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STATEMENT
Overlooked spaces and beauty within decay are central to my work.
Abstract pieces are process-driven, with paint and collaged elements repeatedly applied and pared back to create depth and a sense of history. Some works have a fragile, heirloom-like quality, reminiscent of a patchwork quilt or well-worn vintage garment, reflecting a lifelong interest in textiles, knitting and sewing. Others play around the edges of aesthetic beauty, with difficult, grimy textures. Either way, the intention is to create something honest and open about its own imperfections. The paintings are real, organic, almost living things.
My figurative paintings take these themes in a more narrative direction. There are everyday scenes with a foreboding mood or elemental quality. Tension is created by placing human-made structures in a natural environment, or a barrier between the viewer and the subject of the painting.
BIOGRAPHY
Originally from Liverpool, Sue Asbury now works from her home studio in Bollington on the edge of the Peak District. Solo shows at Spring Cheltenham (2022) and The Old School Gallery, Alnmouth (2021). Works have been shortlisted for the RWA Open 2023 and 2021, ING Discerning Eye 2022, New Light Prize Exhibition 2020-2021 and Manchester Open 2020.
Sue grew up in Liverpool, studied graphic design at Stockport College and built a 15-year career in graphic design in London, winning awards for her exhibition and print design work. Alongside writer Nick Asbury, she is one half of creative partnership Asbury & Asbury.
Since moving back north, Sue has made the transition into fine art, while retaining a design sensibility that is evident in her graphic compositions and subjects condensed to simplified forms. Abstract works are built up over many layers and often incorporate collaged elements, while figurative works include local landscapes, with an interest in the everyday and the passing of time. Mark-making and the drawn line are two common areas of exploration.
Sue makes daily drawing an integral part of her practice. An ongoing sketchbook project takes album covers from the 1960s onwards and reinterprets them as small, A6-sized pencil sketches, with the music providing a soundtrack to the drawing.
CONTACT
mail@sueasbury.co.uk
07967 972483
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