Susan Mania
After the Ash Borer, 2022
Oil on Panel
24 x 18"

About the work

As part of a series of paintings dealing with the disappearance of the Ash tree due to the invasive Ash Borer Beatle. Done in a limited pallet of blacks, whites, ash blue and cadmium red, the remaining tree forms are adorned with what comes after, native and non-native plant life that grows in the decaying wood. From the many natural elements that arise in my work, flora, seeds, soil patterns, fallen trees or invasive plant habitats, I pull apart individual components of line and form to re-mix and organize elements, bringing a new interpretation through layered composition and a diverse color palette. These impressions coalesce in an energetic sensation that tells the story of our connection and relationships with the land we call home.

Bio

Susan Mania is an American contemporary artist. Her paintings and works on paper explore observations of the landscape and its changing dynamics in soft dimensional color and a flexible re-working of organic elements.

Mania attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City (AAA) where she was exposed to the world of fiber as a medium for fine art. Her study of natural dyes helps her form a connection with nature, creating paints, inks and collage materials. Following FIT, she attended the College of New Jersey (BFA) and Philadelphia College of Textiles and Sciences (MFA program).

Mania has exhibited throughout the United States and served on the faculty of several schools, including the College of New Jersey, the Waldorf School of Princeton and the Princeton Junior School.

She lives and works on the banks of the Lockatong Creek preserve in Stockton, New Jersey.

www.susanmania.com
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