Susan Wahlrab
After graduating with a master of Fine Arts in printmaking from Rhode Island School of Design and joining the Experimental Etching Studio in Boston, Susan built a reputation of creating many layered intaglios and mono prints that were shown and collected internationally.
Teaching 2-D design, drawing and printmaking at Brown University, Framingham State College and The Maine College of Art, she eventually moved to Vermont in 1992 and along with raising a family, supports herself full-time with the sale of her work.
Changing mediums from printmaking to watercolor at the time of this move, Susan expanded her use of color, but brought the complex development of intaglio to this unforgiving process.The layering of watercolor in a variety of swirling painterly strokes of pigment is so unique that to a person, all that have seen them have stated that they have never seen anything like it!
This technique enables Susan to describe
her fascination of biology with a connection to the spirit of the land, portraying the
essential nature, while the cell-like forms add a element of abstraction to richly colored
and detailed paintings.
What is it about trees?
Shape - color - texture - a variety of lines that go in all directions. energy
— spirit — rooted to ancestors.
These trees were inspired by journeys as far as Rhododendron forests in the Khumbu region of Nepal, Cypress in Tuscany, Live Oaks in Alabama, Redwoods in northern California to the Maples, Birches, Balsam and White Pines surrounding Susan Wahlrab's home in Maple Corner, Vermont.
"Road Home - Winter" Watercolor 20X40
"Turning" Watercolor 50X40
For more information on Susan Wahlrab and a full collection of her work currently available
please Contact Polonaise Art Gallery.