Susan Martin Painting
Visual Arts
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Description
I find my subject matter everywhere; in the patterns and textures of the commonplace, the every day, rather than the exotic or the perfect. Whether found in nature or manmade, the subject demands a closer look. The resulting ‘in-your-face’ compositions are intense. Their busy patterns and bold colors demand attention, but the chaos of the subject matter is organized and clarified through the painting process.
I have applied this perspective to a number of subjects, ranging from a series based on recycled things, shiny aluminum squashed into outrageous forms, ragged edges of glass reflecting the sun, paper twisted into an infinity of patterns, to pieces based on blossoms and leaves. It is a fascination with patterns that drives my selection of subject matter, rather than the subjects themselves. By eliminating the context provided by background and examining a subject close-up and enlarged, the resulting composition can be viewed abstractly as complex arrangements of colors and textures with inherent aesthetic value apart from its representation of an object. Susan Martin, born in 1944, was raised in south Texas. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin in 1966, then continued with coursework in Art Education. A significant part of her educational experience was the opportunity to study photography and composition under the eminent photographer Russell Lee.
Lee’s lasting influence can be observed in her sharp, clean examination of the subject, her preference for strong contrast that reveals the surface quality, and emphasis on composition that comes from years of work in black and white. Early in her career, the artist turned to acrylics in her quest for the clean edges that a quick drying medium can deliver, adding depth of color through multiple layers of paint. Her work developed ‘Super-Real’ characteristics, creating an image beyond the scope of the camera. Susan Martin’s work has been purchased for the collections of McGraw-Hill Companies, Marriott at Orlando International Airport, Chugai-Upjohn Company, Southern Progress Corporation, Sterling Drug, Walt Disney World Productions, Brevard Art Museum, Orange County Convention and Civic Center, Burdines, First Florida Bank, American Bank, and Vero Museum of Art.