Susan Johnson Exhibit

Artist's Statement

"Visual and tactile experiences influence my life. Through my art, I attempt to recreate, to control, the effects of my own sensory experiences. Subtle nuances in our environment, both natural and manmade, catch my attention, often objects that others pass by quickly. This over-awareness may simply reveal its influence through color juxtapositions and textures in my work.  Other times, I may challenge myself to incorporate vile and overlooked dregs such as bath-drain hair.

My work makes reference to the land, human anatomy, marine and microbiology. The view may be from within the body or miles above the land. I may focus on matter undetected by the naked eye. Yet, content is empty without atmosphere, mood. Different media are responsible for different voices. Tone is set through color, from oil paint or printing ink, which provides the blood and binder of my work. With this I can transform a pistachio into a crater on the moon, string and hair into intestinal contents, glue into mold.

I challenge the viewer to let my careful scrutiny tweak their own senses, so that they may reconsider these objects in our environment upon which their gaze falls."