Artist Statement:
Suzy Kopf is a multidisciplinary artist who scrutinizes the paper ephemera of midcentury consumer culture to probe the enduring mythos of the American Dream. Through water media paintings, collages and site-specific installations she excavates archival materials and inherited nostalgia for planned utopias erected and cast aside. Vibrant and pastel colors unify her work across media and evoke the built landscape of the eroding Silicon Valley where she grew up. Conscious of how much byproduct can result from art-production, Suzy strives to have a “no waste” practice, recycling materials back into her work and making her own paint. Suzy has been the recipient of numerous residency fellowships including most recently Kala, The Studios at Mass MoCA, Playa and VCCA. Projects related to her research-based practice have been funded by the Hagley Museum, Baltimore National Heritage Area, the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and the Design History Society. In addition to her studio work, Suzy is passionate about helping other artists achieve their professional goals and generate sustainable income. She has been an invited speaker on career development topics at the College Art Association, The CUE Art Foundation, Artists Thrive Conference, and the Maryland State Art Council, among others. She is the Director of Sales and Marketing for BmoreArt, a regional arts publication where she writes profiles on creatives, art business practice and exhibition reviews. A college professor, Suzy teaches water media painting, museum studies and professional development for artists at MICA and Johns Hopkins University. Suzy has exhibited in group and solo shows throughout the United States and Canada including the Delaware Contemporary, Spring/Break Art Fair and the Austrian Embassy in Washington, D.C. She holds an MFA from MICA and lives in Baltimore with her partner, William, their energetic pup, Theodore, and the cat who tolerates them all, Charlotte.