Susan Weisend

I am drawn to the concept of art as visual poetry made of images constructed in layers that suggest both memory and mystery. Elements from nature appear in my prints as relics: a bird, a wing, an insect. The images are suggestive; purposefully poised between subjectivity and objectivity, between memory and abstraction. I am fascinated with the aspects of nature that appear to be fragile: the tiny hummingbird, the translucent jellyfish, and the gossamer-winged mayfly. As I look at these creatures, I construct a visual balance in my work both formally and conceptually. The precarious visual balance that I employ in my work is a metaphor for the precarious balance between the natural world and the human world. Both worlds have a capacity for renewal and destruction.

I have recently been interested in exploiting the materials and processes of science in my work. I use illustrations from science texts and lab manuals as inspiration to mimic the "look" of science in my prints. I refer to these sources for their aesthetic potential and enjoy changing the relative scale and meaning of the scientific illustrations.