Susan Irish

Artist’s Statement

Artists seek inspiration. We hunt and gather. Seeing, making, traveling, scrolling.
An artist residency was a coveted line on my resume. I could go anywhere.

Ireland called.

My paintings are about the reverence of place as I feel all spaces can be sacred and should be protected. Mother Nature is a real person in my belief system. I am on a mission to advocate for her to inspire better stewardship through my art.

Ireland called!

As a meditative practice, I try to be more mindful when entering or exiting a doorway, art project, or major life decision. Typically, I operate on intuition. This is a great trait for artists. It has served me well. Something shifted recently. I needed to go beyond awareness of important transitions, to document these moments in art and writing. Connect the dots of my life. For guides, I turned to St Brigid the patron saint of thresholds, teachings of my Irish heritage, and nature.

Ireland called!

There I was! Gathering. 1 million photographs, 1000 rocks, 100 new friends, 10 books,1 wool sweater, and 2 beautiful relatives! Real live connection to my ancestors.

Everything is a blur and yet so clear…like an abstract painting full of emotions, meaning, and symbols.
These pieces are just a peek inside my head and my heart as I stand on the threshold and reflect.

I will continue to dip deep into this well of my Ireland experiences and know it will nurture my process for a lifetime.

Biography

Susan Irish is an American abstract painter and environmental advocate known for her bold and energetic scenes of nature.

Each of her distinctively frenetic landscapes carry subtle signs of creeping industrial blight. To appreciate their beauty is to grapple with one’s own role in their decay.

Susan works primarily in oil and cold wax. She believes art making is integral to the human spirit and should be fostered and celebrated. Much of her early art life called her to the classroom as a public-school art teacher, private portfolio preparation for gifted students, coaching adults, and working with students on the spectrum.

In 2018, Susan was inducted into the National Association of Women Artists. Her work has been exhibited at Olive Stack Gallery, Ireland, New York City, Boston, and Charleston.

Related URL

https://www.susanirishartist.com/

Showing 1–9 of 19 results