The Storyteller, oil, 16 x 12. Senate Background: Governor Scott McCallum, oil, 44 x 32.
Society. Suys strove “to make a hero” of his subject, framing him against the skylit background of the state capitol’s rotunda. “I felt so thankful, and I wanted to put everything I have into this work,” he says of the richly detailed piece, which was met with the warmest approval by its subject. Based on such results, and continued demand for portraits, Suys could easily sit back and continue in that direction alone. But, just as he has since childhood, he continues to feel compelled to explore other subjects as well. Demand for his animal portraits is growing, leading him literally to roam farther afield to study cattle and other livestock firsthand, including a sojourn in Santa Fe with Kristin, his wife of eight years, this past October. He also continues to develop a series of works in which
he juxtaposes scenes of famous works by the likes of Rembrandt and Renoir with images of the present-day people who’ve come to observe them. Add stilllife paintings, landscapes, and plein-air pieces, and Suys remains ever more busy and engaged as he approaches his 60th birthday this December 29. Prodigious though such an output may seem, Suys has a current goal, he says, of trying to “slow down and enjoy the process more. I’d rather produce 10 paintings that really speak to people than 50 that are pretty good. I want to develop every aspect of my work, the craft, the subject matter. Soulfulness is what I’m really trying to get to.” In that regard, Suys remains ever optimistic. “I hope to venture further down my own path, where I continually build upon what makes me unique as an artist,”
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he concludes. “I will seek to intensify the power and presence of individuals, whether human, animal, or still-life subject; to build an ever-stronger connection between me and my work, which I believe will lead to a stronger connection between my work and the viewer; and to enhance the concept, craft, and resonance of the work I produce.” E
Norman Kolpas is a Los Angeles-based freelancer who writes for Mountain Living and Colorado Homes & Lifestyles as well as Southwest Art.
See more of Suys’ work at www.southwestart.com/ featured/suys-w-dec2015.
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