Susan Mclaughlin

As a painter, I am an explorer, uncovering, recording and rearranging the beauty of the natural world, as well as the beauty of human beings. I select and distill the very essence of my subject, harmony between nature and humanity, sometimes combining the two. This symbiosis makes the finished work even more beautiful than either of its constituents alone.

When you first visit my fantasy world, you will notice a lot of extraordinary things going on in my paintings. For instance, I might substitute a bird for a hat, or a butterfly for a bowtie. These unusual substitutions function as symbols and provide subtle clues and playful suggestions about my work. The shapes of birds and hats, or butterflies and bowties, are so similar that viewers never even question the replacements. I pick the substitutes because they fit graphically and visually. But it is more than that. We as humans fit with nature. We fit together so well, in fact, that I am able to paint a natural object–a butterfly–in place of the bowtie–and viewers can see this as truth.

My world will refresh you with its vibrant colors, textures, and interchangeable shapes as you immerse yourself in the integration of nature and humanity. You will be at peace with yourself a...

Parsons School of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1992
New York University, Master of Arts in Studio Art, 1994

MUSEUMS
2019 76th Regional Exhibition, Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY
2018 - New Impressions, Bonnet House Museum, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
2016 - 75th Regional Exhibition, Arnot Museum, Elmira, NY
2015 – Portraits: A Juried Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ
2015 – Juried Exhibition, NSA Art Museum of Fort Lauderdale, FL.

GALLERIES
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019 "Garden Party" - MDC GAllery, Miami, FL
2019 "Harmony" - Newtown Cultural Arts Commission Gallery, Newtown, Ct.
2018 "Studio Visit," The Newtown Historical Society,Newtown, Ct.
2018 "Elsewhere," - The Broward Art Guild, Ft. Lauderdale, Ct.
2018 "Garden Party," Good News Gallery, Woodbury, CT.
2017 "Out of Thin Air," The Guild 5 Forty Five, Fort. Lauderdale, FL
2017 "After Party," The Gallery at Westfield Broward, Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
2016 –" Bucolia," Meetinghouse, Miami FL
2016 – "Botanically Correct," The Guild, 5 Forty Five, Fort Lauderdale FL
2015– "Natural Beauty," Avance Gallery, Newtown CT
2015 – "Eye of the Beholder," Smokey Topaz Gallery, Sandy Hook, CT
2015 – "Depingo Ergo Sum, Good News Gallery, Woodbury, CT

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 - Winter Spectaulcar, Broward Art Guild, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. BEST IN SHOW
2019 - "Shy Nudes," FAT VILLAGE, Ft. Laude...