Susan Lefkowich's paintings are meditations that harken back to ancient global references. They are inspired by sources as diverse as medieval paintings, Southeastern Indian textiles, Islamic tile work, and Asian floral motifs. For the viewer, these calming, yet complex multilayered paintings and designs seem to reveal a history, just as the archeologist might sweep away sand and debris to uncover relics and treasured objects from the past.
Her choice of egg tempera as a medium reflects an older craft. Its unique demands elevate the creative process to a form of meditation. Susan prepares a panel for a painting by building up coat after coat of gesso, sanding and burnishing the surface until it is smooth. Then with methodical applications of thin, almost transparent layers of color she creates a luminous base for the detailed brushwork that follows. Organic shapes, universal images and seemingly familiar patterns are forged on this surface with a palette of earthy natural tones and glowing hues of precious metals. As the paint dries, there is both an acceptance and a reliance on accidents. Sections crack and chip and new elements emerge, creating an old world feel and revealing clues to the paintings history. When the past emanates through to illuminate the present - only then does the painting truly come together.
Susan Lefkowich holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History, and a secondary education teaching credential in art from the University of California, Berkeley. She has dedicated her professional career to fundraising for the arts including 22 years at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. After many years balancing a full-time career with weekend studio time, Susan recently took a 4 month sabbatical to work on her art. This first card series is a successful outcome of that time in the studio.
