Capturing the spirit of life

By BARBARA WARD

Despite creating a large body of varied work, artist Susan Isaac continues to strive to learn new techniques.
Susan, of Main Street, Upton, trained in fine art and worked for several years as an archaeological illustrator.

But since having her children — Elsa (15) Mair (13) and Jessie (11) — she has returned to painting and sculpture.

Susan, who works from a studio and the kitchen of the High Farm home she shares with the children and her husband, archaeologist Mr Michael Trueman, is keen to develop her talents.

She has studied ceramics at Newark College and hopes to take this further.

Susan works in a variety of media, including acrylics, oils and watercolour. There is a textural, three-dimensional quality to many of her paintings.

Some feature local scenes, such as Newark Parish Church or Southwell Minster, and others are of animals, people or scenes inspired by visits to the seaside.
She first sketches or photographs her subjects then works on the paintings at home.

Susan says she tries to capture the spirit of the things or places she sees.

She says: “I enjoy working in oil. It’s such a malleable medium. You can move it around a bit.

“Acrylics are great for working fast and mixing other things in within the painting.”

She often builds relief into her work to create sculpted paintings.

Her animal paintings include sheep, horses, cats and dogs, and she also produces clay animal sculptures, some of which she hopes to cast in bronze.

She says: “I love horses. I have been a rider on and off throughout my life. They are just beautiful animals and very dynamic.”

Susan’s work is sold through The Bull Yard Gallery at Southwell as well as galleries in Lincoln and Uppingham.

Last year she exhibited at The Spotlight Gallery in Newark Town Hall.

Susan will be taking part in this year’s Newark Area Open Studios on the weekends of September 22 and 23 and 29 and 30. She will also have work in the supporting exhibition at The Gilstrap Centre, Newark, throughout September. Twenty-one local artists, including printmakers, painters and potters, will be taking part.

Says Susan: “The open studios are a very good idea. It’s nice to meet people, chat and get some feedback. It’s a fairly informal way of getting to know what people like.”

ABOVE: Artist Susan Isaac works on a painting of St Ives in the kitchen of her Upton home.280807MW1-6

Click here to go back a page