To see more of Suzanna's work you can link to her Etsy site. A few samples to tease you with here.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Red Crow Interview with Suzanna Scott
Name: Suzanna Scott
Occupation: Artist
Location: Manhattan, Kansas
How did you first become interested in making assemblage & collage work?
Looking back I've always appreciated art that involved a mixture of mediums but I would have to say there are 2 events that stand out to me as a turning point or shift in my own work. The first was an exhibit in early 2003 of collage work by the architect Bernard Hoesli (1923-1984). I had the privilege of installing this show because I was working for a gallery that featured a traveling exhibition of his work. At the time I was working primarily in stone but I was really drawn to collage in an irresistible way after experiencing Hoesli's work. The second event was moving south to Mobile, Alabama in August 2003. My first job in Mobile was working as an artist for the "Mirth Company", a company that built floats for Mardi Gras parades. By the time my nine month stint at this company ended my personal work had completely begun its evolution towards the assemblage and collage work that I create today.
How long have you been doing this?
I've been working as an artist since 1997 but my current business, "Sushipot" began in 2006.
What are your artistic influences?
Even though it sounds kind of cheesy I must admit that everything or anyone around me influences me artistically. It can be something on the evening news, an object I find while taking a walk, an off-the-cuff comment by my hairdresser or an image in a magazine.
What have you used/learned from another artist lately?
"Work hard, play hard."
What are you trying to communicate with your art?
I tend to infuse timeless archetypes with new meanings and juxtapose a mix of old & new, East & West, youth & age and last but not least humor & irony. The result is a quirky mix that viewers tend to either love or hate.
Where do you find all your wonderful bits & treasures?
Everywhere and usually where least expected! I shop at antique stores, thrift shops, estate sales, yard sales and junk yards. When I'm out "treasure hunting" (as my daughter has coined it) I don't look, I dig. The best finds are buried in boxes under the tables, out of the way.
Do you search for specific items before you create your artwork, or does the art emerge from more random discovery?
Working with found objects; it's definitely more of a random "give and take" discovery. Many processes that I employ were initially the product of a "happy mistake".
We have two pieces from your ‘Dollhouse’ series here at the Gallery. The combination of the medical illustrations, the classic house shape & the doll arms is such an incongruous mix. Is there a specific story or reasoning behind this assemblage of archetypes?
As a child I remember drawing repetitively the image of a house. Each house would be very tall with a "grid" of rooms in which I would spend hours filling in each room with different domestic activities. Soon after the birth of my daughter, I began collecting little wooden house forms abandoned at thrift shops and yard sales. One day I decided to attach some arms to one of these forms and didn't stop till all my adopted homes had appendages. The earliest doll houses were adorned with old buttons but after a while I was struck with a "what if" and replaced the buttons with the image of a heart. The odd and somewhat grotesque juxtaposition of old anatomical imagery has been fascinating to me and to my collectors. I've created almost 300 pieces in this series.
I would just like to say that your pieces in person are even more lovely than in photographs, carefully done, and they ‘feel nice’ to hold. I notice that much of your work can be placed in the palm of one’s hand. Do you do any LARGE work?
Yes. I used to only create large scale and pedestal size sculpture. In fact the largest sculpture I've created stands almost 7 feet high! When I began selling work on Etsy I started creating small scale, intimate "art objects" that are a bit easier to ship around the world!
Have you ever made anything that you just couldn’t part with?
No. Although we do have a rule in our home--my husband Patrick and daughter Elizabeth can veto the sale of anything I create and it becomes part of our personal collection. We have kept the first pair from the "doll house" series and at least one piece from every other series of recent work.
What inspires you?
My inspiration comes from all things old, chipped, cracked, worn, dusty, used, found, buried, designed, loved, pieced, intricate, aged and transfigured.
And our completely RANDOM question to end it all: In honor of our upcoming poetry readings what is your favorite poem of all time?
I loved this poem as a child and have a renewed love for it after recently reading it to my daughter.
My Shadow
By Robert Louis Stevenson, (1850–1894)
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.
He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.
Occupation: Artist
Location: Manhattan, Kansas
How did you first become interested in making assemblage & collage work?
Looking back I've always appreciated art that involved a mixture of mediums but I would have to say there are 2 events that stand out to me as a turning point or shift in my own work. The first was an exhibit in early 2003 of collage work by the architect Bernard Hoesli (1923-1984). I had the privilege of installing this show because I was working for a gallery that featured a traveling exhibition of his work. At the time I was working primarily in stone but I was really drawn to collage in an irresistible way after experiencing Hoesli's work. The second event was moving south to Mobile, Alabama in August 2003. My first job in Mobile was working as an artist for the "Mirth Company", a company that built floats for Mardi Gras parades. By the time my nine month stint at this company ended my personal work had completely begun its evolution towards the assemblage and collage work that I create today.
