Suarez Looks at the Bigger Picture
By: Chinyere Ikedionwu
After working with pastels for many years, Suarez has found a new passion with oil paintings. With her upcoming exhibition, Reflections on Our Time, Suarez explores how light and color is distorted through commercially produced plastic objects. By doing so, she provides a new lens in which to view objects from.
Janet Suarez in her studio. See her exhibition, Reflections on Our Time, in the Center for Art & Theatre from March 17-28th
Not only does Suarez aspire to captivate viewers with her artwork, she also wants to start a conversation about sustainability. To her, it is the small changes that
people can make that will positively effect our environment. “My goal is to draw the viewer into my art so they question what they see, encouraging them to think of how they interact with the natural world and the environmental footprint they leave behind, “ Suarez said. “Thus creating an awareness of even how small changes can create big effects.”
A native of South Florida, Suarez’s background with nature and water is reflected in each painting she creates. By utilizing an array of technical skills, as well as the use of luscious and complex colors, Suarez captivates viewers with her dynamic paintings. “My pieces are fairly contemporary, vibrant, organic, colorful, and they show pattern, movement and spatial play,“ says Suarez.
After receiving her Bachelors of Fine Art from the University of Florida and a degree in Art Education from Kennesaw State University, Suarez taught both elementary and high school art. Suarez now spends the bulk of her days working in her studio on campus, as well as teaching Georgia Southern courses as a graduate teaching assistant. She loves to teach and plans to continue teaching as a professor after completing her MFA program.
As her time winds down at Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art, Suarez remembers all the great times she’s had with her classmates, faculty, and staff. “I love the camaraderie we share in the art department. The faculty is very giving with the knowledge they have accumulated. The interaction we have in this department simply can not be replaced,” said Suarez.
Reflections on our Times will be displayed in the Center for Art and Theatre from March 17-28th. To learn more about Janet Suarez, check out her blog for more information (http://janetsuarez.wordpress.com).
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