Words by Phoebe Robertson (she/her)
Amelia Bentley is an artist who captures beauty with both brush and intellect, balancing her life between her passion for art and a more academic career path. Currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Science at Te Herenga Waka, Amelia is majoring in Data Science and Psychology, disciplines that may seem worlds apart from her deep connection to painting. Growing up in Wellington, the proximity of Victoria University allowed her to pursue her dual passions while remaining close to home. But this balance between art and academia has been anything but simple.
“I’ve always felt my life be divided into a constant fight between art and academia,” Amelia shares, referencing Sylvia Plath’s famous fig tree analogy in The Bell Jar. As she explains, her younger self dreamed of living in Florence, surrounded by masterpieces from Caravaggio and Michelangelo, immersed in a world of art. But as high school progressed, Amelia’s relationship with art became fraught. “The education system slowly dimmed that light,” she recalls, describing how her artistic passion was stifled by rigid school structures.
“It was no longer a way to express myself, but instead a medium to please others… I decided then that I would rather sell my brain to a capitalist agenda than my soul. So, I kept my art sacred.”
That decision led Amelia to pursue science, a field where she felt her intellect could flourish. However, she never fully abandoned her love for art. Though she took a year-long break from painting during this period of self-reflection, her return to it was deeply personal, far removed from the confines of academic expectation. “I found that pursuing it on my own terms made me a better artist,” she says, highlighting the freedom that came from rediscovering her passion away from school. These days, Amelia often has a painting on the go, dipping into her creative world whenever time allows.
Despite the demands of her degree, Amelia manages to strike a balance between her two worlds. “Finding a balance can be hard sometimes, especially during exam time,” she admits, but art is never far from her mind. The pieces she creates now are personal expressions of her journey, with oil paints—her medium of choice since age 15—giving her the texture and depth she craves. She also dabbles in other media, from charcoal to sculpture, always seeking new ways to express her creative side.
Amelia’s work first caught the attention of Salient when she painted a striking portrait of actor Jacob Elordi, inspired by his performance in Saltburn. When asked about the inspiration behind the piece, Amelia’s answer is refreshingly candid: “Honestly, I'd like to say there’s some more elaborate reason for painting Jacob Elordi, but if I’m honest, it's just because he’s HOT and I was obsessed with Saltburn!”
While Amelia’s art is something she does primarily for herself, she has broader ambitions. “I’d like to work towards creating a whole collection and presenting an exhibition,” she reveals. Though time constraints make this a distant goal for now, Amelia remains open to the possibility, ready to embrace whatever opportunities the future holds.
Amelia Bentley is someone who doesn’t fit neatly into one box. She is both a scientist and a dreamer, a realist and a creator, balancing the worlds of data and imagination with a grace all her own. Whether she’s calculating algorithms or crafting portraits, Amelia’s path is uniquely her own, led by curiosity and an unwavering commitment to keeping her art personal.
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