Dancing Underwater – Suzanne Barton – WMODA

By Louise Irvine

The Underwater Fine Art series by Suzanne Barton captures magical beauty and movement under the surface. She spends hours underwater taking photographs of aquatic performances to get the perfect image of the dancer. Then she embellishes her artwork on canvas with acrylics and alcohol inks to create backgrounds honoring the Old Masters.

Suzanne’s Mythical Maidens include ballerinas and mermaids who dance for her under the water and she lets her imagination follow the energy and flow of their fantasies. There is a new emotional resonance in every movement she captures under the surface.

Suzanne has lived in South Florida for nearly 50 years and exhibits her award-winning work widely in juried exhibitions, galleries, and in the International Art Collection onboard Harmony of the Seas cruise ship. Suzanne also shares her time and talents with many charitable causes. She envisions her artwork as an integral part in healing centers, bringing fresh drinking water to areas in need, and advancing awareness of the importance of protecting this vital, life-giving resource.

In Suzanne’s words, “Water is vital to life as we know it. It supports us in the womb, energizes, purifies, and cleanses. Water symbolizes purity, clarity, growth, illumination, and transformation. Our bodies average 70% water and our blue planet slightly more.

The feeling of enhanced wellbeing around water is universal to all. This effect, known as blue mind, reduces stress and anxiety. I want to ignite the blue mind and by nudging the human relationship with water. I nudge this symbiotic relationship forward one splash at a time.

It's not about the beauty, but the message behind the beauty: I celebrate its beauty as a gentle reminder to all, that we are the caretakers of this precious life force. I hope my art brings joy to your senses and leaves you transformed as well!”

You can see Suzanne’s mermaids “swimming” in the Fantastique exhibition at WMODA, and her work is sold in the Studio Collection. Meet Suzanne on October 30 when her artwork of ballerinas pirouetting underwater will be featured in the new Fire & Soul exhibition.