Sam Suttie had always worked in creative industries and dabbled in art, then a handful of years ago she began taking her art seriously. “Turning 40 certainly made me consider the ‘if not now, then when?’ question,” she muses.
Her work is inspired by a kaleidoscope of physical and emotive musings. “It could be a colour combination that catches my eye, textures, nature and emotions, songs, anything,” she says. Sam’s preferred medium is oil on canvas. “Oil paint has a life of its own; it allows so many happy accidents to occur,” she shares. However, it was no accident that Sam was drawn back to her calling. She credits painting with saving her life. “I found myself slipping into an ever-growing pit of anxiety,” she says. “Thankfully, as soon as I started painting again, the mental knot in mind and spirit began to unravel.”
She says galleries like Art Lovers Australia supported and encouraged her to take “a leap of faith”. Then two years ago, this mostly self-taught artist began painting full-time and holding solo and group exhibitions.
Sam has found her passion in art. “For the first time in my life I fit somewhere,” she reflects. “It’s something that comes to me as naturally as breathing.” Among her popular works are still lifes with flowers and birds. Even as the art becomes a reality on canvas, Sam is always surprised by the end result. “There is a magical intuitive element at play which unfolds as I paint and I never know what exactly will be on the canvas until the last brush stroke,” she says.
One of Sam’s favourite works is called Crimson Finch, with finches hopping around a still life where a flower is encased in a glass dome. “I usually use glass domes as a symbol of isolation, separation, suppression or, in this case, a symbol of the fragility of life,” she explains. In decor and furniture, Sam is drawn to more neutral, minimalist tones and styles. “I have a very busy mind so in my home, I like simple furnishings and neutral colours,” she says.
As she has developed as an artist, Sam’s life goals have shifted. “I have everything I could want for myself. My only hope is that people continue to find joy and pleasure in my work, because their support will allow me to continue to grow and develop.”