Amanda Ruck has her head in the clouds at Montsalvat.
By Kath Gannaway
HEALESVILLE artist Amanda Ruck is on cloud nine after three weeks of a month-long artist’s residency at Montsalvat in Eltham.
The European-style artists’ colony, which was founded in the late 1930s by artist Justus Jorgensen, has nurtured and inspired generations of artists over the years.
Ms Ruck’s fellow artists include a goldsmith, a guitar maker, a maker of Japanese flutes and violins, and writers. She is the only painter in residence, and said she is thriving on the creative energy of Australia’s oldest working artists’ colony.
To dedicate a whole month to just painting is a gift.
“There’s a spirituality about Montsalvat which is bringing out the best in me, along with the work ethic of painting about 10 hours a day,” Ms Ruck said.
“There are no distractions, I’m just totally focused on my work.”
Her work is painting clouds.
“I’m aiming to paint a painting a day which reflects the weather pattern of the day and my mood as well,” she said.
Clouds, in all their moods, are an inspiration for her work which she describes as emotional and imaginative.
“That’s why I paint clouds,” she said.
“They are constantly moving. I think the sky is a very emotional experience, also a very uplifting experience.
“You look up and you’re looking at the same sky as someone else – it’s a connection.”
Not surprisingly, Montsalvat itself has become a character in some of her paintings.
“Being a cloud painter, the absolutely fairytale architecture of Montsalvat has snuck into my work in enchanted ways. It’s been a beautiful influence,” she said. Ultimately, Ms Ruck said she would like to travel with the February paintings as a suite.
Until the end of February her Weather Patterns of the Heart works, and Ms Ruck hard at work, with her head in the clouds, can be seen at Montsalvat.
Montsalvat, at 7 Hillcrest Avenue, Eltham, is open every day from 9am to 5pm.
Phone 9431 4177.
