Beth Sutherland
SATURDAY onlyThe subject of my work – the architecture and landscape of the urban/suburban environment – is for me a potent reflection of the lives we live. Much of what I depict is in plain sight, but it is often deliberately or unconsciously overlooked. I work only from direct observation, usually doing watercolors, drawings or other preliminary work from my car. Being on the spot brings a sense of urgency to record the transitory light and weather. What had at first seemed solid and stationary becomes more complex and alive as I observe. Sometimes a small detail that I never would have noticed, had I not stopped to draw, morphs into the focus of the piece. As I spend more time with a subject, the underlying abstraction of shapes and surfaces becomes clearer along with any larger meaning that might be lurking. A grouping of buildings or an odd embellishment often suggests an unarticulated imaginary narrative of the occupants and passers-by. Back in the studio, I use all my “research” to edit and work from those drawings and memory to create what I hope looks like a fresh, concise, and composed image retaining the mystery (and sometimes comedy) that initially attracted me. bethsutherlandpaintings.com
Jazz Forum 1 Dixon Lane Tarrytown, NY