Sue Dirksen

My paintings are about light—the vibration of light energy via brushstroke with color as the conduit.

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. The paintings are meticulously built-up in thin layers of acrylic paint — sometimes into the hundreds — to embody the varying intensities of light. When experienced from different points of view, the paintings pulsate, as the subtleties of light change to create a vibrant, living surface.

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. After getting an M.A. in art from UCLA, I lived in Southern California for many years, where the strong tradition of articulating light along with an impeccable surface and craftsmanship developed. I'm a native Californian and now reside in Santa Cruz.