Susan Simonini is an Australian contemporary, multi-disciplinary artist, living and working in rural north-west Tasmania. She completed her BFA at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, majoring in painting and print making, and more recently, completed a Certificate 4 in Ceramics.
Shifting from initial interpretations of the gridded agricultural landscape, the subject of Susan's work is becoming increasingly focussed on pattern, shape and line, and she is now thinking in terms of abstraction, to re-examine themes of place and belonging that have been a constant thread in her work. Playing with geometric forms, but not in a mathematical or measured way, these paintings are built up in many layers and go through a process of call and response to find the final composition, which frequently bears no resemblance to the initial gestural marks. Through this process of addition and subtraction of the paint, the surface becomes textured and distressed, reflecting the history and story of both the objects that surround us throughout our lives, and in the experiences we live. Similarly, colour is layered, removed, sanded or wiped back - constantly added or altered to achieve contrast, vibration or balance. Colour is at the forefront of her process and is always intended to reflect her personal feelings and to evoke an emotional response from the viewer.
Susan's work is held in numerous public and private collections, including the Gold Coast City Art Gallery and The Mater Hospital and the Etsy Art Collection. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Border Art Prize and the Gold Coast Art and Design Awards, and has been a finalist in the prestigious Glover Prize and the Churchie Emerging Art Prize.