Susan Manchester : A Contemporary Lineage

The drawings of Susan Manchester depicting humans, flowers, plants and insects combine the exacting draftsmanship of Renaissance masters with the introspective power of her mentor, Giorgio Morandi. Treating each subject with the same fastidious approach, Manchester fittingly refers to both the botanical and human drawings as portraits, redefining the traditional art form to encompass not only human likeness, but also various growing beings, interconnected and animated by living energy. It is this sense of vitality that permeates each composition. In addition to drawing with a pencil, she also grinds graphite into a fine powder and applies it to the paper with a cotton pad and the palm of her hand. This additional step enables her to build up the surface of the drawing, heightening it without carving her strokes into the paper. A remarkable exhibition of drawings by a modern master.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website