“Susan Dorothea White ... explores the most intimate experiences of her life, as well as more topical subjects, in meticulously limned acrylic paintings on wood panels”
Gallery & Studio (New York)

PAINTINGS  (selection from 1957)


OILS, ACRYLICS   ||   WATERCOLOURS

The First Supper, 1988, acrylic painting on panel - see NEWS and REVIEWS
The First Supper
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Freeman, acrylic painting on wood panel by artist Susan Dorothea White
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Freeman

"Susan Dorothea White ... explores the most intimate experiences of her life, as well as more topical subjects, in meticulously limned paintings on wood panels. Her ability to examine unflinchingly such personal milestones as her surgery for a benign brain tumour with a dazed self-portrait in a vertiginously askew hospital setting results in some of the most emotionally jarring narrative imagery in recent art."



"The artist has developed a technique using multiple washes of acrylic paint on plywood panels 'with the grain showing through her translucent glazes.' The artist also paints in watercolour, favouring it for spontaneous work. Major paintings are developed through preliminary watercolour compositions and from numerous drawings and pen sketches.

By combining multipoint perspective with actual size and aerial views, Susan White draws the spectator into the image, as in Freudian Early Morning, Seated, and The Front Veranda. In The Seven Deadly Sins of Modern Times the artist employs a perspective based on concentric circles and radiating lines."

Gallery & Studio, New York (1998)

ACRYLICS, OILS

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The Seven Deadly Isms, a symbolic acrylic painting about dogmatism, racism, materialism, vandalism, fascism, sexism, indifferentism on a wooden table by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1992, after the composition of Seven Deadly Sins by Hieronymus Bosch
The Seven Deadly Isms 1992, acrylic on table

Go Granny Go, acrylic symbolic self-portrait painting on wood panel of the cycle of life and overcoming disability by artist Susan Dorothea White in 2003
Go Granny Go
2003, acrylic on panel

Paul the Environmentalist Levitating in the Rainforest, acrylic portrait painting on wood panel of a young man, an environmentalist, by artist Susan Dorothea White from 1993-2000
Paul the Environmentalist Levitating in the Rainforest, 1993-2000, acrylic on panel

Freudian Early Morning, acrylic symbolic painting on wood panel by artist Susan Dorothea White, about the cult in Freudian psychology of interpreting shapes as sex symbols such as the phallic early morning erection, yawning, fireplaces, etc.
Freudian Early Morning
1998, acrylic on panel
Blind Woman of Annandale, acrylic portrait painting on wood panel about blindness in an urban environment, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1998
The Blind Woman of Annandale
1998, acrylic on panel
Me After Brain Surgery, self-portrait acrylic painting on wood panel about brain surgery, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1997
Me after Brain Surgery
1997, acrylic on panel
Recovery After Brain Surgery, self-portrait acrylic painting on wood panel about recovery following brain surgery, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1998
Recovery after Brain Surgery
1998, acrylic on panel
To Cut Both Ways, symbolic acrylic painting on wood panel based on the idiom concerning equal and opposing influences, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1993
To Cut Both Ways
1993, acrylic on panel
The Crowning with Sexism combines iconographic images of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio with a composition borrowed from Hieronymus Bosch, after Bosch's iconic painting the Crowning with Thorns; acrylic portrait painting on wood panel by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1994
The Crowning with Sexism
1994, acrylic on panel
The Histology Lecture, acrylic portrait painting on wood panel of a teacher Dr Brian Freeman, anatomist, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1999-2000
The Histology Lecture
1999–2000, acrylic on panel
The Inspired Lecturer, acrylic portrait painting on wood panel of an inspired teacher Dr Brian Freeman, anatomist, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1992
The Inspired Lecturer
1992, acrylic on panel

Backyard Gossip in Weesp (Homesick), acrylic cityscape and self-portrait painting on wood panel about being homesick in a foreign suburban environment (Weesp, Netherlands), by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1991
Backyard Gossip in Weesp (Homesick), 1991, acrylic on panel

