Sue Dirksen

I am a painter. Before I paint, I observe, feel, meditate, and then paint. Through light and color, brushstroke or mark, I paint the vibrational energy that I sense in the universe.

My style began years ago when I lived in Japan and studied with a sumi-e master. He taught me to empty myself of the external world and focus on the perfection of the brushstroke, repeating it until I caught its essence. Then I studied at UC Berkeley, where I continued working with the brushstroke following the spirit of Abstract Expressionism.

When painting, I allow intuition to guide me through entering a meditative state of mind. I use the brush as an extension of my arm — to bring forth luminosity and potently-hued energy in monochrome, or near monochrome paintings. The paintings are meticulously built-up in thin layers of acrylic paint—sometimes into the hundreds — to embody the varying intensities of light that engage you. When experienced from different points of view, the paintings pulsate, as the subtleties of light change to create a vibrant, living surface.