Creative Practice & Bio
About Me
Elizabeth Suriani is a contemporary visual artist recognized for her explorations of color, form, identity, and storytelling. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, with solo shows including CHROMOPHOBIA at Artworks Center for Contemporary Art in Colorado and Complacent at Buffalo Bridge Gallery in Bangkok, Thailand. She has participated in juried and invitational exhibitions at well known venues such as The Dairy Arts Center, Loveland Art Museum, Pollack Gallery, and Edge Gallery in Denver. Her work has earned recognition, including 30 Under 30 honors from Noco Style Magazine and local art awards.
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In addition to her studio practice, Suriani is an arts educator, fostering creativity through guest lectures, workshops, and online teaching to students of all ages. She has served as a visiting artist at institutions including the University of Wyoming, Thompson Valley High School, and RBIS International School in Bangkok. Through her dynamic practice, she bridges the roles of artist and educator, inspiring engagement with contemporary art on multiple levels. Her work is held in private collections across the U.S.
Creative Practice
The artwork I create explores the entire space, considering not only the physical presence of each piece but also its relationship to the surrounding environment, community, and patrons. My approach is deeply immersive, ensuring that my work has a lasting impact with the people who experience it. Specializing in oil painting, I focus on portraiture and anatomy while integrating elements of storytelling, historical context, and feminist studies. These themes guide my creative vision, allowing each piece to hold meaning beyond aesthetics.
When beginning a new body of work, I approach the process as a conceptual framework, akin to scientific progression. Research plays a crucial role in my practice, as I seek to understand the historical and cultural layers within my subject. My series are narrative-driven, each addressing themes of identity, trauma, resilience, and power. Say My Name was a deeply personal project, incorporating both portraiture and traumatic narratives from 18 individuals. Chromophobia reclaims stories of women by juxtaposing classical depictions of violence with vibrant, disruptive color. Now, I am embarking on a new series experimenting with acrylic relief forms of poisonous plants, delving into their historical uses by women and apothecaries, exploring themes of agency and resistance.