Biography
Ami (Turner) Purser is a native Colorado artist. Her life has always been immersed in art.
Purser’s father, a sculptor, encouraged creative exploration. As a baby, she rode in his backpack to university studio classes. Some of her fondest early childhood memories are of painting at the kitchen table alongside her dad and sewing with her mom.
After earning a BFA in Studio Art, Purser continued her education as a guest of the Hermitage Group in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her time spent abroad with the collective of contemporary masters, deepened her understanding of painting and practice.
Ami Purser currently holds a position as Lecturer of Drawing and Design at Colorado Mesa University. She lives with her husband and two sons in Western Colorado.
Her works can be found in collections throughout the United States and Europe.
Artist Statement
Over the past several years, “process” has become increasingly important to me. Through process, I push materials to become something unexpected. The unpredictability of a new process forces me to let go of preconceived ideas. This practice has encouraged my own embracing of the inevitable changes and uncertainties that exist beyond the studio.
The palette of the desert landscape often finds its way into my work. As I walk the hills near my home, I am reminded to slow down and notice the smallest detail, the expansiveness of sky and the inconstant forms of the clouds.
My inspiration often begins with moments of oneness with nature and the creative process but extends to oneness in humanity and my personal spirituality. For me, these areas are inseparable. Oneness is a rare feeling of shared empathy, authenticity and humility. Fleeting and harmonious. Searching for this feeling drives my desire to communicate and connect through art.
I like the thought of being one of many in a conversation of human creativity that has always been.