ORIGINAL ABSTRACT ART FOR CONTEMPORARY SPACES

Susan Washington’s journey as an artist spans from the streets of New York City to the creative pulse of Baltimore. A contemporary abstract painter, her work is rooted in urban energy, strength, female empowerment, and often layered with bold painterly texture, digital image transfers transfers, and visual storytelling.

Growing up in Brooklyn in the 1980s, Susan was shaped by the raw creativity of NYC. St. Marks Place and the East Village were her early playgrounds, where she first began designing and sewing original clubwear from thrift store finds. This creative spark led to a 20-year career at Christian Dior Menswear.

Susan learned to paint at a young age from her father and godmother, both of whom were artists. That early foundation shaped her creative path, and eventually, she made the decision to pursue painting full-time. This was a natural progression that allowed her to bring her visual language to the canvas.

After relocating to Baltimore in 2021, Susan launched her largest series to date, Subway Sonnets, inspired by her memories of New York’s graffiti-covered trains and billboards. It marked a turning point in her practice, where she began integrating themes of empowered women and personal history into her abstract compositions.

In the spring of 2025 her new body of work, Unbridled, expanded that focus. Drawing from vintage cowgirl imagery and the visual vocabulary of the American West, this series channels themes of freedom, grit, and reinvention, while staying true to her signature urban edge.

Susan’s work is available through this site and Cohart, and she is represented in Los Angeles by Artspace Warehouse. For collectors looking for a more personal experience, she also offers in person, private Zoom or FaceTime studio visits.

Abstract art for sale direct from the artist’s studio. Artwork may also be purchased on ARTSY Artspace Warehouse or on Saatchi Art.