July 1999
Valery Sutherland
Valery's art education was obtained in England. The first two years were spent at Tunbridge Wells Art School. She then studied for three years with David Cashman, a professor at St. Martin's Art School, London. She also briefly attended classes at St. Martin's.
Valery worked as a graphic artist in advertising agencies in England and Bloomfield, Connecticut. She also did some freelance work, as both an illustrator and designer. She used oil paints on her first canvases but made the switch to acrylics fairly early on, finding them more appropriate for the work that she was doing, which was hard-edge abstraction and pattern painting. About fifteen years ago, she started to use plywood in conjunction with her canvases. She now uses plywood exclusively.
Valery's "sculptural paintings" are constructed from plywood shapes, whose surfaces have invariably been chiseled away or built up by thick applications of Liquitex Gel Medium and paint. This gives the work a textured, carved appearance. An interest in architecture is apparent in many of the constructions, as is the inherent theatricality that is often symbolized by a proscenium arch. The subject matter for her wall sculptures is rooted in current interests and concerns. She feels a sense of connection with artists of various disciplines and time spans. In particular, filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, composer Richard Wagner and operatic soprano Kirsten Flagstad. Her work has also shown considerable involvement with social and environmental issues.
Valery Sutherland has exhibited her wall sculptures at the following places: Clark Whitney Gallery, Lenox, MA (three person shows in 1998, 1995, and 1992); Newspace Gallery Manchester Community Technical College, Manchester, CT (one person show in 1993); Ward-Lawrence Gallery, New York City, NY (one person shows in 1991 and 1989); Maryanne McCarthy Fine Art. New York City, NY (summer group show in 1987).
For more information about the artist or to inquire about purchasing artwork, please write to Vsuthe1998@aol.com
