Susan E Roden

I am a multidisciplinary artist and instructor living in Albuquerque, New Mexico that portrays emotive-based art. My imagery exudes subtle expressions that denote the positive appreciation of life around with reflections of lived experiences. Preference for soft pastels is derived from a love of the Impressionistic Era as well as from the satisfaction of creating the painting, i.e., sculpting with the sticks of pastels. I manipulate the visual effects by varying the pressure of application and rotating the stick with usage of the broad side, tip or blunt end for varied sizes of strokes. Individuals will experience a sense of touch by viewing the sensation of movement, created by the mass of individualized, layered strokes. My manner of execution is untraditional with application of contrasting colors of light and dark pastels applied in alternating layers. Limited mid-tones are added in the mid and latter stages of the painting. Underlying layers emanate a reflective quality, giving added depth. The excessive layering creates the illusion and lushness of oils. Minimalist settings are utilized, with cropped compositions, which invokes intimacy and a sense of drama. Many great artists have influenced my art, with a special reverence to Edgar Degas, Manny Farber, Susan Hauptman and Janet Monafo. Impressions from each’s oeuvre have shaped my personal technique and process

Susan E. Roden resides in Albuquerque, NM. She has exhibited nationally and recipient of the 1994 Medal of Honor for pastels from the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, NY. Roden has been awarded artist residences to Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park (2009), Desert Dairy Farm, Twentynine Palms, CA (2021, 2022, 2024) and Mission Street Arts, Jemez, NM. (2023) In 2019 Roden was artistic collaborator with Aux Dog Theatre, ABQ and playwright Mark Dunn in the original production of Diptych. Featured were 32 pieces of Roden's art representing the daughter of the play. Her artwork has been featured in The Pastel Journal and cited in the 2005 Southwest Art Magazine as “Collectors Choice for Pastels”. Roden’s work was featured on the cover of the 2002 Pastel Artist International Magazine with an accompanied 10-page article. Roden is a juried member with the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, NY, Distinguished Pastelist with the Pastel Society of New Mexico, and Secretary of the NMC of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She Is a past instructor at UCSD Ext and currently conducts classes at New Mexico Art League, OASIS/ABQ and Harwood Art Center. Her art is in collections of City of Albuquerque, Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation, Petrified Forest National Park, San Diego Chamber of Commerce, UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center, and Women’s Museum of California. Roden is represented by Jezebel Gallery, Patrician Design, and Tirage Gallery.

2-D, Assemblage, Drawing, Fiber Arts, Multi-Media, Painting (all materials)