Coco Chanel once said, “I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky..”

Shoreline, oil on panel, 48×43

I came upon Susan Hall’s paintings as we ascended the stairs up to Butters Gallery in Portland, our last gallery stop of a long day spent in that art mecca.  Through the glass doors, I spied beautiful tone-on-tone figures, peaceful in their exquisite solitude.

Vision, oil on panel, 60×48

As they drew me in, I realized that I was viewing these figures through a veil, not one over my own eyes but through the intricate patterns in which Chicago artist Susan Hall ensconces each of her subjects.

Companion, oil on panel, 35×40

Veils may have both negative and positive connotations– The view through the veil of a bride is lovely and full of hope, while the view through the veil of a burqa may be considered by some as the prospect of a prisoner, someone not allowed to view the world through naked eyes.

Reverie, oil on panel. 27×27

Hall’s work also has a bit of a voyeuristic quality, as if we were gazing through lace covered windows, intruding upon a private moment or catching a glimpse of a ghostly deer’s visit before he disappears into the dark night.

Arrival, oil on panel, 43×48

Clearing, oil on panel, 48×43

We see him but does he see us through our gossamer covering?  Or perhaps he is merely an apparition of our imagination?  Either way, I am enthralled.

Please visit Susan Hall’s website to see more of her breathtaking work.  If you are in the Northwest, a visit to Butters Gallery to see her work in person will be a delight for your eyes, pinky promise.