Susan Yanero studied at L’Ecole des Arts Decoratif et du Batiment, Grenoble; Carnegie Mellon University, and received her MFA from American University. She has over 30 years teaching experience at American University and Washington Studio School. Her work as been included in group exhibitions at Apex Gallery, Art Barn, Courtyard Gallery, Georgetown Art Gallery, and in a solo exhibition at American University Katzen Arts Center. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Artist Statement

I feel life intensely and it is essential for me to create imagery from these intense feelings: feelings of love for other people; and for animals, awe in the face of the spiritual in life, the power of nature as well as anxiety from the world’s problems. I need to create forms that give visual clarity to these feelings. I feel closer to something more than myself – losing touch with the everyday experience of life and trusting in the creative spirit and just working purely.

I work from my imagination, from gesture to a more specific and solid form. I leave everyday consciousness and move into the world of the painting; in this stolen time, it could be hours but to me it seems like moments, the figures have moved before and they can move again but at that moment they are still and that stillness is essential to my understanding of the painting. I can then explore different layers of reality; spiritual, physical and spatial, stopping movement thereby stopping time to give clarity to this little world and give it meaning.

I love the viscosity of paint, the feel of it and its forgiving nature. I need to make my forms be solid and strong to have a presence. Of course I hope the paintings can communicate something to the viewer. If so, that completes the process.