A Tactile Evolution
Born in 1950, Susan B. Roth has spent five decades investigating the physical boundaries of the painted surface. Her practice is defined by a restless curiosity regarding how materials behave when pushed to their limits. Rather than relying solely on pigment, she has spent much of her career manipulating texture to create depth and movement. This investigation into the physical properties of art led her to experiment with powder coated steel, paper, and various forms of collage. Her work is a study in how light interacts with uneven, heavy surfaces.
The evolution of her technique was deeply influenced by a need for specific tools that did not yet exist. In 1980, she began a collaboration with Sam Golden to develop heavy acrylic gels. These materials allowed her to build the roiling, sculptural surfaces that characterize her mature work. Many of the substances she helped pioneer, such as colored gesso, light weight molding paste, and pumice paint, have since become standard tools for artists globally. Her career is marked by this intersection of artistic necessity and material innovation.
Materiality and Presence
The physical presence of a Roth painting is often determined by the weight of its medium. She moves between the delicate application of printmaking and the heavy, structural application of acrylic gels. This range allows her to explore both the flatness of paper and the three-dimensional qualities of mixed media. Her technical repertoire includes:
- Acrylic media and heavy acrylic gels
- Powder coated steel
- Paper used in printmaking and collage
- Colored gesso and light weight molding paste
- Pumice paint
Institutional Recognition
The reach of her work extends into several significant international collections. Her paintings have been acquired by institutions that track the development of contemporary material experimentation. These include the Hirshhorn Museum, Smithsonian in Washington DC, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. Her influence is also felt in the collections of the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art in Florida, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zurich, Switzerland, and the Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, Japan. Through these holdings, her specific approach to texture and medium remains part of the broader historical record of American painting.
