Susan Bryan presented a selection of pieces from her current artistic practice.

Having worked in the cultural sector for many years, Susan brings to her work a perspective drawing on her experience in working as a disability advisor as well as for Collage Arts, supporting economically inactive BAME women to access the arts.

 

This exhibition developed three some key themes in Susan's practice with a focus on her portraiture.

She says "I love drawing portraits and aim to capture expressions or attitude that convey personality. In a successful portrait the spirit of the model/sitter must always be communicated; whether it’s their individual features, moods and characteristics. My life has given me empathy for sensing through a person’s eyes how life has been to them. Conveying shyness, melancholy , introspection…". With perhaps a nod to historical portraiture, Susan uses background to enhance understanding of the sitter's character and life journey, using conversations she has with her sitters to weave symbolism into the image.

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Her work embraces the concept of an intersectional feminist perspective. "My female gaze has absorbed thousands of images but my (work) has chosen to focus on men and women, who would regard themselves as being 'other'/outside.". 

Her aim is to create a dialogue between the model and the viewer with herself, the artist, as intermediary. Bringing the 'outsider' into the forefront of view and bringing their stories out into the open.