Aimee Vandersteen is a multidisciplinary artist based in Margaret River, Australia. Exploring the relationship between inner and outer worlds, her work weaves together shapes found deep within her intuitive experience, with textures & colours inherent to nature and the Australian landscape. 

The work is an attempt at bringing physical form to the abstract, unseen realm that exists within her, revealing a shape shifting world that is subtly layered over this one. Through this process, patterns, shapes and colours that are inherent to nature and our very human existence have organically emerged as her distinct style language. 

Ultimately, the works aim to generate harmony and balance in spaces that is felt in the viewer,  mimicking the effects of nature. While possibly even cracking open other-worldy pathways for viewers to access their own abstract creative landscapes.

Olam.i:

"How would you describe your work to someone encountering it for the first time?"

Aimee:

"I would describe my work as bush art meets jester queen meets ancient primal form. They are patterns, shapes and colours that are inherent to nature and our very human existence. Because of this, they feel reminiscent of ancient spirit art found all over the world, yet created totally anew."

Olam.i:

"What first drew you to working with symbols and patterns?"

Aimee:

"It's never been a conscious seeking to use certain symbols & patterns in my work. I experience a type of synesthesia where I experience my feelings not always as emotions, but sometimes as certain shapes & colours. I can be walking through the bush and all of a sudden I feel stripes down my body and the world around me filled with stars & suns. It's not a hallucination - more like an abstract viewing in my minds eye of a world layered on top of this one."

"It happens when I am in a deeply embodied state, usually dancing or when deeply immersed in nature. Because I am experiencing myself not just as flesh & bone, but actually as texture & shape, it feels critical that I externalise the visions to be seen in the world, and in attempt to understand myself."

"My life project is learning how to translate my abstract existence into a limited physical form, revealing a world that can only be suggested at and never fully manifested."

Olam.i:

"Is your practice intuitive or research based? Or both?"

Aimee:

"I would say the foundations of my work is entirely intuitive. Yet, I LOVE and feel very inspired by old textiles, carpets and board game designs."

 "I would say intuition is refined through research. By locating shapes and images that feel similar to that which I am experiencing internally, they can act as a bridge to help me translate. I would also suggest that research is intuitive, for I am drawn to specific references that excite my intuitive sense. I think our unique tastes, the things we are drawn to, say a lot about us."

Olam.i:

"What kind of materials do you prefer to work with?"

Aimee:

"I love texture, it gives the work the opportunity to spontaneously express itself and adds such yummy tactile depth. I like treating the works more as objects influencing a space that just a picture."

"Historically, I have worked mostly with acrylic mixed with earth to give it grain. The use of plastic does make me feel a bit funny, so I have spent a lot of time recently learning how to transition to natural pigments without compromising the stability of a piece. I also love experimenting with painting on fabric and hessian, to replicate some of the old textiles I love. Playing with different mediums/textures feels like one of the biggest play points in my practice."

Olam.i:

"What space do you need to be within in order to get into an artistic flow?"

Aimee:

"Mostly I just need to feel pretty spacious and unbound from any restrictive to-dos. I've noticed that it really works for me to carve out consecutive days in the studio as I find it takes me time to drop into the process, allow ideas to percolate in my psyche without any other influence, and then days for pieces to come into fruition. I find my pieces need to be completed in one motion, otherwise by the time I next visit my practice, my life perspective has shifted and the idea has lost its energy."

Olam.i:

"What do you hope someone feels when they interact with your work?"

Aimee:

"I hope they feel a deep sense of home and calmness. My work is about creating harmony in spaces so that those engaging with it can locate that harmony within themselves. I also like to hope that the pieces act as a lil crack in reality for people to access the unseen realms for themselves and explore what is there."

Olam.i:

"What are you currently exploring or questioning in your work?"

Aimee:

"I am currently exploring the interaction between process & outcome. 

Finding the balance point between intention and spontaneity. 

Consideration & mystery."

"The question at the moment is:

'How can I create works that I know I will LOVE, while in a process that keeps me excited and engaged?". The duality of taking risks into the experimental unknown, while operating from a place of known aesthetic. I don't always pull it off, sometimes I play it too safe which leads to boredom and other times I take too big of a risk and get disappointed. It's really helpful to take the pressure totally off my practice and treat it as a self enquiry rather than "producing'."