Susan Grossman

Susan Grossman approaches landscape through a minimalistic palette of black, white, and gray with the occasional appearance of a primary color. Her process begins with reference photographs of subjects and locations. After a return to the studio, painting begins and draws directly from the source materials before Grossman allows the artistic process to take over and create a unique narrative world. Elements of the original location are repositioned, created from nothing, or eliminated to achieve the final product. The physicality of the technique saturates the final product with a sense of action that feels as though one is witnessing something completed only moments before. Grossman’s landscapes are created to be intentionally ambiguous and allow each viewer to form an unbiased reading of the work. Although one can assume where the source material came from, there are no identifying factors– such as street signs or even faces– that allow for a singular conclusion. Her open and non-specific narratives leave the viewer with a sense of unease as it is clear that much is implied throughout the image, yet the viewer walks away without any sense of resolution. 

Susan Grossman graduated from Bennington College and received her Master’s in Fine Arts from Brooklyn College. She has taught at Wesleyan University, the City College of New York, and the National Academy of Design School. Her work can be found in numerous private and public collections throughout the United States, including the Mint Museum in North Carolina, and the New York Historical Society. She currently works in Brooklyn, New York.