In Past Show

lino|cut at Paul Stolper Gallery

In her abstract, figural paintings, Susie Hamilton uses light as “an agent of metamorphosis that can destroy as well as illuminate,” she says. She renders her figures, which are drawn from life and often pictured alone, quickly so as to distill and distort the overall image. Hamilton cites artist Francis Bacon as a strong influence on her work. Other inspirations include small figures often seen in Japanese landscapes, the grotesque creatures rendered by Hieronymus Bosch and Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Picasso’s reduction of figures to their essential form. By deconstructing the human body, Hamilton conjures a sense of unease, challenging identity through creatures she describes as “confronting something bigger than themselves.” While paint on canvas remains her primary medium, she has also produced works on paper and iPads.