CURRENT EXHIBITION
SUZANNE CROCKER:

OCEANSCAPES

SUZANNE CROCKER --ARTIST STATEMENT

My artistic practice is grounded in intuition, gesture, and emotional immediacy. I am a process painter and colorist, working viscerally and playfully—with an instinctual approach where each mark and color leads to the next. The natural world is the frequent spark which calls me into creative action. The rhythms of the ocean, the vastness of the sky, and the quiet geometry of rural landscapes are recurring sources of inspiration. My paintings often carry a sense of elemental movement—fluid, shifting, and alive. In this way, nature becomes more than subject; it is collaborator, informing the mood, palette, and presence of each piece.

Music also plays a vital role in my studio practice, acting as both companion and catalyst. Whether jazz, funk, or rock, sound dissolves thought and opens a direct channel to emotion. Its rhythm and texture are mirrored in the layered, improvisational quality of my mark-making. The result is a kind of visual music—paintings that pulse with life and suggest motion, even in stillness. Though abstract in form, my work is a tangible expression of unseen energy. Through bold color, dynamic composition, and intuitive layering, I aim to tap into a universal emotional register—one that transcends language and speaks to our deep, shared connection to the natural world.

These Oceanscapes, or  “SI” series, emerged from the visual and sensory experience of standing at the ocean’s edge—waves breaking over my feet, foam swirling, revealing glimpses of sand, shells, and water beneath. Like much of life, these works are layered: they suggest the presence of energies and realities beyond what we see with the naked eye. “SI” stands for Shelter Island, a place I’ve called home, or visited, since birth. Surrounded by water and immersed in nature, I find myself naturally attuned to its rhythm. Life on the island brings peace, awe, and contemplation.

I hope these paintings invite you to feel and to pause. They live in the space between sound and silence, memory and presence, offering quiet moments of recognition, resonance, and connection with the natural world.

See below for a sampling of paintings from the current exhibition, "Oceanscapes".

Note that colors vary on monitors. Please inquire if you would like to see more images of any particular painting or if there is a size you are seeking which is not shown here. If you would like to see a work in person please visit the gallery or arrange for a trial at home/in office.