Artist's Statement

sketching chez Cezanne I used to react to beauty by pulling out a camera, but I came to feel that in my preoccupation with setting up the 'perfect' photo, I was missing the immediacy of being in the place. And so it began.

Years ago I studied calligraphy and later did pen & ink drawings. So, I still love a flowing, descriptive and sometimes playful line, and my paintings usually begin there. I use watercolor because its luminosity never ceases to amaze me and its flow invariably surprises me. I was taught to do watercolor in slowly layered glazes, but I am impatient; I want the color and I want it NOW. So, that’s what you’ll see in my paintings.

Many places so awe me that I want to capture every detail. In my early paintings, you’ll see every tree that I saw! But now I am more interested in creating rather than re-creating the scene. If my craving for detail is strong, I may put acrylic medium on the paper, or do a collage, so that pure representation becomes almost impossible. My hope is that when you view my paintings, you will relax and fall into that space of beauty with me.

For more information, please contact Susan at susan@susankmiller.net