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About
"Found paper and objects, and even the monoprints that I create and use, have a tangible appeal that I find fascinating."
Bio
Born 1963. Raised in Houston, Texas. Lives and works in Denver, Colorado.
Anne Sutherlin is a self-taught artist. She delves into the intricate layers of human culture and emotion utilizing the medium of collage. Her background in Anthropology, specializing in the Evolution of Aesthetics, brings a distinctive perspective to her art practice. Her study of the human experience and the evolution of aesthetic development in the human brain serves as a base of deep exploration of human existence, both historical and contemporary. With her collages she is able to capture fleeting moments and profound emotions embedded within our shared cultural experiences.
Anne's artistic process involves combining modern artifacts in the form of found papers and objects, each carrying its own history and significance, with her own monoprints and cyanotypes, paint, and other media. The selection and arrangement of materials are instrumental in conveying specific moments or emotions frozen in time. Anne assembles these elements into compelling collages that resonate deeply with viewers, evoking a visceral emotional response.
She has worked in a variety of media over the years, including photography, acrylic paint, watercolor, monoprinting, cyanotype, collage, and assemblage. For the last five years, her work has focused on utilizing discarded materials that many people would view as trash. Anne sees them as objects with their own history which, when combined with other ephemeral materials, form a fresh narrative that resonates uniquely with every observer.
Artist Statement
I am drawn to old, worn, cast off elements, each carrying its own unique history. I combine them in a sort of alchemical process to create something new, but that reflects a shared story. I enjoy working with tactile elements. Found paper and objects, and even the monoprints that I create and use, have a tangible appeal that I find fascinating. These elements, because they have had a life, seem to have agency in creating the collages. It seems strange, but I almost never have a concept of a work and execute it as planned. I'm more of a conduit for the voices of all the elements. I find it most effective to shut off those controlling impulses and let it flow.
My neurodiverse brain plays a significant role in my artistic journey. It allows me to perceive the world through a unique lens, forging connections and patterns that others might not readily see. I received my ADHD diagnosis only two years ago, at the age of 58, and in retrospect, I can recognize how my visual brain has guided my creative output from a young age.
As a child, alongside typical painting and paper crafts, I fashioned creations from found materials. I vividly remember constructing a model of Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki raft using day lily stalks and dental floss. At the age of 13, I attended a summer program at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas. One memorable incident captures the essence of my creative process: during a pottery class, I forgot to bring an object for the project that week, which was to create a container for our object. The same brain that forgot to bring the required item quickly came up with a solution. I fashioned a “dark holder" from clay and, when asked by an instructor what I had brought in, I explained that I had brought “dark” in my pocket. I received an A- and a skeptical look from the teacher.
In my artistic journey, I embrace the serendipity and spontaneity of creation, allowing the elements I work with to guide the way, while my neurodiverse perspective infuses my art with a distinctive and profound outlook.
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