Nature Imagined by
Susan Swinand

October 1, 2020 – February 7, 2021

Susan Swinand, All In Together III, watercolor and mixed media on paper
Susan Swinand, All In Together III, watercolor and mixed media on paper

In collaboration with ArtsWorcester, the Worcester Art Museum presents works by Susan Swinand, the Sally R. Bishop Prize Winner of the 2019 ArtsWorcester Biennial. Primarily a painter with a preference for water-based media and abstraction, Swinand has long found the natural world a source of inspiration. Nature Imagined explores Swinand's creative process and her drive to find balance between opposing forces in nature. By allowing the materials to take on a form of their own, Swinand taps into her subconscious to make meaning out of biomorphic shapes and fluid gestures. In so doing, Swinand creates imaginative worlds, full of contradictions, enchantment, and even a little bit of humor.

A graduate of Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, Swinand was a recipient of a Sartain Fellowship, which allowed her to travel and study in Europe. When she returned, she attended the Barnes Foundation for two years, where she studied the Philosophy and Appreciation of Art. A longtime faculty member at the Worcester Art Museum's studio program, Swinand's work has been shown widely throughout central New England for many years.

A gallery view of “Nature Imagined by Susan Swinand” exhibition
A gallery view of Nature Imagined by Susan Swinand

This exhibition is organized in partnership with ArtsWorcester.

Related Programs

Virtual Artist Talk

Tuesday, November 10, 6pm
Erin Corrales-Diaz, assistant curator of American Art, talks with Susan Swinand about her work and creative process. Free.

Download the exhibition flier

Susan Swinand: Visual Artist

Susan talks us through her creative process, her friendship with Sally Bishop, and how both nature and imagination inspire her art.

Selected Images

Susan Swinand, Submerging, 2004, acrylic on canvas
Susan Swinand, Submerging, 2004, acrylic on canvas
Susan Swinand, Night Fishing, 2012, watercolor on paper
Susan Swinand, Night Fishing, 2012, watercolor on paper
Susan Swinand, Seek, 2017, ink on Claybord
Susan Swinand, Seek, 2017, ink on Claybord