The Texture of the Land
The landscape is the constant. For Sue Murdoch, it is the starting point and the inevitable return, a subject that shifts from the natural evolution of a Scottish island to the heavy traces of human toil. She moves through the world looking for form, color, and texture, often working directly within the environments that inspire her. This physical closeness to the terrain informs her use of mixed media, where the tactile qualities of the surface become as important as the subject itself.
Her training began in Graphic Design at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design, a foundation that informs her precise understanding of composition. From there, her practice expanded into a deep investigation of how materials interact. She has sought out specific environments to fuel her vision, securing residencies at the Inniemore School of Painting on Mull, the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and the National Trust Wallington Estate. These placements allow her to engage with the specific light and topography of the United Kingdom.
Recognition and Materiality
Her work is defined by a refusal to be limited to a single medium. She navigates between oil on canvas, acrylic, and oil pastel, often layering these elements to build a sense of physical presence. This experimentation has led to significant professional milestones:
- Awards from the Laing Art Competition and the New English Art Club.
- A Creative Partnership from Arts Council England.
- A commission for the British Conifer Association garden at the Chelsea Flower Show using found objects.
The results of this material exploration are held in significant collections. Her works, such as Landscape in Northumberland and Rothley Castle, Northumberland, were given to the National Trust through the Foundation for Art scheme in 2000. These pieces, characterized by their varied textures, reside within the Wallington collection.
Exhibition and Presence
The reach of her practice extends from the galleries of Edinburgh to the remote corners of the Hebrides. She has exhibited at RSW, Edinburgh, The Carthouse Gallery, Mull, and An Tobar Art Centre, Mull. Her work has also been featured at the 11th London Artists Book Fair at the ICA. Whether she is working with oil on canvas or constructing art from found objects, the focus remains on the intersection of the physical world and the marks left upon it.
