ARTIST STATEMENT

I’ve  loved creating all of my life and have often thought back to my grade  six teacher who allowed me to stay in at recess to paint and  create instead of being told to go out and play. For me, “play” was that feeling of time standing still and the world around me disappearing allowing me to focus on free creativity and expression.  Splashing paint around or sculpting and squishing clay between my fingers was my “play.” I still have an undying gratitude for those understanding teachers as I wouldn’t have continued to pursue my artistic endeavors without them. 

Using intuitiveness and experimentation I find endless wonderment in producing art. My inspiration comes from the tiniest of insects to the vastness of a magnificent landscape. When I sit in front of a blank canvas, I often have no idea in mind what will transpire, but I draw on my love of all things around me that are organic, geometric, textural and colorful; finding a way to let the painting evolve into something that  will capture the essence of what I observe. By creating a serene painting to evoke a feeling of calm, or producing wild gestural marks to convey excitement, I interconnect with each painting  in an emotional and visceral way. 

I work in acrylic, cold wax and mixed media and my interest  is in non objective /abstract art that has an emphasis on using multiple layering techniques and complex colour to create a rich history in the painting. Also focusing on shape and design I produce art work that endeavors to shows a depth of understanding of the principles of value, color, line and composition.

BIOGRAPHY

After years of working in the education and social services fields, I decided to pursue art on a full time basis. Born and raised in the small village of Leith, Ontario I  would often visit the grave of Tom Thomson searching for inspiration. For the past few years I have pursued my  education by studying with artist Pam Caughey, a Montana based artist and  teacher/mentor. Mostly self taught, I have pursued other art forms over the years such as jewelry making, quilting, needle punch but always fell back to painting as my first love. I have concluded that life is about all types of experiences and art forms and in one way or another they are about exploration, interconnection and relationship between the world around us. 


Susan Henry-Scott