Of the works on view in Fresh Impressions, distinct series from Susan’s oeuvre include Changing Seasons, Nature’s Bouquet, and the Reverie collection which stands in a bold grouping at the forefront of the gallery. The 20 x 20" canvases exhude a contrasting mix of vibrant green, yellow, orange, and teal expertly blended with the distincly quiet tones of the Reverie series.

Reverie reflects Swartz’s keen ability to create an experience with a limited palette utilizing distinct hues and subtle surfaces found in nature. Each of Susan’s series are passionately created to evoke a spirit of joy and healing with the intention of inspiring viewers to appreciate and take responsibility for the natural world we call home.

View the full Reverie series here.

Swartz’s personal battle with two environmentally-born illnesses marked a pivotal time in her career. As Swartz’s relationship with nature evolved, her approach to painting transformed as well. Her deep reverence for nature grew exponentially and in tandem with an attentive eye to seasonal differences, inspiring a bold, gestural approach to the canvas. 

Swartz's most recent series, Evolution of Nature, is a body of work that pays tribute to the natural elements that healed her.  Dried fruits, flora, and herbs are used as material alongside other nutrient-rich elements in the complexly layered compositions.  The results are succulent, sculptural, playful, and opulent. Evolution of Nature debuted at Galerie Noack in Berlin in September of 2021 at the opening of Swartz's solo exhibition Three Dimensions.

As the largest painting to date, Evolution of Nature 25 stands at  6 x 10' in size adjacent to Afterlight, a striking monochromatic painting layered with depths of unexpected color.  This pairing heightens the vivid violet tones in both pieces and offers a unique balance in texture.

Now able to focus on healing and joy, Swartz paints with informed intuition and embraces exuberant applications of malleable acrylic, studying robust floral arrangements and assembling compositions of dried herbs. As Emily Dickinson outlines in her descriptions of color and life, Swartz articulates with saturated palettes and robust textures in a steadfast expression of the same abundant motif.

With multi-colored leaves and flora emerging from surfaces of crystalline translucent paint, the Changing Seasons series pays homage to the transient moments of the year by representing the tipping points of early spring and late summer.

The Nature’s Bouquet series studies floral arrangements through tangible globs and drips of paint. This technique celebrates the dimension of the medium while building a strong sense of movement and depth.  In each piece, abundant pigments and texture burst from solid backgrounds in an exhilarating expression of the movement of flower petals floating in wind or cascading through water.

Nature's Bouquet 20 radiates warmth alongside Cerulean Skies and Nature's Bouquet 52. This grouping envokes bliss as it is reminiscent of oceanside wildflowers dancing in a breeze on a cloudless summer day.

Evolving Visions joins Natural Flux in an impressive display reflective of spring bursting forth. The botanical imprints in Natural Flux 104 and Nature Revisited 32 call to the floral forms in Nature's Bouquet 24.  Fresh whites carry through all four pieces, evocative of the envigorating power of the bright season.

Spring Muse and Bhutan hang next to Splendid Day in an elegant triad illustrating blossoms, lush greenery, longer evenings, and other beloved temperaments of springtime.

A vivacious asymmetrical arrangement hangs at the back of the gallery in juxtaposition with the linear grid standing at the front.  The two designs act as bookends of the exhibition, both overflowing with color and prominence.  Where the symmetrical grid is precise and powerful, the asymmetrical grid is floral and free, allowing the two arrangements to play off of each other and speak to a wide audience.