Sue Lawty

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Elements: earth fire

Elements: wood metal

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Lawty's work is rooted in an emotional, spiritual and physical engagement with the land.

 

Through repetitive structure and construction, she meticulously explores material qualities that are inherently given by the substance she chooses to work with. Whether stone, lead or hand spun hemp, she quietly draws the viewer in to observe the subtlest of nuances.

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LEAD

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Lead is from the mineral galena, found underground in rock.

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It is extremely dense.

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It is poisonous.

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It is used to kill.

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It is used to protect.

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It is heavy.

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It is soft.

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It is pliable, malleable, weavable, knotable and beatable.

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In the ancient practice of alchemy, lead was considered "prima matter" or primal matter.  From the 15th century onwards alchemists endeavoured to find the secret for turning lead into gold.

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The large stone drawings are made by collecting, organising, ordering and the precise placement of thousands of tiny stones, creating a kind of ‘text’ or pixilated ‘cloth’. Lightness of touch and a pared down palette give importance to each

unique mark and minute variance within the context of repetition: the individual within the infinite. These works hold a quiet presence; they are refined, understated and are a direct engagement with nature. They have been described as ‘meditative... a deeply contemplative experience'.

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Lawty’s work is in collections worldwide including the Victoria and Albert Museum,

London where she held a year-long residency. Prestigious Artist Research Fellowships

include Smithsonian Museums USA and University of Leeds. In 2017 'Earth Materials'

was published about Sue’s work.

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if you are interested in any of Sue Lawty's work

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