Local artist Susan Jessop shares her inspirations for her paper collage worlds that are filled with symbolic objects.
Growing up in the United Kingdom and pursuing a career in museum education immersed Susan Jessop in historic objects and layered histories from an early age. This gave her an understanding and appreciation of the stories that objects can tell. These stories reveal themselves through her images to evoke a feeling of nostalgia.
In this illustrated talk, Jessop will discuss her inspirations from household objects and interior settings. She will also talk about the process of physically making collage.
Jessop says, “Moving houses and living in different countries throughout my adult life has given me an opportunity to explore the meaning of home and the symbolism of the objects we choose to surround ourselves with. I see these created spaces as a stage set for our experiences. How do our domestic interior spaces reflect our lives and aspirations?”
With an interest in the handmade, Jessop uses old books and magazines to create her paper collages. She cuts out interiors and objects that leave the marks of her scissors on them. She also uses these collages as inspiration for her small-scale acrylic paintings on plywood.
About the Artist
After completing her Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) in the United Kingdom, Susan Jessop spent twenty years balancing her own art practice with education work in museums and galleries. After moving to Canada in 2005, she became a full-time visual artist, exhibiting her work across Vancouver and BC.