A strong narrative runs through Susan Washington's work with references to her long involvement with collage, textiles, fashion and art. She comes from a family of artists and by age 5 Susan was tutored in the art of origami and sumi ink drawing by her Japanese godmother as well as watercolors from her father. She spent her teens deconstructing dressmaking as a punk fashionista. Washington then landed on 5th Avenue working at Dior and Nautica. Gravitating to the oeuvres of Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly and Joan Mitchell, Washington has continued to push boundaries, re-inventing her work with each new piece while continuing to maintain the cohesive thread that creates her signature look.

“My work is inherently autobiographical.” says Washington. “I make marks on the canvas that are a part of myself. It is important for me to be authentic, in the process of painting, to rediscover events that I have been a part of and to use them to inform my actions on canvas. My recent paintings are triggered by my reaction to the couture runway shows. I enjoy toying with disaster and celebrating unexpected results from spontaneous action and sometimes, unpredictable techniques.”

Washington incorporates textile, thread, and vintage paper into her painted collage works, producing surfaces layered with textures, rich colors, and expressive line work. Her influences include the work of the early Synthetic Cubists, Abstract Expressionists and the St. Ives School. Her work has been exhibited and collected internationally.