now available: STELLIUM, a collection of nine new paintings
new abstract work inspired by the movement of the sky and cosmos ✨
STELLIUM ✨
an abstract painting collection inspired by the movement of the sky and cosmos. you can view and buy the entire collection here with the exception of AIR SIGNS, which is being sold a combined physical + 1/1 NFT on foundation.
hi friends, i am delighted to *finally* release my newest body of work: STELLIUM, my first series of paintings since the BLOOM series I painted in joshua tree last fall.
my stay in joshua tree in october really opened up my love of abstract work and deepened my exploration of multi-layered oil painting. the intense heat, dry air, and wind allowed me to work much more quickly in oil than i ever had before. back in the more temperate bay area this winter, i found myself experimenting and trying to mimic the same effects that i found in the desert. the result of that exploration is this new body of work: a colorful, free, multi-layered, abstract expressionist collection that builds, technically and emotionally, on what i found in the fall.
as you know, my abstract work takes inspiration from the human condition: my own self-reflection and the internal movements of the people i find myself around. this collection is no different, with the added sprinkle of astrological motifs, at the very least for fun, at the very most as an added tool for self-reflection and discovery✨. i have always been a fan of astrology; i find it mystical, enchanting, and light-hearted (if not silly or woo woo) and as a classics major have a deep love and respect for the mythological stories it pulls from.
whether or not a horoscope has inherent meaning is a decision i will leave up to you to decide. i will offer this for reflection, though: perhaps the meaning of a horoscope isn’t inherent, but created when the concept you read makes contact with your own internal thinking. horoscopes in that way don’t offer answers but rather offer the possibility of a new moment of self-reflection that might not otherwise have been created. just like a book, an instagram post, or a passing comment might trigger a realization, so to can a daily reading of the cosmos. i hold the same hope with my paintings: they do not tell you what to do or how to feel but offer a moment of pause and self-reflection that creates the possibility for something new in your life.
i wrote extensively today on instagram about my pricing and the early success i’ve had in the NFT space. last week, AGE OF AQUARIUS (STELLIUM), my first combined NFT + physical painting, old for 1.534eth or roughly $2700, my biggest sale ever. i will continue to explore, write, and be transparent about how i am thinking about pricing my work. for this collection, it felt important to me to price similar to my earlier pricing, as i know there are many of you who have been waiting to snag a painting. while my prices will continue to rise with demand going forward, i remain committed to finding creative ways of getting my art into the hands of those who are most inspired by it while also making a living for myself. much more on this to come.
in the meantime, my deepest gratitude for your support and enthusiasm. i am truly living my dream and i do not take it for granted for a minute 💓
much love and many blessings,
amac ✨
p.s. you might find it fun to do your astrological birth chart, which will give you your rising and moon signs as well as your planetary placements. the sign you likely know is just your sun sign, which is only a small part of your horoscope! more to come here so might come in handy ;)
STELLIUM: AVAILABLE WORK
VENUS IN AQUARIUS [$850]
Oil on Canvas, 18” x 20” x 1”, 2021.
The planet VENUS rules how you love, interact interpersonally, and what you embody in your closest relationships. AQUARIUS is often thought of a detached and intellectual sign; combined the two honor unconventional and news ways of being - those that are perhaps not traditional, but valid all the same.
VENUS IN AQUARIUS explores the collision of two distinct viewpoints, or people, through the combination of two very different color palettes. While distinct in palette, the two show similarities in stroke and treatment, suggesting that we really are more similar than we seem at first glance. The mixing of dark and light colors is quickly becoming one of my favorite motifs; VENUS IN AQUARIUS is the most dramatic (and I think, successful) exploration of this.
MERCURY RETROGRADE [$1000]
Oil on Canvas, 20” x 24” x 1”, 2021.
Some of y’all will always choose chaos. 😈 The planet Mercury rules communication and technology, amongst other things. RETROGRADE is the astrological phenomenon where a planet seems to move backwards in the sky, reversing course and creating chaos in that which it rules.
