Artist Statement

Containment and expansion, chaos and restraint, have been at the core of my work from its beginning. Within this context, structure is provided by changing and recurring images emerging out of a field. Although the images themselves can appear evocative of particular meaning or symbolism, they are primarily in play as foils for this contest of expansion and restriction. The images that emerge, sometimes by choice, sometimes by accident, subsequently reappear over the years.

But it is the power and place of line that is most central to all issues in my work. Line and how it plays against and with the layering and splashing of paint or ink becomes a parallel expression of containment and expansion. Specifically, line is used to create a structure to contain. Through my love of drawing and line I have gravitated more and more towards working on paper and trying to confront the drawing/painting dichotomy. The melding of drawing and painting has become a companion issue in my work.

On a more concrete level it would be fair to say that my work also represents a developmental exploration of abstracted images which I have approached in one of two ways: working either with multiple images, exploring their relationships within the picture plane, or singling out a particular image and pushing it as far as it will go. In either case this sets up a kind of pictorial narrative either within the piece or between pieces. As this narrative dynamic unfolds, it also allows me to explore the complexities of personal process at its most fundamental level.

Since my work is frequently produced in series, I see the whole body of work as an ongoing exploration while at the same time each piece is separate and distinct. However, underlying these explorations is my engagement with boundary conditions, the unleashing and reining in, which continues to be the driving force in my work.

Susan Keizer
Davis
2007