The place I am getting to, why are there these obstacles II
Paper collage
9″ x 12″
These collages are about the complexity of finding contentment, the implausibility of landing in a happy space, inspired by Sylvia Plath’s Ariel. The titles are taken from Plath’s poems, and the images revisit her struggles to attain the domestic bliss promised in popular culture. Made from lifestyle magazines, real estate ads, and other commercial ephemera, these paper places challenge assumptions of comfort and fulfillment. Within layers of throwaway paper are the tears, imperfections, and ripples that invite you to question the everyday spaces we call home.
Kim Suttell is a self-taught artist emerging from a career in bureaucracy and spreadsheets. She is bound by paper, as a medium, and a will to make sense and order from unconnected pieces. Her collage work references appliqué quilts and block printing, with imperfections and a strong commitment to color and tone. She enjoys telling stories with what otherwise gets thrown away.