Born on 7th May 1977 at 12 O’ Clock midday in Chesterfield hospital in Derbyshire. The fourth of six children Amelia spent summers growing up in Dorset and Devon on rivers and in woods playing alone, or playing elaborate games with her siblings, or cousins or imaginary friends. Life was all about imagination then, and continues to be now.

“One of my earliest illustrated memories is Struwwelpeter‚ this book brought my nightmares to life, and is the reason I stopped sucking my thumb. It was in the bookshelf in the room I used to stay in, in my Grandmother’s house, and when the lights went out and the door stood a little ajar the scissor man would come… …The door flew open, in he ran, the great, long, red-legged scissorman…

In his fashion of white socks, red trousers, long nose and tousled hair he haunted me through those early years, imagining as soon as I put my thumb in to sleep that he would awaken from his book like state and come to life to chop off my thumbs. That illustration had the power to change me, and I think has even more significance in my work. ‘Shellewellyn’ my male alter ego was possibly conceived in these early years… look at his work to discover…”

Amelia has exhibited in London in both solo and group shows and around the world with Le Gun. She is currently working on a book about two jealous sisters “Orange and Lemon”‚ who have a tendency to let heads roll; ‘here comes the chopper to chop off your head’. And most recently has begun to research and make images for a new version of Hansel and Gretel with an Angela Carter twist.

Much of Amelia’s work can be found on her website: www.ameliajohnstone.com

Email: ajohnstone[a]uwic.ac.uk