Sometime in my late 20s I went through a slight obsession with the Irish part of my heritage & Irish culture in general. I think it stemmed mainly from too many Maeve Binchy books and multiple PBS viewings of Riverdance. Add to that the fact that my husband thinks Guinness is the greatest thing since, well, Guinness, and it isn’t any surprise that we love St. Patrick’s Day. So to get you in the mood for a little Erin Go Bragh, how about some artwork to remind us of the Emerald Isle?
Runaway Trees by Christina Baker, acrylic on canvas, 48×48Ives Pond I by Susan Morosky, acrylic on canvas, 30×30Cold Feet by Casey Matthews, mixed media, 24×24Covenant Commitment by Steve Williams, mixed media on canvas, 84×84
It has been a while since I’ve featured an abstract painter. Maybe it’s because I see so much abstract painting that is good, but not exceptional. Completely nonobjective abstract work looks like it’s easy, but in actuality it is very, very difficult to do well. ( I know, I tried in college and the results were, well, not so good. Maybe someday I’ll be brave enough to try again ). That being said, Susan Morosky’s work is definitely of the exceptional kind.
Big Grass Creek, acrylic on canvas, 46×68
Susan’s brushstrokes, while seemingly frenetic, are essential to her sense of composition. They lead the eye in, out, up, down and around. There is a sense of movement, yet the work feels peaceful, not chaotic.
Canyon River, acrylic on canvas, 36×36
Her work is an abstract inspiration of the properties of water, fields and their boundaries. It is from this beginning that the finished pieces find their organic rhythms.
Creekside Spring, acrylic on canvas, 36×36Night River, acrylic on canvas, 36×36
Layers of paint, some left piled onto the canvas, other layers extracted from it, create an undulating surface as vibrant and lively as a rushing river.
To see more of Susan Morosky’s work, please visit her website. If you’re in the New Orleans area, you can see her work in living color at the fabulous Gallery Orange.
Featured image is Belle Island Shore by Susan Morosky. All images are courtesy of the artist’s website.
PS– I often listen to music while writing artist features and usually try to choose a musical artist that inspires me in the same way that the art does. Susan Morosky’s feature was written to Tiger Lily by Natalie Merchant. Thought it would be fun for you to know my “soundtrack” for artists. Is it fun? Do you care? 😉
