Sutueal
Reflections Through Painting
Over the years, my painting projects have taken me in different directions, from one subject and style to another. Each project has been an opportunity to explore new ideas and discover different ways of expressing them through Art.
This body of work, created between 2004 and 2010, was inspired by the rich colours and intricate patterns found in traditional fabrics from diverse cultures. These textiles became the foundation for a series of paintings that resemble both human figures and imagined natural landscapes.
I was drawn to the vibrant textiles of different cultures; they seemed to embody a deeper visual language. Through their colours, patterns, and craftsmanship, they express cultural identity or spiritual beliefs that have been passed down through generations, some for thousands of years. These traditions reveal both the complexity of human thought and the simplicity with which cultural values can become part of one's identity.
This series of abstract expressionist paintings was created between 2013 and 2015. The project began as an experiment using highly pigmented acrylic medium.At its heart, Exploring New Life is about adaptation and change, using the idea of new life as a metaphor for personal transformation. Every experience, whether small or significant, plays a role in shaping who we become. Like colours blending on a canvas, our experiences merge over time, creating new layers of our identity and influencing how we see ourselves.
Identity and culture - text coming soon...
Art has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.I was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Like many children, I enjoyed drawing and painting from a young age. What started as a childhood interest became a serious obsession when I met a professional artist who lived in my neighbourhood. Watching him work opened my eyes to what was possible.I have to admit that by the age of 14, I was convinced I had already mastered everything my teacher knew. With the confidence that only a teenager can have, I even started approaching some of his clients to buy my work instead. I wanted to make the kind of money he did. After all, he had taught me that art was a competitive world and that we needed to promote ourselves as the best.At the age of 16, I held my first solo exhibition at the Alliance Française Centre in Addis Ababa. Following the exhibition, I was endorsed by the renowned Ethiopian artist Zerihun Yetmgeta to enter the Addis Ababa Fine Art School's evening transitional art program. Shortly afterwards, however, I left Ethiopia and moved to Kenya.Living in Kenya changed the way I saw art. It broadened my understanding of what art could be.During my teenage years as a refugee in Kenya, painting became much more than a way to earn a living. It became my escape and my way of surviving difficult times. Art gave me hope, purpose, and the strength to keep going.I arrived in Melbourne, Australia, in 1999. Determined not to waste time, I enrolled at Box Hill CAE to study Fine Art. Although I left the course after two years, I continued my studies at RMIT, where I studied Fine Art for another year.Over the years, I have been fortunate to exhibit my paintings in several prominent Melbourne galleries, including the Arts Centre Melbourne George Adams Gallery, Manningham Art Gallery, and 45 Downstairs (45 Flinders Lane Gallery). Many of these exhibitions came through the support and endorsement of Multicultural Arts Victoria.I have also been fortunate to receive several awards, and my work has been selected as a finalist in a number of art prizes. Perhaps the most rewarding part of my journey has always been the people I have met along the way. The conversations about art, the creative process, successes, failures, and everything in between have become some of my most memorable experiences.Since 2010, I have developed a strong interest in 3D and digital art. After completing a Diploma of 3D Modelling and Creative Media Studies at CG Spectrum, my passion for digital art grew significantly. In 2019, I undertook a Bachelor of 3D Design and Visual Effects at the Australia College of the Arts, graduating with Distinction.Following that, I worked on a number of freelance projects in 3D environment design and architectural visualisation.Art has always been both rewarding and challenging. It can inspire and fulfil you, but it can also leave you feeling uncertain. While I enjoyed working in digital art, painting has always been the medium that excites me the most. It allows me to express myself in a way that feels honest and meaningful, and it remains at the heart of my art practice.Sutueal B.