Purple Pansy Uplift Ed. 50 of 50

Each painting has been hand painted in acrylic paintsticks by Sue in the ancient technique of finger painting. Every piece is unique and deeply connected to the artist through the medium. The Limited Edition Prints allow the joy of the painting to be shared ensuring the colours of the prints match those of the original painting.
The Purple Pansy Uplift features the deep rich colours of maroon and dark navy uplifted by purples and pink highlights. The dark greens, yellows and brown backgrounds are reminiscent of a country garden in Australia.
The "Uplift" refers to the highlight colours in the painting and how pansies are a traditional flower that many women have found calming and uplifting to mood. The painting was created in response to the global pandemic and the malaise of mood that ensued. Many people turned to art in response to the pandemic and Purple Pansy Uplift elevates mood whilst acknowledging the darkness of spirit experienced.

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Sue Strizek (BA Australian History Grad. Dip Ed) was a first-time exhibitor in the 2024 Lester Prize, having invested in daily art practice since 2023 that is energetic, unapologetic and intentional through pen, with pops of colour in acrylic or watercolour mediums. Born in the NSW outback town, Broken Hill, Sue moved to outback WA in 1996 after serving in the RAAF as an officer. Sue attended a community TAFE drawing class in Kalgoorlie, that saw her receive a ‘Highly Commended’ prize for her work on butchers’ paper, ‘Ink with Sticks’ (1997).
Sue describes her artistic practice as intense and, more often she works from her intuition.
"The magic of immediacy can fill me with an intensity that is transmitted to the paper. My pen drawings vary from sparse and pared back to a riot of suggested detail." Her 2024 Lester Prize finalist portrait “You Can Call me Viktor Stronger” attracted the judge's attention due to it's immediacy.
When painting on paper her palette work is at times brutal and this contributes to the texture of a work. Paper is flimsy, sometimes rough, coarse, and frail at the same time and this contributes to how her works are received by the viewer.
Drawing quickly and energetically with a pen, highlighting with colour sticks, Sue's fast method of drawing is pure instinct, brain and hands working in sync. The pen is jagged, with scratching’s and suggestions. Finger painting with acrylics on paper, canvas and linen has been Sue's primary focus for most of 2024 and 2025. The finger painting method ensures that all her works have a physical connection between her as the artist and the audience, you the buyer.