I choose the words “Sublime Ordinary” when I talk about my art work because they describe two aspects of life which I have found continually fascinating and full of meaning. First the word “Sublime” hints at what is at the outer reaches of human imagining. These are the realms of spirituality, longing for knowledge, and understanding love and beauty.These words evoke or blossom beyond the factual. They point to the essence of meaning, that give life and are like wisps of smoke or breath, they are permeable and alive. The second aspect is the word “Ordinary” And this is the bedrock of my art and where I derive sustenance and inspiration for my art. The “Ordinary” is the building blocks of our existence and reality. This is what we see when we open our eyes in the morning. It is the food on our plates, the faces of family and friends, the backs of heads on the bus, the dripping faucet, it is the eternal kaleidoscope of sky and sidewalks, city life and nature. In the ordinary every day world I ground myself to live my life. And this is where the sublime reveals itself to me. In simple landscapes I feel the claim of sky, water and earth. In a vase of flowers I can relish the lush beauty of nature. In a moonlit night I can rejoice in the eternal and simple presence of the moon which all people the world over experience daily. In this manner, my subject matter varies, even the mediums I use. Because my ongoing inspiration resides in what I live with, see, and use in my daily life I am not committed to particular subject matter, but rather to the sublime aspects I feel and see in them. As a result, by being anchored to the “Ordinary” I am able to explore the “Sublime” through my art.

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- Susan Hall, from "The Art of Susan Hall, Oil Paintings"