Curriculum Vitae
Susan MacInnes – Curriculum Vitae

Susan works from her rural Aberdeenshire studio. She uses a variety of mediums and her inspiration comes from enjoying the world and the people around her. She demonstrated her artistic ability at an early age, when she was selected to illustrate a book before going to primary school. However, her joint love of art and words saw her go on to study English at Aberdeen University and then to teach. During this time she continued to paint and sculpt for herself until she felt she needed more time and space to develop her art. She completed the Aberdeen College Foundation Art and Design course in 1993. Since then, she has done freelance and commissioned work, as well as community and primary school projects, working in both the classroom and the outside environment.

Her sculptures, which can be intricate or stylised, are ‘drawn’ in a variety of clay bodies, using hand built techniques so that each piece is unique and tells its own story. Whether highlighting the human condition, the quirks in individuals or celebrating the differences, she often uses humour to try and engage the audience with the spirit of each piece. Her love of story telling, myth, different cultures and archetypal images are also incorporated, which leaves her work open to interpretation on many levels. Sometimes she chooses a particular piece to be produced as a limited edition. She has taken part in many exhibitions in the North East, including the North East Open Studios event and has received awards for her work, most recently the Gordon Forum of the Arts Sculpture Award, which she has won twice.