Susie Rosso Wolf, born in 1956 in sunny Santa Monica, California, has navigated a life shaped by artistic exploration and discovery. Known as SR Wolf, her creative journey took its first major steps at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where her fascination with art history sparked an enduring passion for creation. Over time, the serene beauty of rural Montana became the setting where her artistic voice truly flourished.
At CalArts, it wasn’t paint or canvas that first caught her attention, but the stories and images in art history textbooks. These mandatory courses turned into a revelation, introducing her to a world of creativity she hadn’t yet imagined. This awakening planted the early seeds of a lifelong commitment to art, though the path ahead would be anything but simple.
Wolf’s journey was far from linear. Life’s challenges and unexpected turns pushed her to adapt and persevere, strengthening her resolve to grow as an artist. Each hurdle enriched her perspective, fueling her desire to transform her experiences into art. Now living in rural Montana, Wolf finds endless inspiration in the wild landscapes around her. Her studio, a haven tucked into the countryside, is where she channels the energy of her surroundings into her work, letting nature’s raw beauty guide her creative process.
Susie Rosso Wolf’s Pandemonium 1 is more than a painting; it’s a visceral experience—a raw depiction of nature’s unruly beauty and power. Inspired by the fierce winds of rural Montana, Wolf translated the chaos into a vibrant and dynamic visual narrative. The work speaks of nature’s authority, a reminder that we are merely guests in its vast, unpredictable realm.
Wolf’s daily walking trail became the stage for the drama that inspired Pandemonium 1. The Tobacco Roots and Spanish Peaks mountain ranges collided metaphorically as warm, relentless winds barreled through the landscape. These gusts, reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour, carried summer’s remnants—yellow, orange, and umber leaves torn from branches—creating a kaleidoscope of motion and color. In the midst of this natural uproar, branches cracked and flew, a vivid illustration of nature’s energy and unpredictability.
This intense display of power wasn’t just a spectacle for Wolf; it was a call to action. Back in her studio, she began to translate the experience onto a 36×36” gallery canvas. Using acrylics, metallics, ink, and chalk, she worked to convey the energy and motion of the moment. Her choice of mediums reflected the chaotic layers of the scene—metallics catching the light like windblown leaves, ink grounding the piece with depth, and chalk lending a sense of impermanence, much like the fleeting moments of a storm.
Wolf’s brushstrokes are bold and intentional, yet fluid, mimicking the winds’ unpredictable dance. The colors echo the warmth of the autumn leaves and the dramatic skies, while the composition creates a sense of movement and turbulence. The painting pulls you in, making you feel as though you’re standing in the middle of the storm, the wind whipping around you, the sound of its roar filling your ears.
Wolf doesn’t romanticize nature here; she presents it as it is—unapologetic and commanding. Pandemonium 1 is less about depicting a scene and more about evoking a feeling. The painting challenges the viewer to confront the duality of nature’s beauty and its power, to appreciate the energy that sustains and disrupts life simultaneously.
Her choice to work on a large canvas further amplifies the experience. The scale envelops the viewer, much like the winds that enveloped her on that trail. It’s an invitation to step into her world, to feel what she felt in that moment of awe and humility.
Wolf’s process for Pandemonium 1 mirrors the chaos it portrays. She layers her materials, allowing them to interact organically. The metallics shimmer and shift as the light changes, mimicking the ephemeral quality of nature. The ink bleeds and blends, creating unpredictable textures, while the chalk adds a tactile element that seems to reach out from the canvas. It’s a method that feels alive, constantly evolving, much like the subject it seeks to capture.
At its core, Pandemonium 1 is a celebration of nature’s rawness. It’s a reminder of the power that surrounds us, the forces that shape our world and our experiences. For Wolf, it’s also deeply personal—a reflection of her connection to the Montana landscape, where she finds both inspiration and grounding.
In this work, Susie Rosso Wolf achieves something remarkable: she captures the uncontainable. Pandemonium 1 isn’t just a painting; it’s an encounter with the essence of nature itself.
