Amy Heath was born and raised in Northern California and came to London when she was 18 to study art. She earned her BA (Hons) in painting from Chelsea College of Art and has an MA in drawing from Wimbledon School of Art.

 

From 1997-98 she worked as a life model for Paula Rego on her pastel series about abortion. Both the experience and Rego remain one of the biggest influences on Amy's art- it taught her about the art of storytelling, subversion, and dress up, but also about being unafraid to tell female stories and truths. Other influences include Guilllermo del Toro, Tim Walker, Leonora Carrington, Wangechi Mutu, Vogue magazine, textile artist Mr Finch, and various children's illustrators including Elena Odriozola, Maurice Sendak, and Helen Oxenbury.

 

While Amy's work stems from fairy tales, magical realism, and story telling, her work has its real roots in the female experience and about making inner worlds visible. Painting, for her, is about imagination, freedom, and overcoming.

 

Amy has recently exhibited with the SWA Mall Galleries and at the Oxmarket Contemporary Gallery in Chichester.