Under the Microscope

2011 Exhibition

I have been working towards another exhibition. It is at the Firestation Print Studio Gallery in Armadale. It runs from October 12th to October 29th.

Work in the exhibition continues my fascination with detail. While previously this fascination has been with detail in nature, more recently my fascination has extended to man made objects as a son has passed on microscopic images associated with his work in metallurgy. While the exhibition continues my interest in detail in the natural world the focus is on this much closer view and the internal structures of materials seen through a magnifying lens. Hence the title…… Under the Microscope.

Work in the exhibition also reflects my continuing experimentation with medium, as I seek to challenge and broaden my expression. Over the past eighteen months I have been exploring different ways of working with collagraph plates which has resulted in more mixed media prints combining collagraph plates with aquarel or collaged forms. In painting I have continued exploring the properties of string as well as other ways to create a textured surface.

The exhibition contains paintings, drawings and prints eg:

PAINTING EGS: Oil and string on canvas, 70 x 70 cms each

DRAWING EGS: Pencil works x 3. 30 x 30 cms each.

PRINT EGS: Collagraph and acrylic, 30 x 30 cms each

2009 work

Within my overall theme of Detail in Nature, my recent work, which will be on exhibition during April 2010 at the Fire Station Print Studio in Armadale, explores the particular facets of "tracks" and "flows"

Drawings

Biography

Born in Western Australia in 1952 of British migrant parents, Melbourne artist Sue Top trained first as a Town Planner.

“ I worked for 26 years as a Strategic Planner, but as my family grew up, satisfaction with the profession diminished and I dreamt of a time when I could indulge myself in making art instead. Art had always been my favourite subject at school but it did not strike me as a very sensible career move when, at the age of 18, I had to choose a career path. I therefore opted to be a Planner instead, studying at Melbourne University.  I did continue to paint and draw as a hobby in the intervening years, though opportunities were limited when my family was young. It was not until 2002 and my youngest son entered University that I was able to hang up my "plans" and return to art full time. I started by undertaking a Diploma of Visual Arts during 2002 and 2003, plus 2 extra units of study to provide me with an additional minor (Printmaking) in 2004. Then, keen to develop my practise immediately and to evolve my subject and style through experience and experimentation unfettered, I opted to begin work from my own studio rather than complete any more study. 

Since 2005 I have been establishing myself as an artist, working from a home studio and printing at the Firestation Print Studio in Armadale (Melbourne). As I like variety I paint, draw and also print, exhibiting my work regularly (see CV). 

While both media and style have evolved over time, my work continues to be inspired by detail in the natural world, taking a specific aspect of nature to explore in detail for each separate body of work."