About
Artist's Statement
Suzanne Saul was born in a small Oklahoma town, where it was hot in the summer, cold in the winter and often felt wind from the south. No matter what else her family members did, they liked to fish the local lakes there, and in Minnesota, where they vacationed. That and other water sports later influenced her imagery. After receiving her BA in art, she moved to California to teach in the Glendale School District. She continued her education at California State University at Los Angeles, where she earned her MA degree. After moving to northern California, she is now working full-time on her career as a painter. Married, with two adult children, she lives in the Oakland hills.
Painting a figure posing with her freshly caught bass, and a subsequent visit to a local tackle shop soon led Suzanne to become interested in the colorful surfaces and symbolism of fishing lures. Some were finished like customized automobiles. Others resembled the paint jobs on surfboards. They seemed to run the gamut of mysterious to downright funny.
To catch a fish one must attract it with a decoy. Much like today's computerized "phishing," there always seems to be a hook to reel one in. The lures in her paintings represent that duality: the fun and challenge of fishing, with the sharp hooks representing the underlying dangers, the blood and guts struggle of life.
Suzanne works to capture small vignettes, with both confrontations and celebration, as the lures become more whimsical and take on a life of their own. However, the hooks are ever present to remind us of the ironic nature of life.
Feeling a need to address the destruction of our environment in my work, some of my newer images are related to that subject.
The sculptural mask, formed from tree bark, paper, scanned money and mirrors, was created as an extension of my concerns for environmental issues. This image came about after reading the book, The Golden Spruce.
Artist's Bio
Education:
Master of Art Degree, California State University, Los Angeles, awarded 1971 with majors in painting and drawing.
Bachelor of Art Degree, University of Oklahoma and Central State University, Oklahoma, awarded in 1967.
Extension courses in specialty, University of California at Los Angeles.
Independent Study, 1981-1983, with Jim Morphesis and Aron Goldberg, Otis College of Art and Design.
Work Experience:
1967 to 2005, Fine Arts Instructor for the Glendale Unified School District, Glendale, Ca.
Solo Shows:
- 2009 - ART ATTACK, Harmonique Home on Solano Ave in Berkeley, CA
- Masters Exhibit, CSULA
- Swain's, Glendale
Group Shows:
- 2009 - Noah's Ark, The Folk Tree, Pasadena CA
- 2009 - The Art of Giving and Receiving, Pasadena Aids Service Center
Juror: Sam Mellon - 2009 - Pasadena Society of Artists Fall Exhibition, Whites' Art, Framing & Restoration, Montrose CA
- 2009 - Pasadena Society of Artists, 84th Annual, Viva Gallery, Sherman Oaks, CA
Juror: Jay Belloi - 2008 - Featured artists (husband and wife) at Cal Tech, Pasadena Fine Arts Club
- 2008 - Endangered Species, The Folk Tree, Pasadena CA
- 2008 - Anything Goes, The Folk Tree, Pasadena CA
- 2007 - PSA Juried Exhibition, Whites' Art, Framing & Restoration, Montrose CA
Award: Award Of Merit - 2007 - PSA 82nd Annual Juried Exhibition, Viva Gallery, Sherman Oaks CA
Juror: Kent Twitchell
Award: Beverly Girvigian Memorial Award - 2007 - ArtWalk, Pasadena Playhouse District, Pasadena CA
- 2007 - "Global Warming", Orange County Center For Contemporary Art, Santa Ana CA
- 2007 - Two Dogs Gallery, North Hollywood CA
- 2007 - Group Show, Brenart, Pasadena CA
- 2006 - PSA 81st Annual Juried Exhibition, Viva Gallery, Sherman Oaks CA
Juror: Daniel Foster, Executive Director, Riverside Art Museum
Award: Award Of Merit - 2006 - S.C.O.R.E. Valley Institute of Visual Art, Viva Gallery, Sherman Oaks CA
Juror: Jim Morphesis - 1996 - Brand XXVI, Brand Art Library, Glendale CA
- 1993 - "Depayser," SITE Juried Members’ Exhibition
Juror: Joni Gordon, Director, Newspace Gallery - 1987 - "Directions," Art Educators/LA and University of Southern CA, Harbor College
Award: The Harbor College Faculty Award. - 1985 - "Directions," Art Educators of Los Angeles and USC School of Fine arts, USC Gallery, Los Angeles CA
Award: 2nd Place Award - 1982 - Brand XII, Brand Art Library, Glendale CA
- 1981 - Brand XI, Brand Art Library, Glendale CA
- 1978 - Self-Help Graphics, Galeria Otra Vez, Los Angeles CA
- 1978 - Whites' Gallery, Montrose CA
- 1975 - "Women USA." Laguna Beach Museum of Art, Los Angeles CA
- 1975 - Triforium Gallery, San Diego CA
- 1972 - Swains, Glendale CA
- 1972 - CSULA Alumni Art Show, Los Angeles CA
- 1972 - Small Image Gallery, (3 artists featured), Glendale CA
