Bio

Kansas City-based painter, Amanda Jolley, works mainly with encaustic and paper. The inspiration for her work comes from observation of the patterns and story found in every day life, and how they complement and often mirror the connections in the brain and processing of subconscious thought. She further allows her study of shadow and line in paper folding to inform her process of intuitive abstract painting. 

Over the past few years, Amanda has delved into using fire as a medium, incorporating the element of burning objects and paintings themselves to communicate the examination of the failing and oppressive systems upon which our society operates. Recording the process of the burn has become as important as the final result. 

Amanda’s artistic training has been intentional, finding artists whose work compels her and then studying under them. She also regularly meets and works with other artists to propel process, ideas, and larger artistic vision. To facilitate dialogue, she has founded the Kenaz Collective, an artist think tank. She is a member of the Kansas City Artists Coalition and Origami USA. Amanda’s paintings are shown internationally both in solo and group exhibits. Her solo exhibits have each involved the combination of origami and encaustic. She has also been juried into many group shows since 2009 extending from Kansas City to Ivry Sur Seine, France. She also has a large-scale (12×6 sq ft) commissioned permanent installation at the University of Kansas Medical Hospital.

Amanda is also a disabled artist, receiving a late life autism diagnosis that gave much explanation to her process and fascination with pattern. She embraces her neurodivergence as a gift of seeing the world with a different perspective and strives to find a third way in navigating the art system.

Amanda’s studio, aptly named, Studio Joy, is a dream come to fruition in 2014. Physically located in the heart of Kansas City, MO, Studio Joy was once a repair shop for Greenlease Cadillac in the 1930-50s. The expansive 5000 square foot space is shared with SJPS, a video production business owned and operated by Amanda and her husband Scott. Both of creative minds, their dreams work well side by side, and they have the fortune of living in the home attached to the old auto body shop.

Prior to moving into Studio Joy, her studio space was carved from a room of their home at the time. The dimensions of the room were limiting to both size and scope of work, but she found that the limits also were a catalyst for creative thinking prompting her to scale her work and concepts to a workable size.

At Studio Joy, Amanda now has the freedom to work large. She also utilizes the studio space by teaching encaustic workshops and inviting guest artists to instruct at her studio location.