Western Home Journal: In the Moment & Evolving
Susan Swartz walks onto the global contemporary stage of fine art.
Sunflowers 15, Acrylic on linen, mixed media, 60 x 60 in.
By Sabina Dana Plasse
As a contemporary artist, Susan Swartz mirrors our existence in connection to nature, healing, and the world we all reside in. For more than 30 years, Susan has provided and offered her work in activism, health, and the environment, healing, and, without question, fine art.
Susan’s work and philosophy of life have always been forward-thinking, and her accomplishments abound. Designer Virgil Abloh said, “Art is made in hindsight,” but Susan Swartz is ever-composing in her mind, creating for what’s next—and in this case, what’s coming up are two primary career goals she has long harbored and dared dream possible.
“My work is strongly rooted in forming connections, be it immersing and tuning in to nature or expressing through color and texture.”
Susan has new representation and a fall 2024 solo show with George Berges Gallery, a prestigious Manhattan gallery in the heart of SoHo, and an installation during the 60th Venice Biennale at the European Cultural Center’s Palazzo Bembo. She will be showing at ECC-Italy alongside artist Laddie John Dill who can be found in the permanent collections in museums around the world including the MOMA, Guggenheim, the National Gallery, and the Museo Jumex in Mexico City. Their works will be showing in Venice from September 10 through November 24, 2024. These exhibitions will bring a new level of exposure to her career and ethos.
“My work is strongly rooted in forming connections, be it immersing and tuning in to nature or expressing through color and texture,” says Susan. “As such, I am delighted to be represented by Georges Bergés Gallery. I felt an immediate interpersonal connection to Georges’ down-to-earth nature and dedication, hands-on approach to his artists. His collector roster and ties with prestigious international museums are extraordinary—but his humor and ethos of ‘art for life’s journey’ fit perfectly with my outlook on creativity and life.”
As a prelude to 2024, Susan had a successful and notable exhibition at Art Miami in December 2023. At Susan’s Miami debut, she delighted in interacting with art-loving fair-goers worldwide and finding points of personal connection. With Susan’s well-established international career, she could share her catalogs translated into multiple languages such as German, Russian, and Mandarin when visitors expressed an appreciation for her work. This entry into world art fiars has only made Susan’s Venice participation more exciting, as she is always striving for her message to reach a broader audience.
With a new series of works to be unveilied in the fall of 2024, Susan uses subtle variations in color and texture that explore the depths of her creative process and tap into her most passionate concerns for nature, health, and spirituality. Nation Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C.’s Executive Director Susan Fisher Sterling describes, “Pulsating with dazzling color, Susan Swartz’s abstract landscapes simultaneously articulate her awe of the natural world and her rallying cry for preservation. A staunch environmentalist, philanthropist, and supporter of award-winning documentaries, Susan has turned to her art as a source of healing, resilience, and inspiration throughout her battle with environmentally-bred illnesses.” As a long-standing champion of Susan’s work, Sterling plans to bring the museum’s top patrons to Venice in Octover with a special visit to Susan’s exhibit as part of their itinerary. It will mark a full circle moment for Susan, who has work in NMWA’s permanent collection and had a solo show, Seasons of the Soul, at the museum in 2011, a major milestone in her career.
“Art is not only in the paint but also in the negative space, whether it be a small piece of the intentionally exposed canvas or a white painting in the middle of a busy room.”
Rhapsody Immersed 12, 19, 17, Acrylic on linen, 12 x 12 in.
Grid Installation with Nature’s Bouquet, Petals & Pollen, Blooming, and Nature Revisited
While Susan maintains a robust exhibition schedule, being based in Park City, Utah, provides her with a peaceful solitude away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is here where she can focus on creating and drawing inspiration from the breathtaking mountain landscapes surrounding her studio, which are literally steps away. The setting in which Susan paints is critical as her visual environment influences her above all else. Every subtle change in weather, color, lighting, and time of day informs her work and is directly reflected in her paintings.
Susan’s process is unique. It involves rich, beautiful colors and building upon strength within the paint and subject matter. Her use of white space contributes to the visual experience by creating a space that invites exploration and meditation. When Susan makes a texture with paint, it is directly inspired by a natural surface she appreciates in nature. These are often small details that might go unnoticed by others, whether they are cracks in the ice, rough tips of frosted snow, the texture of a leaf at close study, or the varying depth that fog adds to the scenery behind it.
Spring Muse 8, Acrylic on linen, 48 x 72 in.
It should come as no surprise that Susan often paints to classical music, as her use of white space reflects Mozart’s intention, “The music is not in the notes but in the silence in between.” For Susan, “Art is not only in the paint but also in the negative space, wheter it be a small piece of intentionally exposed canvas or a white painting in the middle of a busy room.”
In addition, Susan’s use of natural elements as a medium is a direct reflection of her battle with two environmentally borne illnesses and the natural foods that healed her. The Evolution of Nature series celebrates nature’s healing properties and warns that when the earth is harmed, humanity is harmed because both are inextricably connected.
Susan’s collectors love her work because it brings the “outdoors in” joyfully. Each piece bursts with vibrant color and texture—it’s nearly impossible to stand in front of one of her pieces without feeling your mood lift which is intentional. Susan understands how the visual environment directly affects mood due to her own past health challenges and dyslexia. She relies more heavily on optics and strives to use that understanding to improve private, public, and commercial spaces for all. By doing so, Susan’s greatest hope is that her audience is inspired to protect the natural world by which the work is inspired.
