Artist Statement

Susan Christensen

Each time I start a watercolor, the challenge begins and I am just so curious as to what this painting will bring me. Planning and composition are very important, but I really love the juicy intuitive process of working with watercolor. The medium has a mind of its own, and every painting is a journey into the unexpected.  I don’t know that I am always in charge of the painting but watercolor is a welcome— if unpredictable— partner in my adventure. 

I want to transform the blank page into a new way to see a scene or image. Color and temperature are important to the essence of painting. I love to play with color, dramatizing the experience both for myself, and the viewer. Recently, after getting frustrated with a painting, I literally cut it up, and a new adventure emerged: I began using the shapes from the cut-painting to create a new piece. I discovered that the collage method loosened me up, inspiring me to consider the endless options of this design process, and I continued to develop this visual language. Now, as I work with my shapes, I look for moments where I can hint at an environmental depiction, or a living organism. Just as watercolor brings me endless surprises as a painter, I hope my paintings inspire the viewer to find watercolor’s exciting surprises as well.