In dreamy whimsical tones, evocative of the landscape as seen through a slumber’s daze, Amanda Tye captures Sydney’s landscape in oil on canvas. Based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, she is inspired by the natural world as a way to escape and retreat from the busyness of everyday life—her works inspire us to be in the moment.
Tye studied Fine Arts at the University of New South Wales, graduating in 2000. She then went on to complete her Bachelor of Art Education and taught Visual Arts and photography for 15 years — all while practising her painting. In 2017, the artist left teaching to pursue a full-time career as an artist, and now has a studio poised in the bush.
By sectioning the view into shapes, Tye depicts an emotional response to her surroundings. The artist shares that she is interested in a practice that swings between responding to the world as she experiences it and a creative process that happens outside her conscious awareness. A juxtaposition develops in the artworks, amplified through our engagement with city life, especially one poised between the ocean and bush.
Sat up high looking over the cliff edge is one of the artist’s favourite spots. Tye manages to capture this intimacy with the coastline within her paintings; they encourage us to look outside our surroundings. An escape, the open horizon encouraging the viewer to explore further and open their eyes to familiar places.
Tye has been a finalist in the Southern Buoy Landscape Prize 2020, Glover Art Prize 2019, The Fleurieu Art Prize 2018, Mosman Art Prize 2015, and twice winner of the People’s Choice Warringah Art Prize (Northern Beaches Art Prize). She has had solo shows at Thienny Lee Gallery, Edgecliff and Sydney Road Gallery, Balgowlah. Tye’s work is held in collections across the world and is often used by interior designers for styling.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
2002 Bachelor of Art Education: College of Fine Arts, University of NSW
2000 Bachelor of Fine Arts: College of Fine Arts, University of NSW
PRIZES AND SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2021 Finalist Northern Beaches Art Prize Sydney
2020 Finalist Southern Buoy Landscape Prize Melbourne
2019 Finalist Glover Prize, Tasmania
2019 Home Affairs, Manly Art Gallery and Museum ,Sydney
2019 The Other Art Fair ,Sydney
2018 Finalist Fleurieu Biennale Art Prize: Stump Hill Gallery, Adelaide
2017 Land: Manly Art Gallery and Museum Sydney
2012-17 Finalist Northern Beaches Art Prize Sydney
2015 Winner Peoples Choice Award: Warringah Art Prize General Category Sydney
2011 Finalist Mosman Art Prize: Mosman Art Gallery Sydney
2010 Winner Peoples Choice Award: Warringah Art Prize General Category?
SOLO/ GROUP SHOWS
2021 Group show: The Wellington Gallery Sydney
2021 Solo: Still Water Runs Deep, Sydney Road Gallery Sydney
2020 Solo: A Coastline and Between, Thienny Lee Gallery Sydney
2019 Solo: Beyond the Edge, Sydney Road Gallery Sydney
2019 The Other Art Fair, Sydney
2018 Duo: Ocean Water Shore: Art Gallery on Darling Sydney
2018 Duo: The View of Two: Sydney Road Gallery Sydney
2017-20 Monthly Group shows: Sydney Road Gallery Sydney
2017 Land: Manly Art Gallery and Museum Sydney
2017 Solo: The Colour Trap Gallery Sydney
2016 Natural to Abstraction exhibition: Sydney
2014 Soul Works Exhibition: Warringah Creative Space Sydney
2014 First Exposure: If You Like Art Gallery Sydney
2011 Art 57: Donation raised $1500 Sydney
2009 Art 55: Donation raised $1270 Sydney
2008 Solo: Magic Moments Angel Café Sydney
2000 Graduation Exhibition: UNSW COFA Gallery Sydney
1999-03 Manly Arts Festival: Manly Sydney
1996 The Ground Show: UNSW COFA Gallery Sydney
EXPERIENCE
2020 Interview Art Wank podcast
2018-19 Resident artist Sydney Road Gallery
2018 Guest Speaker at Manly Art Gallery and Museum
2005-17: Visual Arts and Photography & Digital Media Teacher, Manly Selective Campus Sydney
2000-02 Portrait Photographer