Amy Dury is a contemporary figurative painter based nearby to the sula studio on the south coast of England. We are huge fans of her gorgeous paintings and so we reached out to Amy to talk all things colour, female friendships and creative inspirations.
Amy Dury draws prompts from home movies and family photos, with a focus on images depicting power dynamics. At Sula, we are captivated by Amy’s skillful use of color in her paintings. Her vibrant and surreal hues evoke intense nostalgia and familiarity. One standout piece is ‘Missing Narrative’, where the canvas is saturated with bubble gum pink, layered with colder pinks, coral tones, and delicate dashes of ice blue.
What serves as your inspiration when choosing colours in your paintings?
I am usually influenced either by suggestions from the reference image – in vintage film and photography you can often get colour casts which soak the scene in a red tint or blue tint and that give me the idea. But often I am inspired by other paintings – the clever palette of another artist that I want to play with in my own way.
Do you find yourself drawn to specific colours or combinations in your artwork?
I really like a warm red, orange or pink as the basis of most paintings. I have to work hard to make myself try other colours. I went through a phase of using fluorescents too, which are addictive.
Does your fascination with colours extend beyond your art practice?
I think colour is something everyone has a feeling for, artist or not, we are drawn to colour and it excites us on a very satisfying level. Im often a bit cross with nature for not giving us more colours but it’s kind of an impossibility to even try and think about.
Your paintings sometimes feature unfinished or under painted elements. What significance do these aspects hold in your artistic process?
Elements of the drawing or background colour give you a window into the thought process of the artist – its like admitting it was made my an actual human, not a camera, not a computer. I love unfinished paintings.
Your artwork showcases beautiful and intricate patterns, what inspires these details?
I always loved Bonnard and Vuillards use of patterning in their paintings, the way these can blur background and foreground and confuse the eye as to what is meant to be the focus of the image. I have used stencils quite a lot in the last couple of years to add intrigue and texture.
I admire the way your artwork portrays relationship dynamics among women and delves into themes of femininity. Do you feel a personal connection to depicting these themes?
Yes definitely, I am always unpicking what it means to be a woman in our society, and what I love about female friendships and relationships. I do a lot of my thinking on the canvas and gender roles seem to be a big recurring theme.
We take Inspiration from Toni Morrison’s ‘Sula’, known for its exploration of female friendship, I’m curious: have any artists, authors, or personal experiences influenced your exploration of femininity (or friendship) in your work?
I was always a massive Kate Bush fan and met one of my oldest best friends through the Kate Bush fan club. Music has always been a great influence – and women’s voices speak to me in a special way – Patti Smith, Sandy Denny and Sinead O’Connor to name a few.
To view more of Amy’s work you can visit her website or instagram.
In the photo of Amy above she looks gorgeous in sula glow shirt in the colour rosette.