Susan Spjut explores topics often glossed over in life and in art galleries with her paintings in Hidden Epidemic, the visiting artist exhibition on display Jan. 25 through Feb. 10 at the Lone Star College-CyFair Bosque Gallery.

With regard to this exhibition’s title, Hidden Epidemic, Spjut said “Family violence, sexual assault and child abuse are often beneath the surface and no one really wants to know about it.  We read about it in the papers, feel bad, then move on.” 

Spjut’s paintings encourage the viewer to reconsider this perspective.

As a forensic nurse, Spjut works with patients of assault, abuse and violence. When she lost a friend to domestic violence, she found a way to combine her two passions, her work and her paintings. She cuts out newspaper articles and then draws or paints images over the articles.

“In a sense, the newspaper is my canvas. My paintings represent the people ‘stuck’ in these news stories,” she explained. “Often, my paintings are influenced by my emotions after a particularly difficult case.  These paintings help me deal with the emotional stress of my job and, hopefully, will help raise awareness of the violence that is so prevalent in our society today.”

More recently Spjut took the idea of news events to start a series using newspaper clippings of the BP oil spill. Those paintings are on display at Bogan Gallery in Galveston.
 
Learn more about this talented artist in person at the LSC-CyFair Bosque Gallery opening reception set for 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27 in the lobby of the Center for the Arts on the Barker Cypress campus at 9191 Barker Cypress.

For gallery hours and information, contact the Bosque Gallery at 832.482.1038 or go online to LoneStar.edu/bosquegallery.