Life & Work with Sue Martin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sue Martin.

Hi Sue, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I always knew I loved to make art. In high school and on college breaks, I would go out alone with my oil paints and paint landscapes. Back then, I painted almost exclusively with a palette knife and my work had lots of texture. I lacked the courage to pursue painting in college. I majored in theatre instead, with an emphasis on acting and directing. After college, I got a job in public relations to pay off my school loans, telling myself I would someday quit and move to New York to pursue acting. But I found the corporate job rather creative and lucrative so I stayed. I took some art classes at the community college until I married and had kids. Then there was simply no time. Fast forward about 18 years when I moved with my family from the DC suburbs to Utah. I started my own business as a PR consultant and trainer, but since it wasn’t full-time, and my kids were older, I was able to start taking art classes at the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College, as well as workshops from well-known artists. At that point, I could envision myself as a full-time second-career artist. I used to go gallery strolling and meet other artists and I’d ask them how long it took them to get to where they were. Almost all said it was about 15 years. And that’s about how much time I had before retirement.

After my mother died in 2007, I felt my own mortality and decided it was time to get serious about my second (art) career. I enrolled as an art major at the University of Utah and earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2013. Going back to school turned out to be a great decision because I was challenged in ways I never would have challenged myself. For example, I never would have tried sculpture or figure sculpture on my own. Even though I remained focused on painting, the creative problem-solving involved in sculpture influenced my painting in positive ways.

College also challenged me to incorporate different media in my work, to think conceptually, and to work in series. I have been described as “fearless” by other artists and my students because I continue to experiment with my process, materials, and elements of design. I most enjoy mixed water media or oil and cold wax medium; both allow a process of layering and scraping back to reveal a rich history of the process. These media also encourage a more abstract approach to my subjects, whether landscape, still life, or figurative.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve been very fortunate to be part of a supportive community of artists with contagious creative energy. While I’ve had dedicated space in my home for art making, I’ve also shared studio space with another artist for the past six years. I’ve also served on the boards of the Utah Watercolor Society and Art Access, non-profit organizations that provide many opportunities for training and exhibiting work. All of the connections I’ve made with gallerists, curators, and other artists have contributed to my success thus far.

My struggles are no different than other artists: balancing the time spent on marketing with the time spent creating; finding venues to show work; maintaining a vision and goals and moving forward rather than getting sidetracked with “busy projects” that are more of a distraction.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My paintings might be described as “contemporary impressionism,” as they are created primarily from memory, the lasting impressions of places I’ve been or things I’ve seen. Exaggerating one or more elements of design (shape, line, color, texture, value, etc.), my work is expressive and gestural. I’m in love with the materiality of the paint and surface as much as the subject and I invite the viewer into my process. There’s no mistaking my work for a photograph; instead, you’ll find scribbles, drips, scrapes, patterns, and saturated color.

I also enjoy pure abstraction, with a focus on shapes, pattern, and texture. My abstract paintings develop from play, always asking “what if…?” as I combine media, try new mark-making tools, insert some unexpected color or shape, cover up and uncover previous layers.

Someone walking into my studio might think there are multiple artists working there because my work exists on a continuum between representational and abstract. My goal is always to find my most satisfying spot on that continuum, and to hang out there for a series of 20+ paintings.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Success as an artist, as with most other things in life, depends on humility. If I don’t have the humility to acknowledge that there is yet another level to take my painting, I’ll simply stagnate and die. I am constantly learning – from others and from challenging myself. I start each new year with a vision of where I want to end the year, and I begin by playing like a five-year-old to get out of old ruts and spark new ideas. Then I get to work. I produce a lot of paintings, not all excellent, but all are steps toward my vision.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.suemartinfineart.com
• Instagram: @suemartinartist
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sue.martin.775