace and compassion to those around us and in so doing we as individuals can impact our world and help to create a more vibrant beautiful community around us.
Once we were done in the gallery we headed back to one of the rooms to create out art project.
Mixed Media Art project
All in all it was a great opportunity to share art, creativity and community with some fabulous youth.
Unity in Diversity is my latest upcoming solo exhibit.
After the last few years of Covid and division I wanted to create something that was both beautiful and unifying and thus “Unity in Diversity” was born. Each painting in this series uses texture and color to visually represent and emphasize the beauty of differences and how when we unite our diversity with others we form a vibrant and beautiful work of art called community. This exhibit is a celebration of individuality and diversity but instead of having those qualities divide us they unite us.
Each painting is a unique expression of Unity in Diversity and represents on a microcosm scale our global diversity.
Amanda Milke 