Brian Phoning Australia from Weesp, acrylic portrait painting on wood panel of a person phoning home from overseas, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1991 and 1996
Brian Phoning Australia from Weesp
1991, 1996, acrylic on panel
The Absence of the Prodigal Daughter, portrait and cityscape acrylic painting on wood panel about the absence of a young woman and daughter in Amsterdam from her home in Sydney, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1990
The Absence of the Prodigal Daughter
1990, acrylic on panel
The Man in Drag, the Violinist, the Artist, and the Thief on a Tram in Amsterdam, cityscape portrait acrylic painting on wood panel of a man dressed in drag, a violinist, an artist, and a thief on a tram in Amsterdam, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1990
The Man in Drag...
1990, acrylic on panel
Dad in Hospital, acrylic portrait painting on wood panel by artist Susan Dorothea White of her father, an insulin diabetic, in 1989
Dad in Hospital
1989, acrylic on panel

The First Supper, acrylic painting on panel by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1988
The First Supper, 1988, acrylic on panel

Self-Portrait with Children, portrait acrylic painting on wood panel of mother with her teenage children, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1982
Self-Portrait with Children
1982, acrylic on panel

acrylic landscape painting on harpsichord lid with a portrait of a youth (Stephen Freeman) climbing a blue-gum, with Coal and Candle Creek, Ku-ring-gai Chase, in background, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1984-1988
Stephen Climbing Our Blue-gum..., 1984-88, acrylic on harpsichord lid

acrylic landscape painting of silver-eye birds and gum-blossom on harpsichord keywell, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1984-1988
Silver-eye in Our Flowering Gum, 1984-88, acrylic on harpsichord keywell

Noah's Rocket, acrylic symbolic painting on wood panel of a modern Noah as a Salvation Army captain and his rocket, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1978-1980
Noah's Rocket
1978-80, acrylic on panel
Seated, self-portrait acrylic painting with collage on panel of the artist at her studio table, by Susan Dorothea White in 1981
Seated
1981, acrylic & collage on panel & collage

Month in Time, acrylic painting on wood panel about a month in the life of a family, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1980-1982
A Month in Time, 1980-82, acrylic on panel

Autobiography, self-portrait autobiographical acrylic painting on wood panel by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1980
Autobiography
1980, acrylic on panel
Dreaming of Bavaria, portrait and landscape acrylic painting on wood panel of the family living in Bavaria, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1979-1980
Dreaming of Bavaria
1979-80, acrylic on panel
Brahms String Sextet No. 1, acrylic portrait painting on wood panel of children playing violin and cello with Johannes Brahms, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1977
Brahms String Sextet No. 1
1977, acrylic on panel
The Front Veranda, symbolic acrylic painting on wood panel about old age and youth, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1977
The Front Veranda
1977, acrylic on panel
The Magic Pudding, acrylic portrait painting on wood panel of a young boy reading the famous story by Norman Lindsay, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1977
The Magic Pudding
1977, acrylic on panel
Susan Dorothea White's 1977 cityscape acrylic painting on wood panel about children playing yo-yo in an urban environment
Yo-yoing
1977, acrylic on panel
Damien White - Author, portrait acrylic painting on wood panel of Robert Damien White, author, who became known as Dr Bob White, by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1977
Damien White - Author
1977, acrylic on panel & collage
Evening: Factory Valley (Annandale) - cityscape acrylic painting on wood panel of family life in the evening in an inner city valley with factories, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1976
Evening: Factory Valley
1976, acrylic on panel
Turning and Turning, landscape acrylic painting of gum-trees in a Sydney bush scene on wood panel, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1976
Turning and Turning
1976, acrylic on panel
People of Sydney - Susan Dorothea White's 1977 cityscape acrylic painting on wood panel about about people living and working in the urban environment of Sydney
People of Sydney
1977, 1982, acrylic on panel
Eric's Cafe - Resale Royalty: Susan Dorothea White's 1974 cityscape acrylic painting with collage on wood panel about artists' resale royalty rights in the setting of a suburban cafe
Eric's Cafe – Resale Royalty Rights
1974, acrylic & collage on panel

