Susan Scott

My work is an allegorical exploration of existential, psychological, and spiritual ideas. I’m particularly interested in exploring our relationship with nature on a psychological level, including the notion that we think of nature as separate from ourselves, as an unlimited commodity to be used up, owned or conquered. What sort of flaw has evolved in humans that makes us destroy the very thing we need to ensure our survival on Earth? Carl Jung said “The world hangs by a thin thread, and that thread is the psyche of man. ... What if something goes wrong with the psyche?” I think this is one of the most profound and important questions ever posed and it informs much of my work.

I’m also interested in ideas from 17th century alchemical imagery, particularly the Nigredo (putrefaction or decomposition) which is the first step along the way to the philosopher’s stone, and the unification of opposites, ie. feminine/masculine, lunar/solar, microcosm/macrocosm, etc. I am also inspired by 20th century Surrealism with it’s modern, ironic and especially absurd interpretation of reality. I believe weighty ideas are better expressed with a little levity.