Baltimore Sonnets

handmade paper by Suzanne Coley A few weeks ago I began my new series Monsters.  I have been trying to keep the linocuts and handmade papers concise, simple, and clean.  Sometimes this means destroying some pieces and starting over.   We will see . . .

My artist's book Khroma is a true account of my battle with a life threatening disease.  These words are from my diary and art journal.   We all handle our mortality differently.  This is how I handled mine.  During my cancer treatment I created over 2,000 hand printed color and black & white photos in the darkroom.  I would spend all of my waking moments there, trying to leave evidence that I was on this planet. Khroma by Suzanne Coley Khroma has 10 movements.  The following is an excerpt from movement 3.  At some point I will post the actual artist's books.  (Each movement has its own livre d'artiste.)  Characters are Black, Magenta, Yellow, Cyan.   MOVEMENT: TANGENT SPACES AND DERIVATIVES BLACK Black is the key, all others follow. My breasts are so sore. The biopsy seemed more  medieval than modern.     Did you see that metal table with the  holes in the middle just...

A Careful Merger  by Suzanne Coley A day in the life . . .

Connected by Suzanne Coley Fe 2 O 3 Giving voice to a tale of pursuit and desire He wanted to know her secrets Republicans sign brief in support of gay marriage Beneath the raw sienna paint Remove each layer, delicately, gently Yahoo orders home workers back to the office Thoughts, passing moments Children work in India mines despite a ban Ocher colored oil beneath their fingernails How women changed America Brush against the winds of time Recipe for a perfect photo South Korea: First woman sworn in as president Venetian red lips open the talks sc

For through the painter must you see his skill to find where your true image pictur'd lies Mademoiselle by Suzanne Coley Before some of my painting workshops, I would read a Shakespearean sonnet and let the participants use the poem as inspiration.   Sonnet XXIV Mine eye hath play'd the painter and hath [stell'd] Thy beauty's form in table of my heart; My body is the frame wherein 'tis held, And perspective it is best painter's art. For through the painter must you see his skill, To find where your true image pictur'd lies, Which in my bosom's shop is hanging still, That hath his windows glazed with thine eyes. Now we see what good turns eyes for eyes have done: Mine eyes have drawn th y shape, and thine for me Are windows to my breast, wherethrough the sun Delights to peep, to gaze therein on thee, Yet eyes this cunning want to grace their art, They draw but what they see, know not the heart. Wm. Shakespeare...

An excerpt from my artist's book Garden of Hope. Painter's Sanatorium  by Suzanne Coley rotten teeth spill out with each attempt to laugh contorted gestures sit  on bent knees at the corner store will he fall on his face? life in Queensbridge is a rapper's delight, a poet's hell a painter's sanatorium

book cover with red ink splashes I wrote the poem Flip It in 1998 when I worked at a homeless shelter.  One day a homeless lady at the shelter was having a bad day and she threw a cell phone at me.  She was always so calm and nice, and I did not anticipate her actions.  She unexpectedly "flipped out."   I had always been interested in the brain and mental illness.  I wanted to know what brought people to the shelters.  How did they handle life?  What made people "flip"? I revised the poem in 2005 when I knew I wanted to make an artist's book.  It was completed in 2007 and a New York City psychiatrist saw it at one of my art shows on the Lower East Side.  He left the show with the book in his hands. Looking back, I am pleased to have found truth .  A truth about humanity which moved a professional so much he wanted to own my work. Sir, thank you for sending me these photographs of the book.  s.

Phase Transition by Suzanne Coley Touch us gently, Time! We've not proud or soaring wings, Our ambition, our content, Lies in simple things. Humble voyagers are we, O'er life's dim unsounded sea, Seeking only some calm clime, Touch us gently, gentle Time. Anon Complete poem see: The British Lyre  by William Odell Elwell, 1863 (p.67)

Fortuna by Suzanne Coley She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half-impair'd the nameless grace Which waves in every raven trees, Or softly lightens o'er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. And on that cheek, and o'er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent. Lord Byron

Last year I was commissioned to create an original "life book" as a surprise one year anniversary gift from a groom to his husband.  Together for thirty years , they were one of the first gay couples to marry in New York City when the state changed the law and recognized same sex marriage.   Life Book by Suzanne Coley The custom-made, hand bound book came with a matching gold leaf box.  The inside pages contained silkscreened and relief prints of the couple, their journey together in life, original art, and a poem. Life Book  open box with book on right side When I was in Italy I picked up a few yards of blue silk velvet fabric and some glass beads.  They were the perfect materials to hand sew an elegant pouch for the book and box. Life Book box  The brown paper was hand marbled with gold.     Life Book is wrapped in postage paper before putting inside box Life Book /box peeking out velvet pouch ...

