PAINTING HOPE
BY DANIELLE VIGUERIA, Western Home Journal
During difficult times, art often emerges as a means of recognizing and communicating complex emotions and opening a new line of communication with the world at large. For the three artists in this feature, creative expression has been an invaluable tool for connection while facing personal challenges and universal fears.
With strong individual styles, Barb Schwarz Karst, Samantha daSilva, and Susan Swartz each paint with evident conviction and clear purpose. As the past year has brought with it unimaginable circumstances for our global community, it is in the work of artists such as these three women that many of us can see our own thoughts and feelings beautifully realized.
In the following pages, the artists share the inspiration for their latest collections as well as the motivating forces they hold close in their hearts. Moved by world events, natural beauty, and personal hardships, they each find comfort and purpose in their painting, and are hopeful that their viewers will as well.
“Creativity has helped me to triumph over adversity.”
“Emerging Bouquet 32” / Acrylic on linen / Susan Swartz Studios
“Vase (White, Medium 3)” and “Emerald Blue” | Acrylic on Linen | Susan Swartz Studios
Located on Park City’s picturesque historic Main Street, Susan Swartz Studios is a contemporary gallery where every painting tells a story. The gallery showcases the work of the eponymous artist, a longtime resident of the mountain town. A visit to the space feels like a glimpse into the heart and mind of the renowned environmental artist herself. It is clear that Susan finds delight in the creative process. From every bold stroke to each textured layer, her feelings are inherent in her art. Many of the works are vibrant and energetic while others are more calm, subdued and quiet. Each painting evokes a different emotion, and each pays tribute to nature in its own unique way. Through her reverently painted canvases, Susan's devotion to nature is abundantly evident.
“Nature has always been one of my greatest sources of inspiration.”
Fifteen years ago, Susan was diagnosed with mercury poisoning and lyme disease. Today she is grateful to be healthy and considers each day a blessing. From this decade-long battle with environmentally born illnesses that left her fighting to survive, Susan transitions from series to series — each a visceral expression of the joys and challenges she experienced along the way.
Susan in the studio.
Susan’s distinctive style has developed from realism to contemporary abstraction. She shares her journey openly. Susan paints with the courage of her convictions as her life experiences continually serve to shape her resilience and fortify her dedication. Advocacy has become an integral component of her work. Through her career, Susan has become aware of how she can use her art to raise awareness about nature’s increasing fragility and the vital need to protect it. Her paintings provide an eternal reminder of the importance of preserving the beauty of the natural world.
Susan was chosen as the Environmental Artist for the 2002 Olympic Games and has been recognized with solo exhibitions in important institutions around the world. She has shown nationally in solo shows at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC; the Utah Museum of Fine Arts and Springville Museum of Art in Utah, and at the Manetti Shrem Museum in California. Over the past decade, her work has also been exhibited internationally in major museum exhibitions in Budapest, Salzburg, Koblenz, St. Petersburg and Beijing. Susan’s work is sought after by a loyal and long list of notable collectors across the globe; her paintings are in the permanent collection of numerous museums and have hung in the US Ambassador Residences and Embassies in China, Hungary and New Zealand.
“Springtide” Grid Installation / Acrylic on Linen / Susan Swartz Studios
“There are unexpected moments in life that can capture our fascination and crystallize our thinking.”
What’s upcoming? Susan is currently in her studio creating an entirely new body of work to debut at Berlin Art Week in September 2021. The recent creative direction is informed by her continual journey to health and was amplified by the months the world spent in isolation. That experience provided time for reflection and contemplation. Ultimately it has allowed Susan to explore new materials and express her fully realized voice as an artist.
“Large Gray Vase” / Hand-painted acrylic / Susan Swartz Studios
While her work has reached a global audience, Susan’s local collectors find a point of connection to her genuine reverence for nature and the emotion she pours into each work. Collectors have remarked on her distinct approach and how they want to spend a lifetime surrounded with the passion and energy each painting embodies.
Nature’s beauty provides Swartz with an endless sense of wonder. That devotion is reflected in every brushstroke, and one cannot help but feel visually comforted by her perspective. Maya Angelou once said “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Stop by her gallery on your next visit to Park City. You will leave feeling wholly inspired and enriched by the experience.
“UNVEILING FOG” | 36” x 36” | Acrylic on Linen | Susan Swartz Studios