J*9: Describe yourself in 3 sentences.
Suzko: I suppose I’d describe myself as a true artist: a bit fucked up, over and under enthusiastic about everything, overly ambitious but lazy, way too sensitive but hardcore. Just one big contradiction.
J*9: Off the creative things to do, why did you choose art?
Suzko: Art has been my life since I can remember. As a kid, I could never go anywhere without a pencil and would scribble and doodle everywhere and on everything, much to the annoyance of my mum. I guess it was kinda a release of thoughts and feelings that maybe I couldn’t express at that age.
J*9: What inspires you to create pieces?
Suzko: The city and London life inspires me in a big way. New trends and sub cultures interest me. I have recently been focusing on the London cycle courier scene which has exploded in the last year and it’s pretty easy to get inspiration as my boyfriend is one of them. Other urban artists inspire me, graffiti artists, manga and also traditional art forms; the renaissance period and the old school Italian masters.
J*9: How would you describe your style?
Suzko: For the last year I have been experimenting with a new style. I have been using posca pens on canvas primarily used by graffiti artists which creates a poster, pop art feel in bright fluro colours. I’ve been doing alot of commissioned portraits which has been great cos it brings in the money and its always cool trying to find that unique look within the subject. But really my true passion is hidden within the darker side of things. I used to paint in oils and would twist and distort figures into mythological creatures and weird fantasy style bird-like characters. There are some pretty freaky things that go on in my imagination and I do my best to recreate them onto canvas.
J*9: How is your style unique?
Suzko: To be honest, I don’t know if any artist could really say that their work is completely unique. All artists take inspiration from other peoples work and hopefully it evolves into something new and different.
J*9: When did you realise you had this talent?
Suzko: I think I’ve always known I had talent but my parents always really supported me as a child and told me how good I was so it probably started there. However, no matter how much natural talent you have, you always have to practise, and continue doing it otherwise you can lose it abit. I never went to uni, so when all my friends were going off to do that, I went to work and lost all enthusiasm for what it is that I love: art. For three years I did nothing so when the time came to get back into it, it was really hard. I had to kinda re-teach myself all the basics, but it does eventually come back to you.
J*9: What other street inspired artists do you admire?
Suzko: There’s a French guy called Amose who covers loads of areas with his collective, Mercurocrom, including digital images, illustrations and graff murals. He creates weird elongated and distorted characters which I love. Another guy from his collective is Erone and his work is right up my street. But these guys have already made it and what I really want is to big up all the unrecognised talent out there. There are so many amateur and outsider artists with so much going for them. Cat Johnston, Zoe Moss, inkfetish and Sichi being but a few.
J*9: What is the best piece of art you have created?
Suzko: It’s really difficult to choose one of my pieces which I think is the best. I spend so much time working on them and staring at them for hours that it’s hard to see them with fresh eyes. When you look at something for so long it strips it of its purity and you can never see it for what it really is. Having said this, I do love one called ‘Baby and Tash’, which is a portrait of my grandfather holding me as a baby. The colours I used give it a real comic book/superhero feel.
I honestly don’t feel like my gender affects my art in any way.
J*9: Where in the world would be your ideal place to produce some art?
Suzko: Two places I’ve never been but have heard are amazing are Berlin and New York. I’d love to go out there, especially Berlin as it full of artists, musician and all creatives. However, probably the most idealic place for me to be to do art would be somewhere like Indonesia. A place where rainforest meets beach, sitting in some broken down little beach hut with no material distractions, just nature. I’m not a hippy, I swear! Ha-ha!
J*9: Tell me about any upcoming projects you may have?
Suzko: No real plans for future projects yet. I wanna get back to my dark side; create some proper twisted characters in oils. I really wanna teach myself to use spray cans as well cos then I could get into doing big murals and stuff. That would be great!
Check Suzko on: http://susielowe.carbonmade.com/
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