Location: United States
Susan Clifton, a South Florida artist, has always been viewed as a born artist in her work, as well as in her temperament.
She proudly admits to years of wild abandon canvassing her extra artistic affairs as a dancer, photographer, art director, and graphic and web designer, while to this day, she remains faithful to her first love: Painting.
Though her painting major at Philadelphia College of Art and the School of Visual Arts in New York City provided a strong foundation for her talent, her two greatest mentors entered her life after school was out.
Their fame transcends the international art world of late Twentieth Century Photography. Richard Avedon and Francesco Scavullo worked very closely with Susan during her years as an art director and graphic designer on New York’s mad Madison Avenue. She credits these icons as the essential contributors to her heightened sense of color and composition, as well as her boldness in moving forward as the sole pioneer of a thoughtful new perspective on art itself.
Her latest feat, “Grey Matter,” changes the face of figurative art. This high-energy series of graphics, colors, and words paint us the whole picture of the self we strive to become. We’re inspired by each figure’s thought process that deepens our visual experience with a lasting imprint on our psyches.
When Susan was chosen out of hundreds to represent Florida in a deck of playing cards called “Art in Hand, the U.S.A. Project,” she created Zelda, the fabulous pink flamingo. The painting was selected as the Two of Clubs, and is featured on the box and by the website Fab.com. The cards are sold in gift & museum shops across the country.
Susan received the Broward County Individual Artist’s Grant, and participated in Viva Florida 500.
Grey Matter is a series of Mixed Media Paintings concentrating on the subject of thoughts create reality. Each painting has a subject and includes thoughts printed on fabric. The mosaic pattern represents the complexity of our lives, our thoughts, and how those thoughts influence our lives.
I had this idea while listening to Pastor Joel Osteen talk about his book called “The Power of ‘I Am’ “. Believe in this… “I am. Two of the most powerful words for what you put after them SHAPES YOUR REALITY.
Thoughts included in the painting (fabric mosaic):
“Who am I? I am who I am. Your approval is not needed. I am enough. Perfect as I am. I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to be. I am happy, confident and connected. I am loved for who I am. I am OK.”
This Gossip painting is a slightly different variation on my series. I had this idea kicking around in my head for over a year. Then after I decided to do it, I struggled with getting the fabric printed in the correct colors. But it was worth all the trouble. I’m still not sure if this will take my work in a new direction. Stay tuned.
Thoughts:
“I don’t let people tell me who I am, I show them. Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you. I like rumours. I find out so much about me that I didn’t know. Keep talking you’re making me famous. Beauty is found in the heart not in the eye of some jealous bitch.”
“I am OK”
“Gossip”
