Susan Elle Studio……………..seeking beauty through watercolor and acrylic painting

Artist’s statement:

Spiders spin webs to catch insects. Some webs are utilitarian and have random form. Other webs are stunningly beautiful, especially when highlighted with the sparkle of morning dew. These webs show planning and the artistry of patterns. I identify with the spiders who create beautiful webs. I paint seeking beauty, mostly in nature. My hope is to bring tranquility to those who see my work.

Comments from people who have my work in their homes is that the paintings bring them feelings of calm.

I am drawn to scenes or subjects in nature that have radiant color and interesting shadow and light. Studying under Kathy Dunham in Palm Desert, California taught me the importance of good lighting to define the shapes of any subject.

I usually begin a painting by taking a photo of the subject or scene. To make the composition stronger, I sometimes change the arrangement of elements of the photo. I sketch on paper first and decide what will be the center of interest and its location in the composition. Sometimes I choose and make a sample test strip of the colors I will use in the painting.

Some subjects call for the softer medium of watercolor. In some of my acrylic paintings I use layering with transparent, diluted pigment, so the effect is like watercolor. The acrylic texture mediums are fun to use. Acrylic paint can be heavy or light texture depending on the subject or my mood. I must be making lots of endorphins when I paint because of the positive feelings I have with a brush in my hand.

 susanelle-studio.com