MERCURY RETROGRADE has become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right, a time where things going awry can be blamed on the path of the earth’s closest neighbor. Abstracting astrologically, this manifests on canvas in the strong yet broken blue brushstrokes set against the soft, muted chaos of the everyday. The blue is disconnected in its stroke, yet somehow balanced all the same. While the eye is drawn to the darkest color, the movement of the background behind it invites the viewer to reflect on whether chaos is due to retrograde or whether it just exists as a baseline regardless…
GEMINI SUN [$750]
Oil on Canvas, 12” x 24” x 1”, 2021.
Painting can be displayed horizontally or vertically; sister painting to ARIES RISING, the two can be displayed as a diptych.
An air sign, GEMINI is known for her vibrancy, impulsiveness and multiplicity. In the realm of astrological abstraction, this translates into a boldness of movement, color, and stroke: a composition that is simultaneously soft and soothing and bold and jarring. The dark blue drip chaotically comes out of nowhere, but also brings an unexpected order and balance to the piece.
ARIES RISING [$750]
Oil on Canvas, 12” x 24” x 1”, 2021.
Painting can be displayed horizontally or vertically; brother painting to GEMINI SUN, the two can be displayed as a diptych.
The first sign of the Zodiac, ARIES is known for his fiery nature, confidence and passion. In the realm of astrological abstraction, this translates into a quickness of brushstroke, colors moving confidently across the painting, more distinctly apart than blended together. Notably, ARIES RISING features a very bright orange and moments of both bold and muted red.
PROCESS AS PRODUCT I, II, III, IV [$300ea, Framed]
Palette Paintings - Oil on Palette Paper, each 9” x 12” comes framed in 11” x 14” floating black frame, 2021.
On the PROCESS AS PRODUCT Collection: While it certainly has many faults, social media has allowed consumers to interact with artists — and artwork — in a way that has never existed in this large of a scale before. Often, as consumers of art we engage with the end product: the finished painting, the sculpture in situ, the bound book.
The rise of digital, most notably social media, has created the possibility for artists to share their process: from technical instruction regarding medium to inspiration and motivation. To some this is mortifying and disruptive, to others motivating and inspiring.
I have always been enchanted by the artistic process, always wanting to find the interview where the artist speaks about what she was trying to achieve and match it up with my own first-hand experience of the piece. In my own practice now, I consciously give this narrative (see “behind the painting” videos) for those who are interested.
In life, as in art, I think the process can be more important than the final product. In addition to exploring this conceptually it also has manifested in a strong attachment to the physical aspects of my painting process, most notably my palettes and used towels. They exist as shadows of the intentionality I put onto canvas, capturing in time the process of multiple paintings.
In the PROCESS AS PRODUCT collection, the physical remnants of my painting process become the finished product themselves. Each palette painting ships framed in a black and glass floating frame (same frame as pictured with a different palette in the detail shots).
AIR SIGNS: Physical + 1/1 NFT [1.5eth Reserve]
Oil paint on canvas, 20” x 24” x 1”, and 1/1 NFT, 2021.
Mutable yet solid, soothing yet chaotic, ever-changing yet a simple, single snapshot, AIR SIGNS captures the simultaneous complexity and simplicity of a given moment in time. She is so many things at once, so straightforward yet with so much detail and feeling.
Truly one of my favorite paintings, AIR SIGNS really is the epitome of the multi-layered oil technique I have been developing. However, what I am most of here is the confidence, boldness, and freedom with which I applied paint. To achieve this level of movement on the canvas, you can’t pause or think. You have to just go for it - and what a prescient metaphor that has become!
The color palette and brushstroke treatment is inspired by the movement of wind set against the gradient of the sky at sunset in Joshua Tree, California. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I am forever trying to capture the colors of the sky at dusk. This is definitely the closest I’ve gotten to it.
AIR SIGNS is available to purchase as a combined physical + 1/1 NFT on Foundation. To purchase the painting, download a cryptowallet like Metamask on your phone and desktop, deposit Ethereum (a cryptocurrency) using your debit card, and then sign into Foundation to place a bid. Once the reserve price is hit, a 24h auction takes place and the work will go to the highest bidder at the end. If you have questions, e-mail me or DM me on Twitter or Instagram and I’d be happy to help!