Biography

Amelia Shields (b. 2002) is an artist living and working in North Carolina, USA. She will graduate from Davidson College with a BA in Studio Art and Art History in May 2024.

In her oil paintings, she immerses herself in the process of worldbuilding, creating spaces that capture the essence of transition. Influenced by the intricacies of natural patterns and the wonder of speculative fiction, her work invites you to explore moments suspended between the conception and final establishment of a fantastical realm.

Statement

Rooted in a profound reverence for the enigmatic, my painting practice blends intuition and intentionality, weaving influences from the natural world and speculative fiction. Each composition emerges from my own matrix of sketches derived from life experiences, as well as from natural and constructed patterns that hover on the brink of recognizability. The deliberate ambiguity invites viewers to grapple with the unknown and to sit in discomfort.

The struggle to worldbuild is central, infusing every piece with a vibrant tension born from diverse influences. The result is a realm characterized by perpetual transformation and transition. The work encourages contemplation and engagement with the mysterious imagery that is never defined as a specific object, place, or process.