Living on the coast of Maine, Amanda is continually inspired by the textures, rhythms, and quiet strength of coastal life. Her latest watercolor series centers around one of the state’s most iconic creatures: the Maine lobster. More than a symbol of travel and commerce, the lobster embodies a way of life. It is resilient, rooted in tradition, and beautifully singular.
This series of original lobster paintings uses humor and storytelling to explore memory, relationships, and emotional attachment. Each lobster is paired with a fictional first name and a short narrative written as if the subject were a former romantic partner. Drawing from the familiar language of dating, longing, and reflection, the work playfully blurs the line between portraiture and personal history.
The written descriptions are intentionally lighthearted and pun-filled, presenting each lobster as a distinct “character” with recognizable human traits: the dreamy one, the strong one, the funny one, the toxic one, and the one that got away. While the tone is comedic, the stories reflect genuine emotional experiences, connection, incompatibility, nostalgia, and acceptance, allowing viewers to see pieces of their own relationships within the work.
Lobsters were chosen both for their visual appeal and their symbolic weight. Often associated with longevity and the idea of lifelong mates, they serve as an ironic and fitting metaphor for love and attachment. By reimagining lobsters as past partners, the project gently pokes fun at romantic ideals while acknowledging the marks these relationships leave behind.
Ultimately, this body of work invites viewers to laugh first, then reflect. It celebrates the universality of human connection and the stories we tell ourselves about love (whether it lasts a season or a lifetime) while reminding us that even the most meaningful relationships sometimes belong best in memory, preserved in paint, humor, and a good story.
This series along with other new works will soon be available for purchase. Check back soon!
The Lobster Series
The Roster
Ross
Alex
Adam
James
Bob
More to come!
Ross
Ross was the strongest of them all, a true power lifter and mighty well beyond his size. He could carry the weight of the world (and probably a few anchors) without breaking a sweat. But beneath all that muscle was an engineers mind that never stopped analyzing, measuring, and calculating.
In the end, his deceptive nature and overthinking ways were a bit too much for my whimsical, caring heart. I needed poetry; he brought spreadsheets. We simply weren’t on the same wavelength… or tide.
Alex
Alex was the one that got away. He was the gold standard and a rare find. Handsome, smart, loyal, and somehow effortless about all three. He felt like balance, like certainty, like a future that made sense. I still catch myself wondering what life would’ve been like if Alex had been my lobster mate for life. Some lobsters leave a claw-shaped mark on your heart forever.
Adam
Adam was a loyal companion and a dear friend before anything else. We were from the same region, so we just goteach other. We were from the same tides, same currents, same unspoken rules of the reef.
My favorite thing about Adam was his gaze: when he looked into your eyes, it felt like he was peering straight into your soul… or at least carefully inspecting it for authenticity. He was a steady presence, always there when you needed him to lend a claw.
