THE WOMEN PORTRAIT PROJECT: Coincidental Feminists
Paintings by Suzanne V. Paddock
March 6, 2020 - March 27, 2020
Opening Reception: First Friday, March 6th at 5:30PM
Rosel H. Schewel Gallery & Theater (Gallery 109 - First Floor)
The Women Portrait Project is a series of 15 oil paintings depicting individual women. It is an exploration and declaration of each one’s self-defined image, empowerment, and beauty. As a woman who struggles with identity, confidence, and what is the definition of beauty, this project began from three conspiring inspirations. This collection of beautiful women is a response, a call to community-building action for acceptance and appreciation about the amazing, powerful, beautiful soul residing inside each one of us – woman or man - we are beautiful in all its infinite combinations.
“You don’t have to be Pretty. You don’t owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don’t owe it to your children, you don’t owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked female.”
~ Diane Vreeland
Artist Statement
I am an oil painter creating in an expressive contemporary style. My work centers on strong emotional and narrative connections. It is influenced by everyday living, observing, and daydreaming, and informed by the intimacy of personal stories and memories, both my own and those collected. The subject matter is rather widespread and eclectic, but it all most often reflects on ideas of home, identity, beauty, and compassion. I use texture and movement to focus engagement and prefer the challenges of a limited palette. I believe art is a necessity, it reaches across culture, language and time, teaching us a compassionate understanding of one another. I work compulsively feeling this responsibility to honor humanity’s crucial need for harmony.
Bio
Suzanne V Paddock earned a BS in Visual Arts at SUNY New Paltz in 1993. Paddock’s early career was in production at various places including Archie Comics, in Mamaroneck, NY. Her next big step was into a community of outsider artists in the Hudson Valley which garnered exhibits, studio tours, and representation at Varga Gallery in Woodstock, NY. Paddock moved to Central VA in 2012 and joined the local arts community of Bedford County in electrifying its’ amazing potential. She was a founding member of the first co-op art gallery in the town of Bedford, worked at the Sedalia Center, in Big Island, taught drawing classes, presented art talks, held studio tours, and showed in solo exhibits. In early 2019, she was asked to assist in curating “This Is Our Service: America’s Veterans Make Art”, an exhibit presented by Bower Center for the Arts, in Bedford, in partnership with the National D-Day Memorial to commemorate the 75 th Anniversary of D-Day. Her most recent adventures in Lynchburg included completion of the Artthrive business for artists program at Riverviews Artspace, participation in Art on Main at Bailey Spencer Hardware, and competition in the 5 th Annual Riverfront Chalk Festival and Art contest at Amazement Square. Paddock is represented by the Market Gallery in Roanoke, VA, and co- chair of the Exhibition Committee at Bower Center. Her work has been accepted into several judged and juried shows over the years and honored with awards on four separate occasions. www.suzannevpaddock.com #suzanne.paddock.art
EXHIBITION PHOTOS
360 View
Beginning with the two paintings from left of entrance continuing clockwise:
Beauty, 30” x 40” ,oil painting, $1,500
Deep As A Well, Bright As The Stars, 30” x 40”, oil painting, $1,500
Pretty, 30” x 40”, oil painting, $1,500
Compassion’s Price Is Steep, 40” x 30”, oil painting, $1,500
We Rise From The Fires Of Our Mother’s Soul, 30” x 40”, oil painting, $1,500
A Quiet Moment For Her Troubadour Soul, 30” x 40”, oil painting, $1,500
Complexities, 40” x 30”, oil painting, $1,500
The Infinity of A Moments’ Generosity, 40” x 30”, oil painting, $1,500
Everything, 40” x 30”, oil painting, $1,500
See The Oceans Within Her Eyes, 40” x 30”, oil painting, $1,500
Serious Dreamer, She Is Quick To Laugh, 40” x 30”, oil painting, $1,500
Luminous, 40” x 30”, oil painting, $1,500
A Thousand Ships, 30” x 40”, oil painting, $1,500
See Her With Her Mermaid Voice and Listen, 30” x 40”, oil painting, $1,500
Pure, Joy, oil painting, 40” x 30”, oil painting, $1,500
Coincidental Feminists, art book, $39.95 (limited quanity)
To purchase, contact Meg Weston (meg@riverviews.net) for details.
Sales are subject to Virginia sales tax and 3% processing fee for online and credit card payments.
