Past Tense Work by Susana Arias

Bronzes 1976 - 1984

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Poder de la Mujer

Quail

Escuchando

Dragonfly Resting

Poder de la Mujer

Fish Making Love

Sobrevivencia Animal

My bronze works are stylized forms that express the essence of a shape.

I started with realistic figures constructed of geometrical forms which then evolved into stylized animal shapes.

They represent an emotion or an instant in life.

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Musical Instruments

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Green Drum

Juego de Tambor

Strung Drum

It Could Have Been

A Mandolin

Gloria's Drum

Medusa's Violin

Kludge

One Note Samba Violin

Musical Notes

Susana Arias's musical “instrument” sculptures make you wonder about their function, sound, or purpose stemming from unknown cultures. They are fun, interactive sculptures that entice you to stay longer and play. Made mostly of clay, with added beads and found objects, their execution is as whimsical as the music they produce.

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Cacti 1985 - 1987 Click on the thumbnails below to view larger images
Cactus Cortado	Cactus Muerto	Cactus Violado
Cactus Doblado	Cactus on Rocks	Otro Cactus Cortado
In the Cacti series Susana Arias represents nature’s resilience to man’s attempt to control it. Susan Arias's inspiration came from a trip to the desert: the majestic Saguaros, the many flowers growing off rocks and in the tiniest of cracks. There was a gardening company pulling the cacti right out of the ground to sell to people for their homes; and the flowers, after their great feat of survival would be picked right off the ground by someone passing by to then die in a pot in some office. Susana Arias made the cacti in clay and fired them in large pits at the beach with organic materials so that the process would be parallel to the concept. In contrast, they are mounted on geometric bronze shapes or held together by industrial dowels and boards, demonstrating man’s attempt to control nature.

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EarthWorks 1985 - 1992

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Dark Doorways and Alleys

100 Years of Architecture

urban reference -721 by Susana Arias, Abbaca, Acrylics, Art, Artwork, Art Classes, Architectural, Ceramics, Art Lessons, Bathroom floors, Bathroom Sinks, Bathroom tiles, Bowls, Bronze, Cast Ceramics, Canvas, Children's Art, Clay, Commissions, Community,Cement,Door Trim,

Pivotal Point

Dark alleys Open doors by Susana Arias, Abbaca, Acrylics, Art, Artwork, Art Classes, Architectural, Ceramics, Art Lessons, Bathroom floors, Bathroom Sinks, Bathroom tiles, Bowls, Bronze, Cast Ceramics, Canvas, Children's Art, Clay, Commissions, Community,Cement,Door Trim,

Bunker

Urban Reference #1

Urban Reference #6

Urban Reference #12

The earth works series is done using a process of compressed earth into which Susana Arias places shapes that she later removes to leave negative spaces with architectural references. Susana Arias leaves some areas raw and contrast them with other brightly painted areas.

In Panama, where Susana Arias comes from, there are ruins from Spanish forts destroyed by pirates. Next to these ruins are small houses painted in blinding whites and brilliant blues, reds, Caribbean greens and fuchsia. Or zinc houses with cardboard windows. They use one of the walls of the ruins and build right off of them. They hang their bright clothing on lines to dry in the hot sun. The contrast between the old massive and very strong yet deteriorated walls and the new fragile but colorful homes and lives fascinates and inspires her.

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Oropendula Nests

Sculpture Series - 2007

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These sculptures are inspired by a very universal form. It is the shape of a droplet of water, the gentle, soft curve of a pendulum, an elongated circle. The nest of the Oropendula bird, created for the protection of their young from the wind, the rain and other creatures such as monkeys, squirrels, etc. The nests in their elegant form and lightness of construction sway in the breeze as the mother birds sing like waterfalls in their liquid song. The Oropendula build their nests on trees that stand apart from others so that animals in the forest cannot jump and eat their young. The beauty of a cluster of these amazing forms is that of a jeweled tree. They hang at the end of royal palms like pendant earrings and on the branches of jungle trees like necklaces.