Susan Rotondo is a Redmond, Washington (USA) based artist who is currently working on a collection of detailed drawings of bird hybrids that are meant to convey her love of meticulous rendering combined with the inevitable sense of whimsy that comes from clothing and posing birds. Susan earned her BFA in drawing and printmaking at Western Washington University. She is also a recent graduation of the Artist Trust EDGE Professional Development Program in Seattle.
Art Statement:
There is a certainty I experience uniquely in the movement of pencil on paper. For me, drawing is stillness and confidence; it’s just the pencil, the paper, and me. What I love about using birds as my subject matter is that they are a rich source of visually intricate imagery, which pushes me toward the kind of detailed renderings that allow me to move slowly and thoughtfully as I work.
Clothing and posing the birds adds a quiet absurdity to the portraits that makes me smile. No matter if their gaze appears to be stern, thoughtful, quizzical or amused, I grow fond of my birds’ little faces as I draw them out on the page. I imagine their stories, pleased with myself for trapping them on paper for all to see.
