Painter sees inspiration all around

By Jonathan Cook
Turley Publications Reporter

REGION - When she goes to work in the morning Amanda Delanski brings her sketch book. When she goes home at night, she paints in her bedroom. Her life sustains her art.
Or is it the other way around? After all, Delanski’s inspiration is everything at hand. “I feed off so much,” says Delanski, whose oil paintings are this month’s exhibit at 12 Crane, “tying in nature and family. Whatever hits me.”
Working three paintings at a time at her home in West Warren, she will take an idea from one canvas and try it on another. Certain colors shapes and lines work in a variety of combinations. “It’s good to see how one bounces off the other,” says Delanski, who started painting in the Quaboag Middle/High School art program.
That kind of bouncing ball method is inspired by her work in Warren’s elementary school. She explains, “the kids and environment are fun and colorful. My paintings are fun and energetic just like the kids.”
However, working three at a time doesn’t mean she’s mass producing motel art. On the contrary, “It takes me a long time to get these done. I keep playing around with it until it’s there.”
Sometimes “there” is not a short trip. “I could keep working on a painting forever,” she says. “I love painting.”
She goes at it “with no preconceived plan,” she says. “It just kind of happens. I’m okay with that.”
So, for this 2009 Massachusetts College of Art & Design graduate, the 20 paintings hung in the scenic River Run studio at 12 Crane for the month of February – “Perceptions” – constitutes a lot of work and re-work.
Behind the scenes, finding this new artist is Brimfield artist and Art Studio Trail organizer Anna Ozolins – at it again putting together a local art show.
Ozolins got a hold of Delanaski through the Massasoit Art Guild and knew the exciting young artist would make a good show at River Run where there are also pretty views of the Quinebaug River and surrounding woods.
To get a good look at her paintings, that’s the only place right now as she does not have a Web site – although that may change, she says.
Included in such a space would be Delanski’s ink washes influenced by Chinese landscape artists. “They use so little ink and get so much out of it, looks simple, but a lot of detail,” she says.
She also paints on found objects, like old boards or pieces of metal. “It’s a sense of what can I do with this thing that someone didn’t want.”
Other Massasoit artists exhibiting currently:
Emile Gaucher at Spencer Savings bank; Gert Kennen and Gayle Magwood at Spencer Library; Carole Bentley and Don and Marcia Beal at Cormier Jeweler; Mary Kay Ebersold and Ann Marcel at East Brookfield library; Leigh Trzcinski at North Brookfield Library.
The guild has an open house at their studio and meeting place at 108 School St. East Brookfield.