Susan Carney

“I am painting my truth in the world.

I love the contrast of serendipity, and uninhibited freedom possible in abstraction paired with the precise detail of a portrait.

The portraits are not me but could be me; they are meant to merge the magic, and strength of women with the whimsical power of an abstracted background.

I utilize layers of color, random marks, textures, and, collage, to create a chaotic, lively background. The portrait is painted with oil, treating color as an active element. Then through scraping and painting with brushes and palette knives, I intend to meld the expressionistic and realistic in a final harmonious way.”

Carney lives and works in Leonardtown, MD. She is a graduate of West Virginia’s Shepherd University with a BFA in painting and printmaking. Carney completed an MFA at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA.