Twisted Hibiscus and more art by Susan Oakes

Digital Photo Collage/Painting, printed on Canvas
Susan Oakes Artist Statement I am a freelance digital artist/instructor with a diverse background in psychology, business, art and technology. Having never been a person with merely one goal, one purpose, I’ve traveled a multifaceted educational and vocational road of discovery. Through my work and teaching, I demonstrate that art and technology are not antagonistic, but can coexist and should be used to enhance each other in new and exciting ways. In my digital work I blur the borders between photography, painting, and digital illustration to achieve my artistic vision. What I do is not really traditional photography, but “Photo Imaging” in which I use enhanced techniques such as layering, masking, and digital “hand painting”. Although it originates with computer hardware and software, my work is not the result of anything “automatic”, and is developed from my original photography. There is no “formula” or automatic process; no two pieces are done in exactly the same way. In my recent collage pieces, I create composites of several photos, and sometimes vector illustrations as well. They are not only layered, but have various other effects such as painting, blending and masking to achieve a certain look. I often begin with the human form and then relate it to elements in the natural world, such as water, plant life, or landscapes. The viewer’s eye is drawn around the piece to discover both the individual elements and how they coalesce to form the whole.