Sussy Bawka

I am very drawn to liminal spaces and abandoned buildings, as a result, pathways,  thresholds, and empty buildings feature heavily in my work. For me these spaces portray moments suspended between the past and future, capturing the tension between the comfort of the familiar and the uncertainty of the unknown.

Although my process is strongly influenced by my architectural skillset, I typically approach the canvas in a playful way, creating underpaintings that are abstract, by interlacing brightly coloured fluid shapes with penwork to give a sense of movement. These layers are then reduced by overlaying opaque and translucent hardedge planes guided by point perspective lines. This process results in works that are both graphically strong and expressionistic, leading the viewer from a simple field of view, through to spaces that depict a strong sense of depth, often appearing ethereal, unfettered and lacking in familiarity. 

Olivia Jones is an Irish artist, living along the west coast of Ireland in Co. Sligo. From an early age Olivia was influenced by form and structure as she explored materials in her father’s wood workshop. This inspired her to follow a career in design, and after graduating  with a BA(Hons) in Interior Architecture & Design from Sligo ATU, she worked for several years in design offices in Ireland, Europe and Australia, including the stage design department in the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels.

Following a career in architecture, Olivia pivoted to a role in environmental engagement. This unique combination of experiences can be seen in her work, often showing natural and organic shapes restrained with architectural elements.

Olivia’s works have been exhibited nationally and in the UK, and she is also part of a select number of artists represented by Artly International, an online art division of J. Peeler Howell Fine Art, Texas. In addition, her paintings are also held in both private and corporate collections.