"Abstract expressionist pencil Drawing "The Universe in Spring I"" Drawing

Hi, I’m Susanna Neleman. I'm an abstract‑expressionist artist from the Netherlands now rooted in the lush hills of the Périgord Vert, southwest France. I split my days between painting and running a small épicerie, Le Panier d’Osier. I let each piece decide its tools—oil pastel, acrylic, coloured pencil, or ink— following the movement of the moment.

After nearly a decade away from art, I picked up the brush again at 31, studying at the Volksuniversiteit Rotterdam with Dutch artist Matthijs Waardenburg. That return reminded me how making can be grounding and liberating in equal measure.

During the lockdowns, my process turned inward. I began drawing daily automatic line works – loose, organic marks sparked by emotions, bodily sensations, music, or film snippets. These drawings grew into the series “Somatic Resonance.”

In 2025, I exchanged Rotterdam (and later a tiny Dutch island) for the quiet valleys and chestnut forests of the Périgord Vert. The slower rhythm of village life, the changing seasons, and conversations in the shop now colour my palette and keep the work evolving.