Susan Katz, a native Bostonian, has been living in the sunny islands of the Bahamas for the past seventeen years. Much of her inspiration comes from the natural beauty of the islands and from the vibrancy of the Bahamian people. Susan's background in illustration is also still very much of an influence in the way that she now creates and this gives her work a fresh, funky and unique style.

"My first idea when I start a new piece is not about capturing just the image, but more about creating a mood and being able to use color and texture in a new way. I love using strong, bright hues in unusual places. Painting a model blue or a pineapple purple keeps my artistic energy and spirit flowing and taking this artistic license helps to keep my work fresh. Much of my color inspiration comes from artists such as Wayne Thiebaud and many of the Bay Area artists. Their use of color and shadow immerses the viewer into the art and I would love for people to be drawn into my work as well.

I basically use collage in the same that I would to create a painting. By layering many colors and patterns, I move through the process of creating until I reach the final expression on paper. Very often, I'll combine other mediums such as acrylic or crayon to add an extra depth and richness. I love collage because it affords me the freedom to use whatever papers, fabrics or anything else that I might find fun and interesting, in my work I use anything that appeals to me at the time from playing cards to labels to maybe an interesting piece of paper that I've found on the sidewalk! My studio is full of all kinds of interesting elements that I am able to pick and choose from. For me, the choice is like being a kid in a candy store and I guess that I never really know what I am going to use until I begin the piece and get a sense of it's "feeling."

For me, collage is the perfect medium because I can constantly experiment and expand my technique. I never run out of ideas and the various things that I am able to use in a creative way are endless. I always encourage the viewer to get up close and personal with my work in order to really get an idea of the many ways that I've used paper to form my own idea of a painting. Sometimes I like to put funny sayings or words into my work and I always get a great feeling when people spot something silly and say "Wow! Look at that!" As far as my work goes, I am looking forward to seeing where I can take collage and the new ways that I can work the medium. I love to experiment with new subjects and look forward to expanding my technique into new areas. The great thing for me is seeing how the finished product turns out because very often, it is quite a surprise!

Susan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Illustration and has formerly worked in editorial design in conjunction with design studios and publications. Her collages have been exhibited in many shows in and around the Bahamas and can be found in private collections in Nassau as well as in the Boston area.