Artist's Statement

"The human spirit has its source in the Divine Fountain which must be permitted to flow freely through man. Anyone who flows as life flows has solved the enigma of human existence. This person needs no other power. Anything is evil that blocks the flow of creative action and everything is healthy that flows with the universe."
Laotse (600 BC)

An artist friend once told me, "Sometimes we paint ahead of ourselves". And progress is not necessarily in a straight line. I have found these ideas to be true. However, there is always the flow, the "perpetual motion", as I work to make love, gratitude, and beauty the goals in my artwork and life and strive to create that which makes me happy.

Ideas need to be discovered. They are not finite - not limited except by ones vision. So to with artistic ideas - infinite - only awaiting discovery. The harmonious flow of ideas depends on listening to the inner self, "that still small voice", enabling one to control responses to, and deal positively with ones outer environment, rather than giving outer circumstances control. It is a spiritual response to create ones own outer environment as a projection of the higher, inner self. The harmonious flow of ideas is frustrated by negative emotion and intellect - fear, worry, guilt, anxiety, depression - "The Agony". The unrestricted flow of ideas - "The Ecstasy".

Pucci's watercolor, oil, acrylic, and mixed media paintings, drawings, and sculptures of wood and stone flow as the inner voice suggests - strong in design, sometimes simplistic, often complex, and always intuitive. Her work which ranges from realism to total abstraction has appeared in numerous shows and is in public, private, and corporate collections throughout the country. She retired from teaching in 2003, having taught Art form kindergarten through adult levels. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse and has done graduate work through the Universities of Wisconsin, Madison and Stevens Point.

Susan J. Pucci - Artist

Art Process

Just walking into my studio is a joy. It might be a mess with projects all over the place but I love it! Intuitively I create my Art whether realistic or totally abstract to have the components of good design, i.e. line, shape, color, texture, form, harmony, flow, repetition and balance. Although maybe not evident to the viewer, I strive to create that which makes me happy. What the viewer sees in it is personal.

While teaching Art, I told my students that there are no mistakes and if you have an "oops”, just make something out of it. Think of it as a challenge, a growth experience or an opportunity to try something new. Often I would soak the paint off watercolor paper in the bathtub if I didn't like what I had painted. Dye color is residual and leaves a stain, so I would then develop a painting on top. Parts of a painting may become several smaller paintings, parts of other paintings, collages and even hand made business cards. While sculpting in wood or stone, one must handle the nature of the material on its own terms. Wood may have an irregular grain or stone may have a fissure around which to work. I once made an ear out of a knot in a basswood sculpture of a head. A soapstone sculpture split in half. I actually like it better with two parts as a diptych. Just go with the flow.

I have many paintings, collages and sculptures going at a time and develop them often "in fits and starts”. I need to finish art work no matter how long it takes. Maybe that originates from my German work ethic heritage and the idea that one must finish what one starts Flexibility, analysis, synthesis, originality, playfulness, productivity, fluency and sensitivity are components of creativity. å traits along with a positive attitude create a "can do” personality. I look for the good and beautiful in all things. What I think on grows. These all create peace in my soul and great satisfaction and joy are gifts of my process.