Susan Cushing

Delve into the vibrant world of Susan Cushing, an artist whose canvas is alive with the spirit of summer, elegance, and the very essence of life’s duality. Dividing her time between New York City, the Hamptons, and Palm Beach, Cushing captures the fashionable inhabitants of these locales in their most natural environments — from luxurious houses and shimmering pools to the verdant landscapes of garden parties.

Drawing inspiration from the vibrant era of the 1970s, her art embodies a blend of the faux-naif charm reminiscent of Grandma Moses, the iconic silhouette-like art of Alex Katz, and the punchy hues of tropical allure. Cushing’s pieces often echo the lifestyle photographs of Slim Aarons, combined with the post-modern environmental style found in the works of Alex Katz and David Hockney. These paintings, while immediately alluring in their representation of a charmed life, also subtly showcase the game of light and shadow, symbolizing the ebb and flow of existence. As Cushing herself puts it, her work is about “turning up the volume on color” and letting “abstract shapes shine through as the main subject.” The rich, saturated colors she employs depict the varied textures of life itself.

Cushing’s genius lies not just in her ability to paint, but in her capacity to make the viewer an intrinsic part of her narrative. With every piece, you’re drawn in, eavesdropping from a voyeur’s perspective, lost in the glamor reminiscent of old movie charm. The paintings invite you in, and as you stand in front of them, you find yourself yearning to dwell within them, caught in the allure of a world where everything seems a tad brighter and more elegant.

Educated at Davidson College with a BA in Fine Arts and further refined by studies at renowned institutions like Savannah College of Art & Design and the Art Students League of NY, Cushing’s journey in art has been a rich tapestry of learning and evolution. Her works have graced venues like the Nassau County Museum of Art and the Gallery at the Quogue Library, standing tall amongst legends like Marc Chagall and Georgia O’Keeffe. With every brushstroke, Susan Cushing invites us into her world – a world where color dances, shadows play, and every day feels like an endless summer.