Aesthetics from Nature: The Art Portfolio of Susan Sharp
Reflect, oil and acrylic on MDF panels
Susan Sharp works through an intuitive painting process, allowing the works as much a say in their own development as she has. Susan’s works are inspired by a variety of fragmented aesthetics from nature -- patterns of light, movement, and the growth of plants all seem to factor in equal weight.
I really enjoy Susan’s artworks -- abstract compositions that suggest landscapes, architectural features, or stream-of-consciousness studies about in her portfolio. The artist uses soft, painterly textures smartly juxtaposed with rougher ones -- there’s a clear sense that the substrate (often wood panel) is as much a part of the artwork as the paint and lines themselves.
It’s very interesting, as well, to see how the work changes when substrate changes. Susan’s works on paper take on a different aesthetic than her works on board. There’s a lightness, and ethereal quality about the works on paper that isn’t as present on those with the heavier, more permanent-feeling backing of wood.
