Welcome to my very first newsletter!

Hello and Happy New Year!

I hope you find moments of peace and quiet, and creative goodness in 2025!

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Amanda Gardner. My main pre-occupation is collage — in its many forms. My practice is guided by a focus on sustainability and the mindful consumption of resources, including minimising the use of plastics in the making process. Through collage, I explore ways to question, rethink, and repurpose materials and ideas, deepening my understanding of the world around me.

For a long time now I have been thinking about slowing down my social media use and how else I might connect more directly with friends. I've always had a newsletter in mind but I don’t consider myself a writer so it is challenging for sure! After many attempts, I realised that all I really want is say hello, talk about art related things, and provide a few updates about projects that I am involved with.

I promise I won’t inundate your inbox and I will definitely enforce a strict word limit! I’m looking forward to meeting in person.

Thank you for being here!

PS. I’d love you to stay, however I do understand our inboxes fill up quickly so, fyi, the unsubscribe button is right down the bottom.

Thoughts on writing…

At the moment I am reading lots of essays via Substack. Always of interest are the letters showcased in Shaun Usher’s newsletter, Letters of Note.

Many wonderful letters have been preserved in libraries, online, and in shoeboxes at the bottom of closets. Maybe you’ve read beautifully expressive excerpts, or seen videos of actors or famous people reading such letters on YouTube. Or perhaps you’ve watched history documentaries where narrators read letters from soldiers writing home to their loved ones. How beautifully they wrote—so eloquent and heartfelt. I wonder if it isn’t only their writing skill that matters, but that the retelling of their experiences feels real and true.

Art Lab

Art Lab has kicked off for the year, continuing as a platform for artists to engage in critical conversations about art and the creative process. Each month, we come together for focused writing, non-judgmental slow looking, peer mentoring, and, at times, deep discussions.

As we enter our third year, we are thrilled to have been selected to exhibit in the Hub Gallery at Caboolture Regional Gallery. This exhibition will showcase the work of the Art Lab collective. Through artist talks and Q&A sessions, we aim to share insights and breakthroughs in our creative practices, gained through the rich conversations within Art Lab.

Exciting Projects for 2025!

This year there are several exciting projects on the horizon. Stay tuned for updates as these projects unfold. I’m excited to share my journey and reflections with you throughout the year!

Fresh Eyes writing program with Amy Kennedy

If you have read this far, Amy has just sent me the link to her Fresh Eyes flow writing program. It is free and I highly recommend it!

amandaigardner.com | @_amandaivy_