The Spaces Between
Amanda Markel began her artistic career in the mud. Literally. Playing with her siblings in rain-soaked earth as a child, she realized she could create as naturally as breathing. But like many young artists, the idea of making a living at something so innate to her personality felt far too daunting, so she nurtured her talents as a hobby rather than as a profession.
Liminal, bronze, 19 x 25 x 12
That all changed in 2022, when her passion to create overtook her sensibilities. Choosing to dedicate herself full-time to her work, she found a sense of release, focusing on refining her craft and exploring what she wanted to express through her sculpture. Bronze was the material that came calling.
“There is something meaningful about creating work that is intended to last for generations,” explains Markel about her material of choice. “It allows me to create a balance between strength and lightness, something that feels both grounded and in motion.”
Intent, bronze, 13 x 25 x 2.25
Drawing on her background in painting and her attraction to the lost edges within a loose sketch, Markel found negative space emerging as a theme, while storytelling took on a central role in her bronze sculpture. “When the use of negative space started to emerge more clearly,” she recalls, “it allowed me to move from simply creating forms to creating pieces with intention. They now carried meaning, invited interpretation and began to reflect a more cohesive voice.” This use of space has become the defining language of her work. She adds, “It is not just a stylistic element; it has become a way of communicating.”
Danza Dulita, bronze, 20 x 22 x 7
The self-taught artist says her autonomous path allowed both intuition and self-confidence to flourish. “It also meant that my motivation came entirely from within,” Markel reflects. “I was not creating because I was told to, I was creating because I loved it. That sense of curiosity and enjoyment became the foundation of how I approach the work.”
Resilience, bronze, 14 x 27 x 3
Explaining that much of her work is “two pieces of a whole,” Markel sees her sculpture as incomplete until it is engaged with. Creating the tangible structure (the bronze itself) is only one element, with the emotional response from the viewer completing the work. This collaborative exchange is what the artist strives for in her emotive pieces. —Doreen Manning
contact information
agmarkel.com
representation
Equis Art Gallery, Red Hook, NY, equisart.com.
Ballard’s Fine Art, Sheridan, WY, ballardsfineart.com
upcoming shows
Sculpture in the Park, Benson Sculpture Garden, August 7-9.
Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale, Buffalo Bill Center of the West, September 14-19.
This story appeared in the June/July 2026 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Subscribe today to read every issue in its entirety.