Amanda Milroy

Multidisciplinary Artist
Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat (Toronto, ON, Canada)

Artist Statement:

If I were to give a unifying theme to my two pieces, it would be something circling the idea of reflection. That seems to be the ‘muse’ that visits me most often. Whether it’s self-reflection spurring on my creativity, or the simple beauty of another person showing they’ve seen or heard me deeply, moments of reflection often change the landscape of my sense of self. One of the most precious to me is the reflection nature offers. Realizing I’m not separate from the world around me is a constant surprise and a cherished homecoming. Though I experimented with a number of pieces for this show, all of my efforts seemed to come home to reflection: mirroring, refracting, distorting, illuminating. Playing with the light.

Fata Morgana

I went down a long Wikipedia rabbit hole learning about refraction and totally fell for the concept of Fata Morgana: a mirage where objects, often ships or islands, appear to be floating in the sky over bodies of water. The name means Morgan the Fairy and comes from sailors who thought these mirages were the deliberate schemings of the Arthurian sorceress seeking to lure them to their deaths. I happen to think Morgan has better things to do, and is probably busy singing waves of healing into our glorious planet as we speak. I thought I’d add my music too.

A poem written around a black and white drawing of an astronaut looking in a hand mirror. Their face has craters like the moon. Behind their head are blotches of black space and above them is a swarm of tiny particles in different shapes.

The moon

Another homecoming. My goal for as long as I can remember has been to feel freely. During this process of taking down outdated walls of self-protection, space emerges for new ways of experiencing life’s pleasures and pains without retreating into numbness. As I feel into that unknown, I’m grateful to nature for offering so many mirrors, be they ants or wind or weeds, that remind me, even when I feel lost, that I am a beloved member of the family.

Bio:

Amanda Milroy (they/she) is working on making and sharing art more regularly. Their interests span mediums from music to poetry, drawing to translation, dance to community-building, and they’re currently creating a book of musings and doodles about befriending their anxiety. They are a settler on the land traditionally stewarded by the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples (colonially known as Toronto).

A huge thank you to Erica for all her labour in putting this show together, encouraging us to assert ourselves as artists and leading by example. I’m excited to be part of my first art exhibition. Thank you to my partner, Emily Rodger, for her love, encouragement and patience teaching me Adobe Illustrator.

Contact: amil509@protonmail.com