Rest Awhile

In the series, Rest Awhile, artist Amanda K. Snyder reflects on how oftentimes it's the carefree moments in life that are relished most; the instances when there’s permission to relax, let go, and reflect. These nostalgic moments become souvenirs in memory; an acknowledgement that the right place intersected with the right time.

 Rest Awhile resurfaces lost, mid-century snapshots that remind us of familiar places of leisure; picnicking; relaxing at the beach or lounging at the pool. Each painting is a connection back to the landscapes of summer. Throughout Snyder’s body of work, she uses water and foliage to remind us of the restorative qualities of nature, giving an escape from the tension in the world around us. 

Snyder’s process uses viable, expressive brush strokes to add texture to her work. This allows the viewer’s eye to fill in the small details; the ripple of a wave in the water, a hint of sunlight on a pair of sunglasses, the loose strokes of fringe hanging from a well-used patio umbrella. Each detail permits the viewer a deeper, sentimental interaction with the painting. The narrative becomes the viewer’s wistful interpretation; a passage to a more intimate experience that heralds back to fond memories of the past.