Page 20 - 9781909825086_interior_cover.indd

Susan Mackay
Born 1987
Lives and works in Wellington, New Zealand
www.art-thunk.co.nz

Susan Mackay is a contemporary artist from New Zealand who specialises in portraiture. Mackay aims to express the inner personality,
emotions, histories, and relationships to place, objects, and others within her work. Often her portraiture focuses on the face with the main
focus of the image on the eyes as the doorways to the soul.
Mackay’s interest in art began at a young age when she saw her father sketching and begged for a turn. From the moment she was given
a pencil and paper and shown that these things could be used for images and not just for writing she has had a passion and natural skill for
drawing. Mackay has been mostly self-taught, independently honing her skills in observing, drawing, and experimenting with colour and style.

Mackay has worked in many mediums but fi nds that she prefers the history, beauty, versatility, and slow nature of working in oil paints. She
fi nds inspiration in stories, and the people who share their stories, and uses them to investigate the place and role of humans in society and
the world. Her style is mostly realistic; it is honest, hopeful, emotional, and vibrant.
SUSAN MACKAY grew up in Nelson, New Zealand, where she studied Art in College before going on to further study Art and Design at an art school in Nelson. After
moving to Wellington, she spent a year studying Art History through Victoria University, before transferring to Toi Whakaari dance and drama school where she learnt
about design for stage and screen.

Left: Self Portrait, 2013,
Oil on Canvas.
h: 76cm w: 101cm d: 4cm,
Private Collection.
Right: Cheryl, 2008,
Oil on Canvas.
h: 40cm w: 30cm d: 4cm,
Private Collection.

20 21