Art

Item Information

Item Number 104

Item Description

Susan Summit Cyr

PERILOUS REFUGE

Silk, dyes and recycled net on cedar plank

42" x 16"

Artist Susan Summitt Cyr brings the mystery and undulating beauty of seascapes to life in her work. As a scuba diver, she collects inspiration deep under the waters of Puget Sound and then returns to her SeaHorse sttudio to create elaborate silk paintings. In this work, she has collaged layers of painted silk and netting to reflect both the beauty and the dangers salmon face on their homeward migration. If you look closely, you can see the scientific names of seaweed - a mark or her experience as a scientific illustrator.

Special Instructions

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

In this piece, I wanted to honor the magnificent salmon and recognize the almost insurmountable and wide-reaching obstacles - from pollution and habitat degradation to fishing - that face a salmon during its lifetime and long journey home to its natal stream. I also hoped to illustrate the beauty of the salmon's ocean habitat, where most of its life is spent. I love the way the dyes on silk swirl and flow and the way they suggest the movement of the ocean and the kelps in the reef habitat.