Amy Diener

Creating art is my way of expressing my life journey. Painting is a positive outlet that reflects my life and the world around me. I create detailed dot paintings that take on various subjects such as mandalas, animals, nature, and portraits. I paint dots because I find the painting process to be ex...

Creating art is my way of expressing my life journey. Painting is a positive outlet that reflects my life and the world around me. I create detailed dot paintings that take on various subjects such as mandalas, animals, nature, and portraits. I paint dots because I find the painting process to be extremely meditative, bringing me to a state of "liminality," a pause or space in between. It is this space where thoughts become silenced and I become aware of the present moment. The technique involves dropping dots of acrylic paint onto a surface using a small brush. This process requires a lot of focus and repetition. Having a long history of battling OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), painting dots has served as a form of art therapy for me. It has helped me alleviate my suffering in unimaginable ways. This is why I love the artwork of Yayoi Kusama - she used her signature polka dot paintings as a coping mechanism for her hallucinations.

My paintings are inspired by the colors from nature and city surroundings I encounter during my travels. The color combinations of the lupins of New Zealand, the sunflower fields and turquoise waters of Thailand, and the neon pink and sky blue taxis of Bangkok have provided me with unlimited inspiration.

Many of my color palettes contain juxtaposing hues or monochrome gradients, that I hope evoke both uplifting and calming responses. I am interested in how my selected color combinations can affect sensory and psychological perceptions. When colors are placed next to each other, I am excited how that makes the viewer's body and mind react.

My paintings also draw influence from nature's patterns: sacred geometry, the Fibonacci sequence, and the cosmos. Many of my mandala works play with your psyche, creating a visual illusion that I hope mesmerizes and enchants the viewer.