SUE ORCHANT

Artist Statement

My paintings for this show concentrate on the cultural diversity of Albuquerque.
Albuquerque is a rich melting pot of cultures each with their own beauty and raditions. During the city's three hundred years of existence, people have come from many places for many reasons in search of a better life. Jews from Spain settled here to escape religious persecution. Some settlers came searching for health, others hoping to find great wealth. Starting their journeys from many places across the globe, travelers arrived here in pursuit of dreams of all kinds. People settled here at the base of the watermelon colored mountains with their traditions, aspirations, and hopes of a better way of life.

Some traditions were adapted to fit with their new surroundings. A new frontier.
When asked how I feel about living here, one of the first things I comment on is how on how many diverse and genuinely special people I met here in a relatively short amount of time. I have now lived here over twenty-five years and that is still as true today as it was all those years ago. My own personal journey to Albuquerque has led me to a life rich with family, friends, and creativity. Had I not left all I knew behind and sought a new life here in Albuquerque, the personal expression I achieve in my work would not be what it is today. It is here I discovered who I truly am. Here amidst the wide open spaces and stark colors of the landscape. In my paintings I celebrate the cultural diversity of where I call home, Albuquerque.

Sue Orchant
8501 Prestina Place NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111
505-294-8021
petrosue@aol.com