As a mixed media artist, Suellyn Connolly’s work encompasses a diverse range of materials, mediums, and processes. Her artistic exploration revolves around the interplay of visual, implied, and illusionistic elements on two-dimensional surfaces. She skillfully manipulates these surfaces to create captivating and thought-provoking compositions. Suellyn’s artistic repertoire includes a fascination with different textures. She adeptly employs physical texture, which possesses tactile qualities that can be experienced on both two-dimensional and three-dimensional surfaces. This attention to texture adds depth and sensory engagement to her art. In her printmaking practice, Suellyn explores various techniques and processes. She delves into relief printing methods such as wood engraving, linocut, and metalcut, using them to bring forth intricate designs and patterns. The intaglio family of techniques, including engraving, etching, mezzotint, and aquatint, allows her to create detailed and expressive prints with a rich tonal range. Suellyn also explores planographic techniques like lithography, monotyping, and digital techniques, using them to produce unique and visually captivating artworks. Additionally, she utilizes stencil techniques such as screen printing and pochoir to achieve precise and layered effects. Collagraphy, a printmaking method involving collaged materials on a plate, and viscosity printing, which manipulates ink viscosity to create textured effects, are also part of her artistic toolkit. Located in the inspiring surroundings of the Hunter Valley, Suellyn draws inspiration from the region’s natural beauty and vibrant artistic community. Her background in graphic design and publishing enriches her artistic practice, influencing her compositions, layouts, and visual communication. Suellyn Connolly’s artistic journey is one of constant exploration, innovation, and growth. With her eclectic approach to mixed media art, she invites viewers to engage with her work on multiple levels, allowing them to experience the interplay of textures, the illusionistic qualities of two-dimensional surfaces, and the depth created through printmaking techniques.
Suellyn Connolly
"I feel for all the workers who have put their heart, soul and lives into Liddell. Listening to the stores at our visit was so inspiring and allowed me to truly connect with the magnitude of Liddell's importance, even being referred to by the workers as their 'mother'"
Approach
Suellyn Connolly is a mixed media artist based in the Hunter Valley, where she grew up recognizing the iconic presence of Liddell. The closure of this edifice has sparked a creative reaction within her, driving her to capture and preserve the unique "textures" of Liddell. Suellyn's artistic endeavor aims to celebrate the industrial surfaces that bear the marks of years of wear and tear, service, and industry. She finds inspiration in the tactile qualities of these surfaces, seeing them as a testament to the countless hands and feet that have touched and shaped these spaces. For her, these surfaces serve as tangible evidence of the profound interaction between history and human endeavor, becoming an integral part of the workers' DNA who have dedicated themselves to Liddell. To authentically capture the essence of this space, Suellyn employs her artistic skills to record the textures that define Liddell. She takes prints and rubbings from a variety of surfaces, ranging from the labels adorning machinery to the weathered steel floors and even the grills of industrial fans. By creatively documenting these textures, Suellyn aims to encapsulate the spirit of Liddell, preserving the visual and tactile legacy of this historic place. Through her artistic exploration of Liddell's textures, Suellyn pays homage to the industrial heritage of the region while acknowledging the profound impact it has had on the lives of countless workers. Her creative process becomes a bridge between the past and the present, capturing the essence of human experiences and the history intertwined with these industrial surfaces.
My Journey
