This is Susie Wright, an Edinburgh based printmaker & designer, author of many spectacular prints loved by our customers and ourselves. Her screenprints of the Forth Rail Bridge & Queensferry Crossing a couple of our long standing favourites at Curiouser and Curiouser.
I met Susie in her fantastic and organised studio in Beaverbank, Edinburgh which made me appreciate the scope of creative work she has done. Here are a few questions I ask her so you can get to know her a little bit better.
1. What were the beginnings of your path as an artist?
I studied illustration at Edinburgh College of Art and then went on to do an MA at
Central St Martins and lived in London for a number of years where I was really
inspired by DIY creative culture. I have always loved recording the world around me by drawing which has consistently been the main inspiration for my work. I learnt to screen print at college and it’s been a hugely important part of my practice ever since. I love the process and the freedom it gives me to produce work.
2. Tell us a bit more about your creative process.
My creative process always starts with lots of drawing, usually in one of my many sketchbooks. If I’m making a print, I draw a series of layers that will eventually make up the finished image or for commissions I’ll often develop the initial hand drawn elements on the computer.
One of the desks at Susie's studio in Edinburgh, featuring her ceramics & prints
3. I know that you’ve been experimenting with different media. What is your most recent passion?
I’ve always loved working with lots of different media. In lockdown earlier in the year, I didn’t have access to my usual methods of production so I got really excited about drawing the plants in the garden, observing how quickly things grew and changed and spent weeks playing with watercolour and colour pencils just enjoying the process. I’m now working on developing some of these drawings into a series of large screen prints. I’ve also been exploring ceramics over the last few years, honing my throwing skills and developing my drawings on 3D forms.
Arthurs Seat Screen Print by Susie Wright.
Susie Wright in her studio next to the digital work station.
4. How long did it take you to develop your own recognisable style?
I’ve never consciously developed a style, but I think being introduced to the screen printing process early on influenced my quite graphic approach.
Forth Rail Bridge Screen Print by Susie Wright.
5. What is the message behind your work?
I think I’ve always tried to encourage people to notice and appreciate the small
things in their surroundings. A lot of the works I have created have hidden details or elements that you might only notice over time from small architectural details to lots of subtle layers in my screen prints.
Susie in her Edinburgh studio next to her press holding a screen-printing screen.
6. What inspires you to move forward and explore new ideas?
Mainly just the love of making and trying to refine my craft. I enjoy the challenge and process of printmaking so much, you never quite know what a print will look like until it’s finished. And I think it’s the same with ceramics, you never quite know how a piece will look until it’s come out of the kiln.
7. What are the most cherished and the most painful aspects of running your
own creative business?
The most cherished is definitely when I’m printing or researching ideas especially when I can do some location drawing. It can get frustrating when there’s lots of admin to do but really, I just feel so lucky I have managed to make a career out of drawing.
8. What animal would you choose to be in your next life?
That’s a tricky one, probably a cat or some kind of nocturnal creature!
Queensferry Crossing print by Susie Wright - one of our favourites.
Edinburgh Castle Digital Art Print also available as a Tea Towel here and a tray here.
If you enjoyed the interview, have a look at Susie's selection of work we have in our shop. We have a variety of screen-prints available as well as digital art prints to buy here.