The Cup of Tea, portrait of the aunt and uncle of the artist at home, acrylic painting on wood panel, by Susan Dorothea White, 1976
The Cup of Tea, 1976, acrylic on panel

Native Pines: Warrumba Range, Susan Dorothea White's 1974 acrylic landscape painting on composition board of native pine trees on Warrumba Range in central New South Wales
Native Pines, Warrumba Range, 1974, acrylic on board

Mount Banks, Blue Mountains, acrylic landscape painting on composition board of Mount Banks in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1972
Mount Banks
1972, acrylic on panel

Cul-de-sac, 1972 cityscape acrylic painting on composition board of a poor fmaily in winter in a dead-end lane in the urban environment of Glebe, Sydney, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Cul-de-sac, 1972, acrylic on board

Awaiting, Glebe, 1971 cityscape acrylic painting on composition board showing an elderly couple in an urban environment of Glebe, inner west of Sydney, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Awaiting, Glebe
1971, acrylic on board
Shadow, acrylic landscape painting on composition board of bush around Sydney by Susan Dorothea White
Shadow
1972, acrylic on board
Running in Sand, landscape acrylic painting  on composition board of children running in sandy river-bed, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1971
Running in Sand
1971, acrylic on board
Silent River, Lane Cove, 1971 landscape acrylic painting on composition board of the silence by a river in Lane Cove National Park, Sydney, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Silent River: Lane Cove
1971, acrylic on board
Uncle Ted Stirring Tea, portrait acrylic painting on composition board of the artist's uncle stirring his tea, by Susan Dorothea White, 1967
Uncle Ted Stirring Tea
1967, acrylic on board
Paul, 1968 oil portrait painting on composition board of a young boy by artist Susan Dorothea White
Paul
1968, oil on board
Baby Paul, 1965 oil portrait painting on composition board of a baby boy, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Baby Paul
1965, oil on board
Paul, Hot Summer Night, portrait of a baby boy in a heat-wave, an oil painting on composition board, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1965
Paul, Hot Summer Night
1965, oil on board

Paddington by Night, 1963 cityscape oil painting on composition board of Paddington, an inner suburb of Sydney, at night with moon behind clouds, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Paddington by Night, 1963, oil on board

Outcrop, landscape oil painting on composition board of rocky outcrop in Sydney bush by artist Susan Dorothea White
Outcrop
1965, oil on board (fragment)
City Skyline, cityscape oil painting on composition board of Sydney in 1963 at sunset, by artist Susan Dorothea White
City Skyline
1963, oil on board
Rosalind Hughes, 1962 portrait oil painting on composition board of a young woman in a headscarf by artist Susan Dorothea White
Rosalind Hughes
1962, oil on board
Perce with His Budgie, remaining fragment of large 1962 oil portrait painting on composition board, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Perce with His Budgie
1962, oil on board (fragment)
Brother Bill Reading, 1961 portrait oil painting on composition board of a young boy reading, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Brother Bill Reading
1961, oil on board
Dad Working, 1961 portrait oil painting on composition board by artist Susan Dorothea White, of her engineer father working at their kitchen table in Broken Hill
Dad Working at Kitchen Table
1961, oil on board
Dry Creek Bed, Broken Hill, landscape oil painting in summer (January 1961) by artist Susan Dorothea White
Dry Creek Bed, Broken Hill
1961, oil on board
Bush Scrub with Pigface growing in sand at Port Lincoln, landscape oil painting on composition board, in summer (January 1961) by artist Susan Dorothea White
Bush Scrub, Port Lincoln
1962, oil on board
Summit Rock, Broken Hill, 1959 landscape oil painting of desert scene on canvas-board, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Summit Rock, Broken Hill
1959, oil on board
The Pinnacles, Broken Hill, 1958, landscape oil painting by Australian artist Susan Dorothea White
The Pinnacles, Broken Hill
1960, oil on board
Landscape oil painting on composition board of erosion in a dry creek-bed, Broken Hill by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1958
Dry Creek Bed, Broken Hill
1958, oil on board