How long have you been doing this?
I've been working as an artist since 1997 but my current business, "Sushipot" began in 2006.
What are your artistic influences?
Even though it sounds kind of cheesy I must admit that everything or anyone around me influences me artistically. It can be something on the evening news, an object I find while taking a walk, an off-the-cuff comment by my hairdresser or an image in a magazine.
What have you used/learned from another artist lately?
"Work hard, play hard."
What are you trying to communicate with your art?
I tend to infuse timeless archetypes with new meanings and juxtapose a mix of old & new, East & West, youth & age and last but not least humor & irony. The result is a quirky mix that viewers tend to either love or hate.
Where do you find all your wonderful bits & treasures?
Everywhere and usually where least expected! I shop at antique stores, thrift shops, estate sales, yard sales and junk yards. When I'm out "treasure hunting" (as my daughter has coined it) I don't look, I dig. The best finds are buried in boxes under the tables, out of the way.
Do you search for specific items before you create your artwork, or does the art emerge from more random discovery?
Working with found objects; it's definitely more of a random "give and take" discovery. Many processes that I employ were initially the product of a "happy mistake".
We have two pieces from your ‘Dollhouse’ series here at the Gallery. The combination of the medical illustrations, the classic house shape & the doll arms is such an incongruous mix. Is there a specific story or reasoning behind this assemblage of archetypes?
As a child I remember drawing repetitively the image of a house. Each house would be very tall with a "grid" of rooms in which I would spend hours filling in each room with different domestic activities. Soon after the birth of my daughter, I began collecting little wooden house forms abandoned at thrift shops and yard sales. One day I decided to attach some arms to one of these forms and didn't stop till all my adopted homes had appendages. The earliest doll houses were adorned with old buttons but after a while I was struck with a "what if" and replaced the buttons with the image of a heart. The odd and somewhat grotesque juxtaposition of old anatomical imagery has been fascinating to me and to my collectors. I've created almost 300 pieces in this series.
I would just like to say that your pieces in person are even more lovely than in photographs, carefully done, and they ‘feel nice’ to hold. I notice that much of your work can be placed in the palm of one’s hand. Do you do any LARGE work?
Yes. I used to only create large scale and pedestal size sculpture. In fact the largest sculpture I've created stands almost 7 feet high! When I began selling work on Etsy I started creating small scale, intimate "art objects" that are a bit easier to ship around the world!
Have you ever made anything that you just couldn’t part with?
No. Although we do have a rule in our home--my husband Patrick and daughter Elizabeth can veto the sale of anything I create and it becomes part of our personal collection. We have kept the first pair from the "doll house" series and at least one piece from every other series of recent work.
What inspires you?
My inspiration comes from all things old, chipped, cracked, worn, dusty, used, found, buried, designed, loved, pieced, intricate, aged and transfigured.
And our completely RANDOM question to end it all: In honor of our upcoming poetry readings what is your favorite poem of all time?
I loved this poem as a child and have a renewed love for it after recently reading it to my daughter.
My Shadow
By Robert Louis Stevenson, (1850–1894)
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.
He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Thanks!
Just a note to thank everyone for coming out on Valentine's Day. It was a great opening and the response to the art work was wonderful. The show will be up for the next 4 weeks and for those of you who were snowed in, please drop by during our regular gallery hours (11-6 and 12-4 on Sundays)
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Last Minute Preparations
We've been getting new art in all week...two gorgeous photographs from Sharon Montrose, some new Jennifer Phillips oils, and some lovely little Gouache paintings by Lissa Herschleb. We're almost ready for the big event on Saturday, and the buzz around town is that it will be a packed gallery....so come early if you really want that chocolate and champagne. If you can't make it for some reason and see something here on the blog that interests you, please call Ingrid at 530.272.4154 for more information.
Friday, February 6, 2009
LOVE is in the AIR
This show will contain works from: Jennifer Phillips, Jen Garrido, Laura Ball, Lena Wolff, Sharon Montrose, Lucrecia Troncoso, Hollie Chastain, Pamela Klaffke, Linda Galusha, Double Parlour, Ingrid Blixt, Arleigh Wood, and many MORE
For the Birds
We are gearing up for our next show and it's going to be a good one. We've got quite a few new artists participating and along with Julie's collection of talent we promise something for everyone. It's been a busy month of searching and working. We are hoping that even with the nutty economic climate, people will still support the things they love. I can't tell you how many people have come into the Gallery lately, so excited to see something new and inspiring in downtown Grass Valley and we appreciate all the wonderful feedback.
Please make a note that we've got several new links on our Artist sidebar. You can link to them directly on your right. Let us know who you like and who you'd like to see more of. The show 'For the Birds' will be up from February 14th through March 14th. Click on flier above for full view. And I'm still working on more interview questions, so stay posted for that as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
