Artist Statement.....

Writing an Artist's Statement is always a daunting task, and I have written variations of it many times, as my work is continuously evolving.  It is hard to condense all that you want to say, and all that has gone into a body of work, or a lifetime of painting into a few paragraphs, but having said that, here is my latest artist statement:

The girl next door, the playmate, and even photographs of women in Vogue magazine, are the images I grew up with in the late 60's and early 70's.  They had a huge influence on me, and what I paint today.  When I choose a model, she has to have that girl next door quality that we have all known (or been) to make the best subject, and hence the best paintings.  When I photograph my model is when the creativity really takes place, and if we are lucky, working as a team, it becomes almost magical.  When I see "it", the "perfect" fleeting moment, I know it, and hopefully capture it on film, which is later translated into oil on canvas.

My current work focuses on the idealized female nude in front of an iconic artwork, which allows me to not only pay homage to my favorite artists, but to paint in different styles, contrasting figures with background.  It may be that the background is painted with thick paint that allows for a difference in textures, or it may be that a complex, or organic design adds to the sensuality or spirituality of the painting.  The women I paint are truly the girls next door, but have come a long way since the 60's, and I find their strength and beauty to be a product of our uniquely  American culture.www.suzysmithart.com