I am originally from Alexandria, Virginia. I grew up in Old Town
Alexandria. I lived in the John Carlyle mansion. My grandmother was the
curator. Due to being a military wife I moved around a lot. I ended up
in Watertown, NY. I lived there for over 10 years. I moved a few years
after my husband passed away in 2009.
This is where my story begins......
When
I first started painting I literally painted all day every day for a
year in my garage when I lived in Watertown, NY. I would put six to ten
canvases on the garage floor. I would paint through the wee hours of
the night. I would sleep for a few hours. I would get back up and do it
all over again. In the summer time I transformed my drive way and back
yard into studio space.
A few years after my husband passed away I
relocated to Seneca Falls, NY. Now my studio is in a barn. I have no
heat. In the winter time, it can get very cold. In the summer time it
gets very hot. I love painting in my barn; it is truly a wonderful place
to be.
I have adopted a variety of techniques that have become a
signature part of my work. I unleash these methods as needed. Many
people think that drip painting or abstract painting is little more than
“throwing” paint on a canvas. In reality, it is harder than it looks.
In creating my paintings I allow myself to respond authentically to my
materials. What transpires during the process is between the canvas and
I. Lacking the need for much certainty in my life: I am inspired to
create art that is risky, subversive, and edgy. Sometimes my work is
suggestive or spontaneous, but it’s never uncomplicated. Uncertainty is
the essential, inevitable ingredient for creating something that you
never thought you could create. I do not use brushes. I use sticks or
whatever I happen to find laying around my barn.
My paintings are
clearly not for everyone. I do not paint for commercial appeal. I do not
follow the latest trends. My pieces are unique, dynamic, and
emotionally charged, which I believe are vital aspects of true works of
art. My paintings are sought after, and supported, by a growing number
of private clients who are emotionally moved and physically drawn to
them. My art is bursting with imagination, vibrant with life and a true
expression of my passion. They are living proof of who I am and what I
am feeling at that moment. My paintings seize a moment in time and
capture it on canvas. The canvas is the only place where I feel
perfectly happy and at home. The canvas keeps me connected with someone
who will live forever in my heart and soul. He is in every painting. He
is in every swirl and splash of paint. For me, painting is as natural as
breathing. The canvas accepts me for who I am. It accepts my
shortcomings, mistakes, Scottish temper and all of my neurotic
tendencies.
My paintings are shown and collected both nationally
and internationally. I have a master’s degree in psychology. I have no
formal training in art. What you see on the canvas comes from my
imagination and pure love of painting. If you are moved by the work you
see here, are interested in purchasing a particular piece or would like a
studio tour, send me an email, satchwellcontemporaryartstudio@yahoo.com
