ARTIST STATEMENT
In “Beginnings” I try to capture the essence of girlhood friendship through the tender grasp of a young, joyous girl holding the hand of her unseen older companion. The photograph portrays the unbreakable bond that transcends age, where the older girl’s presence is felt through her comforting touch. This image celebrates the timeless nature of female friendships, where companionship and support endure, guiding each other through the journey of life with unwavering strength and love.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
A veteran professional photographer. Susan Leith moved to Chicago in 2017 after retiring from teaching photography at CSU/Sacramento for 17 years. Along with photography Susan expanded her photographic and artistic skills into the realm of Photo Encaustic art – a combination of photography, etching and painting, captured in hot wax. Susan’s subject matter varies greatly from portraits to rainy traffic jams to the lifecycle of sunflowers.
Susan is honored to have her work displayed in the permanent collection at the Encaustic Art Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and recently won an honorable mention in their juried competition, Joy. Mastering the medium of Encaustic art is challenging and after rising to meet those challenges, Susan wrote a book and created YouTube videos not only to explain the technique but also to encourage a broader understanding and interest in the art form.
For Susan, the joy of the encaustic process is the tactile immersion that combines her love of photography and the creation of new and textured forms in wax that can be shared and bring joy to others. Susan is honored to be part of Woman Made Gallery and have her work accepted into the show ’Girlfriends.’
© Susan Leith