Susan Murray - Here’s Tyson!

Coloured Pencil, Pastel and Silver leaf
72 x 72 cm
2024

I work primarily in coloured pencil, often combined with PanPastel to establish depth and atmosphere before refining with layered pencil. The slow, deliberate process of building pigment is central to my practice. I am drawn to the control the medium demands — and the commitment it requires once the tooth of the paper is filled and decisions cannot be undone. Light and shadow fascinate me. I use contrast to sculpt form, allowing human and animal subjects to gradually emerge through carefully balanced tone and colour. My compositions evolve from gathered references, refined until they hold both structure and emotional presence. Working in coloured pencil is an act of patience and precision, but also of sensitivity. Through portraiture — commissioned and personal — I seek to capture more than likeness. My aim is to convey character, quiet strength and connection, creating work that invites the viewer to pause and truly engage with the subject.