  Documenta 13 , Kassel Germany.  100 days of art and creativity. Ida Applebroog from New York City had a wonderful exhibition in the regal neo-classical Fridericianum/Friedrichsplatz.  Poster by Ida Applebroog on the wall of her exhibition. Ida Applebroog allowed everyone to take samples of her artwork and writings.   It was amazing.   Writings were all over the walls.  On the floors.  Everywhere you turned. I will post more about my visit to Germany.

things she couldn't tell her psychiatrist by Suzanne Coley One year ago I left my job as Director of an art program for people with psychiatric disabilities to pursue a career as a full-time artist.   I must say I miss working with artists and writers who think outside the box.  Every day was a wonderful adventure into the depths of imagination, working with unconventional materials, and engaging in artistic projects that allowed participants to express themselves in ways they couldn't to others. Wishing all of you the best! sc

The Work of Art in The Age of Its Technological Reproducibility  written in 1936  by philosopher  Walter Benjamin kept ringing in my ear today. It began last week with the search for more Polaroid 669 film.  After trying to buy film from top camera stores in New York City and California I was politely directed to the Internet.   Photo by Suzanne Coley I was so excited when I finally found the link to purchase more film online.  But when the link took me straight to eBay's vintage section I realized my work is from a different era.   Polaroid 669 had been discontinued in 2009. Photo by Suzanne Coley Like many artists, I am a petite hoarder and had boxes of these films to last a few years.   Then I began to think about my darkroom days when I used to cross-process E-6 film and tweak C-41 film in chemicals.  Yes, I still use a carousel slide projector by Suzanne Coley I handprinted my color photos on ...

Sometimes my fascination with scientific information I don't really understand allows for interesting experiments in my studio.    Cover of artist's book Moon Shadows by Suzanne Coley Inside pages of Moon Shadow 

The Shape of Memory, Both Fragile and Fierce is a wonderful  New York Times article  written by Ben Brantley about The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams.  Mr. Brantley writes, "Memory is a force of gravity in this "Glass Menagerie," which is such a thorough rejuvenation of Williams's 1944 drama that I hesitate to call it a revival." Directed by John Tiffany, the play stars Celia Keenan-Bolger, Cherry Jones, Brian J. Smith, and Zachary Quinto.   The Glass Menagerie is currently playing at the American Repertory Theater. I feel like catching the next train to Cambridge.

A ten ton meteor blasted over Russia's Ural Mountains with the power of an atomic bomb.  When I saw  the home videos and raw footage on the news and Internet I had to make this new series of paintings. Chasing science: Chelyablinsk 15 Chasing Science: Mach 43 by Suzanne Coley I really wanted to write a poem, but I couldn't find the words.  Perhaps the words will come when we learn more . .  .  My main thought while making these paintings was Science is chasing Nature . Mach 22 by Suzanne Coley Mach 12 by Suzanne coley Mach 7 by Suzanne Coley Mach 3 by Suzanne Coley Mach 1 by Suzanne coley

In 2005, I had a solo exhibition at  NCAR's Mesa Laboratory  designed by  I.M. Pei . Life is a Dream, 2005 by Suzanne Coley   Called the master of modern architecture, I.M. Pei studied under  Bauhaus designers Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.  Mesa Laboratory sits on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, making it one of the most amazing spaces I have ever exhibited. Life is a dream  was one of twenty-five images I created for the exhibition.  It was the perfect place for science and art.

Experimenting with unconventional materials and detritus from my garden (a few trees fell down during Hurricane Sandy and I collected the leaves, bark, and wood). handmade paper by Suzanne Coley I added red ink to the pulp.  When the paper dried it turned this color so I titled it Pink Excitement.

Handmade paper by Suzanne Coley When I was Director of an art program for artists with psychiatric disabilities I often visited them in psychiatric wards.  I remember during my visits from 2006 through 2011, how I increasingly became interested in how humans create and store memories. Recently, while working on The Beholder's Share show with Generous Company, I became obsessed with how brains create and store memories. The more I learned and read, the more I wanted to create an external visual counterpart, if possible. WORDS: I began by shredding a few of my old Greek philosophy books and a discarded novel. What would I remember if . .  . papermaking I felt memories went through a delicate internal blender that somehow scrambled certain memories, like a Greek expression I used to know well when I was younger, but can no longer recall.  So, I put the shredded paper in a blender. Handmade papers. handmade paper Details in ...

linocut inspired by mathematics, Suzanne Coley Over the past three weeks, I have worked with 3 mathematicians from Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, and Russia on the Generous Company theatrical production of The Beholder's Share.  I engaged the mathematicians in a few art projects at my studio in Baltimore. Each mathematician has a doctorate in a different type of math, therefore I had each write a few mathematical problems (from their fields of expertise) on my drawings and designs.  The results were very complex and layered. As a visual artist from Brooklyn with a master's in humanities (classical literature and philosophy) I felt a little intimidated by their brilliance.  (They said the same about working with a visual artist!) http://thebeholdersshare.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/shadows-disguised-as-flesh/

And as the eye is the best composer, so light is the first of painters.                  Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature (1936) Photos of actors Tanner Medding and Jenna Rossman by S. Coley Working on a theatrical project that examines how the brain responds to art and creates memories has made me re-examine how we see and what we remember. I worked on the set design, papermaking, and visual arts components of the two week show with Generous Company at the Theatre Project in Baltimore.  It was an amazing process! http://www.theatreproject.org/Shows/GenerousCompany'sGumbo/