Artist Statement
Shackleton’s work depicts an uncertain future where cities blend with nature. Through an optimistic lens, she creates unique urban landscape paintings that combine multiple locations into a single composition. Inspired by the urgency of climate change, she questions what’s to come – be it utopian or apocalyptic. Forests are burning, lands are flooding and glaciers are melting. As extreme weather events become more frequent and hit closer to home, Shackleton’s paintings are becoming less about the future and more about the present.
Biography
Canadian artist Amy Shackleton (b.1986) received her BFA in 2008 from York University. Her work has been written about in Magenta Magazine, Huffington Post, and LUXE Magazine. She has been actively involved as a guest speaker at the Canadian Arts Summit and the University of Cincinnati. Her works are included in the public collections of Museum of Dufferin, Colart Collection and Facebook Canada.
Shackleton was a 2021 recipient of four Ontario Arts Council grants and recommended for multiple Canada Council for the Arts grants. She has received First Choice/Prize Awards from public art jurors, including McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Kleinburg) and Station Gallery (Whitby). Shackleton is the President of the Board of Directors at the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington.
Shackleton has exhibited work across North America and beyond. Solo exhibition venues include THEMUSEUM, Kitchener, ON, Museum of Dufferin, Mulmur, ON and Art Gallery of Northumberland, Cobourg, ON. Group exhibition highlights include “The Carmichael Canadian Landscape Exhibition: Tradition Transformed”, Orillia Museum of Art & History and “Award Winners”, McMicheal Canadian Art Collection.
Technique
Rather than conventional paintbrushes, Shackleton uses squeeze bottles and gravity as her primary tools for creation. Liquid paint is dripped, poured and layered as the canvas is rotated to navigate. The architectural aspects are highly controlled while the natural elements embody the spontaneous liquid impulse. Shackleton’s work wrestles with these opposing forces, just as her own optimism wrestles with reality.
Gallery Representation
Shackleton's commercial gallery representation dates back to 2009. Visit one of these reputable physical/online galleries to view work in person and/or make a purchase.
