Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzanne Papiewski.
Hi Suzanne, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have supported myself since age 18. I put myself through college and law school, going to law school at night and working full time. I graduated from law school with honors and landed a fantastic job, and have had a very successful career in a male-dominated field – international tax law. Then, a little over three years ago, I accidentally became an artist.
I started making collages with a friend during Covid lockdown, just for fun. We each made a large canvas and then we started making greeting cards. I showed mine to friends, they encouraged me to make more, make them bigger, sell them. With their push, I decided there was no reason not to follow through. In the fall of 2022, I wandered into an art gallery in Bethesda, spoke with two of the member artists, and showed them some of my art that was captured in photos on my phone. They liked my work so much that to my surprise they invited me to a group invitational show in February 2023, where I exhibited four of my collages that were selected by the gallery’s curator. Since then I have been in over twenty juried art shows and have had three solo shows.
I learned that I had a lot to say about my own life story and women’s place in a patriarchal society. I have had some great experiences of being treated as an equal in my career as a tax lawyer, but found in some ways that the attitudes of our society and the stories and cultural mythologies cry out for examination and rejection. These are some of the themes I have explored in my art.
I have also branched out into making abstract art in which I follow an experimental approach, staying open until the work tells me it’s the best accident I have ever had the luck to cause.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not a smooth road for me. I have been financially independent since age 18, been through a divorce, and raised a son as a single mother. Could not have made it without the support of many generous people, and a lot of luck and hard work.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have made mixed media collage, and also abstract work using acrylic paint. I am self-taught. When I first started making art, I had so many ideas that the pieces just flowed out of me as if I were merely a vessel, waking up driven to tweak or finish a piece, going to sleep thinking about what I will do next.
My abstract collage art puts women center stage, typically featuring a female protagonist who is not restricted by traditional gender roles. I explored rewriting gender mythology, such as the “creation” of Eve from Adam’s rib. I often use a method of deconstructing and reconstructing faces using features from individuals with different ethnic backgrounds. My goal is to create a face that blends different characteristics so that any woman can see herself as the star of the work.
I want to empower women to identify with the subject of the piece and give them a jolt of happiness, recognition, and the fantasy of being in a world where women live without limits. I am very proud of these portraits – some of my pieces are titled: “Portrait of a Self-Made Woman,” “Risk Taker,” “Eve Was First,” and “Girl on Fire.” I have included pictures of these works. These pieces all show the main character as the star, someone who overcame obstacles and stands proudly before her accomplishments.
When I am making art I am essentially putting my soul on a canvas. I want to move you so that inevitably you interpret the piece through your lens. The discovery lifts you and makes you feel more alive. I can converse with you on a profoundly human level that needs no common language or words of explanation. This is the magic of art.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was very active (gymnastics, cheerleading, theater) and also read voraciously. When I was a tiny preschooler my mother would take me to the public library and basically let me borrow as many books as I wanted. I have many fond memories of walking up to the library checkout desk with my giant stack of books and a Cheshire Cat grin on my face. My family did not have vast financial resources, but I learned that education was the great equalizer for me. My economic circumstances did not hold me back from achieving academic success through hard work and determination. I excelled in school and was always motivated to discover more about how the world works outside of the small town where I grew up. As a result, I loved school and have always loved books and learning.
I have an insatiable appetite for challenging myself and trying new things with my art. There is something so exciting about breaking new ground with art, taking a risk and going for it, being intuitive in my approach, letting go of perfectionism. The growth process is scary and exhilarating, especially because I don’t have formal art training. It makes me feel so alive, and I can’t imagine ever stopping.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @__pink__poppy
