Susan A Munson (Sue Munson)
The creative inception of the ‘We are Clouds’ and the ‘Clouds We Didn’t See’ series of paintings occurred in 2020 at the beginning of lockdown. Similar to many artists during that time, this estrangement from normal life led to a period of reflection and a creative journey into a new body of work.
In an uncertain present and with no clear sense of the future, I took the opportunity to look back and rediscover past methods of working, melding these with new discoveries to produce the large cloud paintings I have become known for.
Paintings of the late Renaissance through to the Baroque period continue to be a source of inspiration, especially those paintings bearing huge voluminous clouds, and those of a spiritual or allegorical nature.
Continually editing, I explore mark making, and visual imagery. Inspiration is found in the peeling paint, hidden Latin text, and hints of gold, all of which can be seen in the images found in the faded grandeur of old buildings, churches and frescoes. All that is decaying but still beautiful is a feature of my work.
I use the Sfumato technique which involves the blending of edges between colour so there is a soft transition. Sfumato is an Italian word which translates to soft or blurred.
My process starts with the support upon which I am working. I start by layering colour, gold, gold leaf, dry pastels, etc.. This part is a journey of exploration and abstraction as I begin to create. It’s only after this that I start to work on the image. I use brushes and other tools for mark making, all the while coaxing my painting into a recognisable but abstract form.
My cloud paintings are works of fiction, and just like the clouds from which I take my inspiration, no two paintings are the same. To have our heads in the clouds, to find solace in a daydream, is not a bad thing. I hope my paintings convey this spirit to you the viewer.