WATERCOLOURS

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Anatomy of a Smile: Mona's Bones, gouache and watercolour watercolor of Mona Lisa's skull bones in a study of the anatomy of a smile, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 2002
Anatomy of a Smile: Mona's Bones
2002, watercolour, gouache
Mona Masticating, gouache and watercolour watercolor of Mona Lisa Masticating, eating an apple using her temporomandibular joint, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 2006
Mona Masticating
2006, watercolour, gouache
Paul in Vest, Leaping, portrait watercolour watercolor of a young man wearing a vest and leaping in the air, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1992
Paul in Vest, Leaping
1992, watercolour
Paul Dreaming, portrait watercolour watercolor of a young man asleep dreaming, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1995
Paul Dreaming
1995, watercolour
'Flu, watercolour (watercolor) portrait painting of a man sick with influenza, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1987
'Flu
1987, watercolour

Ash Wednesday (16 Feb 1983), landscape watercolour (watercolor) painting and collage of a bushfire by artist Susan Dorothea White
Ash Wednesday Bushfire, 1986, watercolour & collage

Stephen, 1980 portrait watercolour (watercolor) of a young boy, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Stephen
1980, watercolour
My Mate Molly: Study for The First Supper, 1980 watercolour (watercolor) portrait study of the artist's friend Molly Boon by Susan Dorothea White
My Mate Molly (Study for ...
1980, watercolour
Munich Woman, 1980 portrait watercolour (watercolor) by artist Susan Dorothea White
Munich Woman
1980, watercolour
The Berlin Wall, 1980 cityscape watercolour (watercolor) painting by artist Susan Dorothea White
The Berlin Wall
1980, watercolour
Couple on Sydney Bus, 1980 cityscape watercolour (watercolor) painting by artist Susan Dorothea White
Couple on Sydney Bus
1980, watercolour
Religious Woman of Bavaria, watercolour (watercolor) portrait painting of a woman in Bavarian countryside, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1979-1980
Religious Woman of Bavaria
1979-80, watercolour
At Home, Annandale, cityscape watercolour painting about life at home in Sydney by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1978
At Home
1978, watercolour
 Where Children Play, 1977 cityscape watercolour (watercolor) painting about children playing in an inner-city environment by artist Susan Dorothea White
Where Children Play
1977, watercolour
Bogan River in Flood, 1976 landscape watercolour (watercolor) painting of a flooded river in central west New South Wales, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Bogan River in Flood
1976, watercolour
The Retired Mechanic, portrait watercolour (watercolor) painting about retirement of a mechanical engineer, by artist Susan Dorothea White, 1977
The Retired Mechanic
1977, watercolour
Cattai Ridge, 1976 landscape watercolour (watercolor) painting of bush scence, north-west of Sydney, by artist Susan Dorothea White
Cattai Ridge
1976, watercolour
Wollondilly River - 1976 landscape watercolour by artist Susan Dorothea White signed 'Sue White', stolen from Seymour Centre Sydney, in frame ca. 60 x 70 cm
Cattai Ridge (small)
1976, watercolour
Hawkesbury River, 1970 landscape watercolour (watercolor) painting by artist Susan Dorothea White
Hawkesbury River
1970, watercolour
Boys Crabbing in Estuary, 1969 landscape watercolour (watercolor) painting of boys catching crabs in a river estuary by artist Susan Dorothea White
Boys Crabbing in Estuary
1969, watercolour
Purple Outback Pea-Flower, watercolour watercolor painting of Australian native flower by artist Susan Dorothea White
Purple Outback Pea-Flower
1961, watercolour
Sturt Peas, watercolour watercolor painting of Australian native flower by artist Susan Dorothea White
Sturt Peas
1961, watercolour
Mount Gipps, Broken Hill, 1957 landscape watercolour (watercolor) painting by artist Susan Dorothea White
Mount Gipps, Broken Hill
1957, watercolour
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