Suzanne Benton






Believing that the purpose of art is to explore humanity and that art comes alive as it relates to people's lives, my art draws upon multicultural themes and engages the participation of others. For over 30 years and in 29countries, I've developed my work as a bridge between cultures. Drawn to diverse themes steeped in myth, ritual and archetype, the metier of metal sculptured masks has inspired me to create art around the world, studying myths and masking and infusing my work with this rich material.

A performance as well as a visual artist, my transcultural tales, myths and legends are portrayed through the steel and bronze masks I've created here and abroad. I also teach people of all ages and backgrounds in school and community settings to create their own contemporary masks and tales.

Beyond mask and metal, I also work in mixed media and printmaking. Secret Future Works are mixed media sculptures with locked interiors to be opened at a set time in the future. These works counter our impatient demands for instant gratification and the implicit fears for the future that such impatience implies. The unseen, presented within the context of art, challenges us to consider our personal and global futures. Three of now seventeen Secret Future Works were opened in the 1990's. Those created in India, Bangladesh, Ireland, Kenya, Tanzania, and the States will open in the future. Often containing messages placed inside by the people of these many countries, they address universal hopes, dreams and earned wisdom. I also lead Secret Future Workshops by guiding participants in the creation of their own secret boxes. Through guided imagery and journaling, workshop members unfurl and clarify their life stories, and give shape to their futures.

As a printmaker, I create monoprints (one-of-a-kind prints) using the collage technique, Chine colle (Chinese glued). The collage papers are hand-made, pre-inked and hand-painted. My dimensional printing plates create a rich texture onto the prints. These plates are inked individually for each print. The images and collage papers are placed on the plate where they fuse to the printmaking paper as the plate and paper roll through the etching press. Images in these art works are culled from Indian and Turkish miniature painting; South Asian Folk Art; Korean Lore and Legend; Hebrew Illuminated Manuscripts; Medieval Manuscripts; The Renaissance; Russian Icons; Greek Mythology; 19th Century Women Writers, Educators and Feminist Activists; Afro-Americans; Native American history; and American Landscapes."

Visit Suzanne Benton on the web.