Sue Graef

Artist Statement:

My works are vibrant acrylic urban and suburban landscape paintings on stretched canvas, lightheartedly expressing my vision of the world around me in a unique light-hearted style. These landscapes, range from bridges, tunnels, city skylines, interesting architecture and driving in traffic, created in brilliant saturated complimentary color.
I paint because I see things as though through a camera viewer isolating compositions and imagining color combinations as I go. I'm excited every day to create works and show them to my collectors, friends, gallery visitors and social media contacts while my sphere of influence grows to an even larger audience.
Two favorites of mine are Henri Matisse and the more contemporary, David Hockney; attracted by their daring use of color and composition. Although there are really only very remote similarities to my work, these masters have influenced my work greatly. 
Inspired by life itself, my love of architecture, nature, and the urge to communicate in a way most people can relate to, keeps me creating with a continuous, never-ending flow of ideas. My intention is to attract, intrigue and amuse my audience while they smile at colorful images. After all, people must disengage themselves from the stress of day-to-day existence and I would like my work to provide that escape if only for a moment or two.

Education:

Tyler School of Art, Temple University 
Philadelphia College of Art (University of the Arts) 
Clemson University

Awards & Distinctions:

Art Center Sarasota annual juried exhibit, Honorable Mention
35th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition Certificate of Excellence 
Finalist 41st ARTAVITA Online Competition
Summit Art Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art curator juried show, Honorable Mention

Exhibitions:

2022 Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York, NY
2022 DISTRICT Arts Gallery, Frederick, MD
2022 Superfine Miami Beach, FL
2021 Spectrum Miami, FL
2021 Art Center Sarasota Annual Juried exhibit, Sarasota, FL
2021 DISTRICT Arts Gallery, Frederick, MD
2021 Marin Society of Artists, Artist's Vision 2021, San Rafael, CA
2021 Greenpoint Gallery, February Exhibit, Brooklyn, NY
2020 Curator's Voice, The Art of Isolation Virtual Exhibition, Miami, FL
2020 Miami Art Mob February Show, Miami, FL
2020 Out of Our Hands Gallery, Dade City, FL 
2019 49th Annual Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Tampa, FL

Artistic Influences:

The Pop Art and Fauvist Movements, mainly Henri Matisse and David Hockney influenced me the most. My mother, an artist and art teacher influenced me with patience, encouragement and support during my younger years.