Susan Carson

My work grows out of an interest in process, perception and systems, and in the space between abstraction and representation. I’m drawn to images that resist being fixed, and I try to leave my paintings open to interpretation.

I began as a portrait painter, motivated by an intuitive desire to capture likeness. That focus gradually shifted toward a more deliberate way of working, with flattened forms and simplified compositions. As my interest in color and form deepened, abstraction became my focus. Although it was a different genre, it was a natural extension of the questions that began with portraiture.

Before focusing fully on painting, I worked as a graphic designer for art institutions. Translating ideas visually and overseeing fine-art reproduction sharpened my sensitivity to scale, color, and accuracy. I still draw heavily on that background in the studio, using both digital and hands-on methods to conceive and develop my work. Bringing a designer’s way of thinking into painting continues to shape how I work.

I live and work in Connecticut. My paintings have been shown in a range of exhibitions and are held in private collections.

BA in Art History and Urban Studies, Boston University

Connecticut Women Artists Annual Members Open Juried Exhibition, Art League of New Britain, Farmington, CT, 2025, 2026

Fluid Media Winter 2025 Exhibition: Art is Crucial, Live on Artsy, 2026

Canton Artists Guild, 57th Annual Open Juried Exhibition, 2025

Connecticut Women Artists National Open Juried Exhibition, The William Benton Museum of Art, UConn, 2025; Slater Memorial Museum 2024

Chester Gallery Postcard Show, Chester Gallery, Chester, CT, December 2024

ODETTA Digital, Postcards to Venice (an ongoing exhibition), Hashtag Gallery, Mexico; Palazzo Pisani Revedin, Venice, Works available on Artsy, 2024

ODETTA Digital, Nature’s Way, Exclusively on Artsy, Fall 2023 - Winter 2024

ODETTA Digital II | Exquisite Codes Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 2023

Black, White and Shades of Gray, Stamford Art Association & Townhouse Gallery, Stamford, CT, 2023

Susan Carson: Abstract Realism - Reflections, Objects & Faceless Portraits, The Art Gallery at Shutter Speed Photo, Middlebury, CT, 2023

Harriet Pattison: Gardens & Landscapes (portrait of Harriet), Harvey & Irwin Kroiz Gallery, University of Pennsylvania, 2016

Aldrich Undercover: Secret Exhibition and Benefit Art Sale, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield ...