Two Journeys
Karen Chaussabel and Susan Sponsler
November 20 – December 20, 2009
Opening reception: Friday, November 20th, 6:00 to 9:00 pm
Karen Chaussabel
Into the Horizon
Born in France, Karen spent her childhood steeped in nature, aware and appreciative of her surroundings;
the connection endured, all the while moving to Canada, and now creating in Texas; her work speaks to those
landscapes and the process of integration and movement.
“This body of work represents a journey of exploration, both personal and artistic. The fluid quality of
monotyping with encaustic paint, is particularly suitable to embodying land and sea masses. The experience
of loosely brushing the paint onto a hot plate, having colors run into one another, blending and melding,
contributes to the feeling of exploration, of stepping a little further into those horizons as expansive
bodies of water and land emerge. Trust and respect of the process are at the heart of my creative journey.”
“I enjoy being in the process, engaged in a dialogue with my material. I find that through that dialogue,
my experience in art and life are enhanced. By letting materials be my guide, I get the unique opportunity
to grow and cultivate my creative voice. And exploring those new horizons through art has given me a familiarity
with them I did not have when I stood in their midst. That connection brought me to appreciate where I am”
Susan Sponsler
Yellow Work
Susan Sponsler was born in Seoul, Korea. She was adopted by American parents and arrived in the United States –
Iowa, specifically. Sponsler’s father, a Korean War veteran, and her mother went through the Holt agency to
adopt two babies – Susan and the two years later, a brother.
“The Yellow Work series consists of encaustic photo-based images related to my experiences as an Asian American
adoptee. My early dislike of the color yellow was closely entwined with my low self esteem as an Asian American.
From derogatory to powerful; naming ourselves Yellow now comes from the strength of our survival.”
“Yellow Work incorporates photos of myself along with items symbolizing Asia including, traditional Korean
language symbols, bamboo, the beautiful yellow leaf and other nature photos with yellow as the main focus.”
Sponsler’s work has been exhibited internationally – Seoul, South Korea, The US Embassy in Panama City and in
various cities in the US such as New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Dallas, to name a few. She has a bachelor’s
degree in advertising and a Master of Fine Arts degree in photography from Texas Woman’s University.
Karen Chaussabel 