“Stop thinking about artworks as objects and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences. What makes a work of art good for you is not something that is already inside it but something that happens inside of you.”
— Brian Eno, artist & musician

About:
Owlcat Studio features handmade mixed media collages, creative wellness practices and photography by Amanda Petrozzini. Amanda is an arts administrator and facilitator living in Portland, Maine.

Using art as a creative tool for healing and resilience is the primary focus of her work. She mostly works intuitively without much planning ahead and rarely knows what the final result of her artwork will be until it is complete.

Statement:

I view art making and all forms of creativity as essential for well-being. After years of working in the arts and taking care of my two kids, I began making mixed media collages in 2020 as a way to stay grounded. It has opened so many doors for me.

Art making helps me reset while processing a range of feelings. I love the calmness and joy that surrounds me as I play with and arrange various colors and textures on paper. I love sharing this with others! My goal is to encourage and support people on their journey to discover the therapeutic and empowering nature of art making.

By sharing my own art making process, including the messy parts and mistakes, I hope others can learn to create freely while leaving the judgment and pressure behind.

I am also passionate about accessible forms of art that are not intimidating and can be done with inexpensive materials. In a world that discards so much, collage allows for the creative reuse of (mostly free) objects. A receipt, junk mail, cardboard, etc. are all materials that can become supplies. I now see the possibility of all things as creative objects for inspiration.

Exhibitions & Collaborations:

  • INTERWOVEN - group collage project, 2022

  • Coupee Collage Collective POST-IT’s Project, 2022

  • Collage Lab Round Robin, 2022

  • Round Table Collaboration, 2022 & 2023

  • Twin Cities Collage Collective World Collage Day Project & Book, 2021

  • Studio iHanna DIY Postcard Swap, 2021 & 2022

  • Planet Collage Artist Trading Swap, 2020 - ongoing

  • A Prelude to the Bloomingdale Trail, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago

  • Redefining Normal, Chicago Art Department, Chicago

  • Reframing Ruin, I Am Logan Square Gallery, Chicago

  • A Few Favorite Things, Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, Chicago

  • Ambulant Art (Traveling group show), Chicago

Certifications, Classes & Continuing Education:
- Alchemy Collage Facilitator, 2023 Training with Mindy Tsonas Choi
-Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts Therapy Facilitator, Level 1 & 2 through Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute with Cathy Malchioldi
-Expressive Arts Therapy, EMDR, and Sensory Integration: Resourcing, Orienting, and Grounding
- Releasing Stress & Trauma Through Listening to Your Body with Luis Mojica, HLN
- Collage for Self Discovery with Shelly Klammer

Other Places to Find Me:
I have worked in the arts in various capacities for several years. I recently helped launch the Double House Arts Collective - a studio arts program for artists with and without disabilities to build community and inclusive creative opportunities. You can also find me here: at owlcatcollage on Instagram and at theuncommoncanvas on Instagram - where I share the work of underrepresented artists and non-mainstream art history.