Featured Artist Susan Hurwitch

Artist Susan Hurwitch found her artistic voice in the art of mixed media and collage, where she expresses a love of color and texture. Enjoy more of her art by visiting her website.

 

 

From a very early age, I was fascinated by color and texture. Gifted with a keen imagination, I was a creative child in search of an outlet for artistic expression. However, under the guidance of hard-working, depression era parents, art was viewed as a hobby rather than a vocation. Nevertheless, I always found ways to express my creative passion.

 

 

As a Florida native who spent her adult life in Virginia, I was thrilled to retire to Sarasota. It was there I discovered a thriving and supportive art community where I could focus my artistic energy.

 

 

Finding my voice as a mixed media and collage artist is a soul filling journey. The nature of my work has been informed by the tropical environment of my Florida roots. It incorporates my love of bold color and texture to create art that evokes a sense of happiness and joy.

 

 

Developing a creative concept is the first phase in my artistic process. My imagination takes flight. I am able to bring together the energy of color and textural effects in a way that breathes new life into the subject matter.

 

 

Combining artistic mediums with collage papers adds a dimensional quality to my work. It allows me to approach each piece with a spirit of experimentation and intuition aimed toward my conceptual vision. While the planning process speaks to the analytical side of my personality, I love to add a sense of playfulness and whimsy to my work.

 

 

Most of my art contains elements of collage. Part of my process includes creating hand painted and printed papers for my pieces.

 

 

Selecting from a variety of papers like rice, tissue and paper ephemera as a foundation, I apply paint, inks and other mediums. That allows me to create unique, patterned papers that may either lay the groundwork for a new piece or act as a focal element. Making order from seemingly random materials is the adventure in my creative method, and yields my personal style.

 

 

I also discovered that through the process of merging elements I have been able to create a personal story for a special group of patrons. This was the genesis of my Legacy Collages that are a collaborative process and very concept driven. Having this kind of intimate relationship with the client to preserve memories is both humbling and inspiring.

 

 

While building my body of work over the past several years, it has been an honor to be accepted into many juried and solo shows and exhibitions. A number of my pieces have received awards and other accolades.

 

 

The positive response and encouragement I have received is an extremely gratifying part of my artistic expression. I am also fortunate to be part of a collaborative art gallery with four other talented women artists. Our collective vision for the gallery and the feedback from patrons has elevated and expanded my expectations for my work.

 

 

It is that kind of energy that feeds my creative fire and will sustain me in my lifelong creative journey.

 

Artist Susan Hurwitch invites you to follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

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