Suzy Riot and Michele Payne are friends, neighbours and artists living in Worthing and sharing a similar sense of humour, perspective on life and artistic approach. Both have been making art in their parallel garden studios, each with their own distinctive style. They are now getting together for this exhibition to share their art with you and have fun in the process.
Over the past few years, Michele has begun painting and making art to discover her own aesthetic, alongside her career as a surface designer. With playful, colourful abstracts and bold still-life paintings, these are experiments in colour, pattern, light, texture and mark-making. Each artwork is an attempt to find joy and meaning in the small things and escape from the everyday. Creating from memory rather than observation and trying to be expressive in any way possible, especially with colour and pattern, her art is joyful but also explores darker moments too.
Suzanne a.k.a Suzyriot is showcasing her limited edition linocut prints, cards and bags. Suzanne has a background in illustration, having completed a post-grad diploma in narrative and sequential design at Brighton University. Her passion for animals and the natural world is reflected in her anthropomorphic portraits and depictions of heartfelt intimate moments of people spending time with their pets. Another aspect of her work explores socio-political issues and the challenges that arise from living in a dramatically changing political and technological landscape. Although the subject matter is intense, you will find a playful, rebellious and humorous side to her work. As well as her art-making, Suzanne also teaches linocut printing workshops to small groups in her garden studio.
