Susan Aulik’s life has always had art at its center as a creator of paintings and collages, producer of full-length and short documentary and narrative films, as a board member of art institutions, and as a gallery owner. Her ability to engage with art from multiple vantage points has given her a unique perspective on the creative process, one that balances rigorous practice with a willingness to embrace the unknown.
Aulik holds a Master’s degree in Studio Art from California State University, Sacramento, California, and her work has been featured in a wide range of galleries throughout the state. Each chapter of her artistic life has been underscored by her openness to transformation, whether in scale, technique, or approach.
The Magic of Stillness
While many artists describe their practice in terms of deliberate action, Aulik emphasizes something quieter and less tangible: stillness. For her, the real magic occurs when the artist fades and the paint itself takes charge. In this space, she becomes simply the messenger, guided not by rigid intention but by the quiet authority of the medium itself.
This idea of surrender is not about passivity but about trust. It is an act of letting go, allowing the materials to guide the process, and stepping back from ego-driven creation. In this way, her practice becomes a conversation between artist and medium, one in which she listens as much as she directs.
Exploring Scale: From Monumental to Intimate
One of the defining characteristics of Aulik’s career has been her exploration of scale. For many years, she worked almost exclusively on large canvases, often measuring seven feet by seven feet. The experience was physical and all-consuming, demanding and aggressive, requiring the body as much as the mind. In these works, forms would emerge gradually, shaped and reshaped over time. The process was one of addition and erasure, building up and tearing down, sometimes over months and even years.
This approach reflects not only her patience but also her willingness to wrestle with the unknown. Each painting became a kind of living organism, evolving over long stretches of time, marked by tension, change, and renewal.
Yet at a certain point, Aulik felt an internal shift. The monumental canvases gave way to a new desire: to work small. The transition from seven-foot canvases to six-inch squares represented more than a change in format; it was a profound transformation in how she experienced painting itself.
The Intensity of the Small
On a six-inch substrate, every gesture matters. These works are alive with immediacy and surprise, as each pass across the surface transforms the painting anew. A single dot, a carefully placed line, or a shift in color can change the entire image in an instant. Unlike her large-scale works, which evolved slowly over time, these intimate paintings are dynamic and responsive, changing rapidly with each decision.
What makes small-scale painting so powerful, she suggests, is its volatility. There is little room for certainty or predictability; the outcome remains in constant flux. In this realm, her role as messenger becomes even more apparent. Her responsibility is to respond to the paint’s direction, to yield control, and embrace the element of chance.
The Process as Surrender
In both her large and small works, Aulik’s process reflects a philosophy of surrender. She does not impose rigid structures or predetermined outcomes. Instead, she seeks to be present in the moment, to notice what emerges, and to respond authentically. Her practice requires a balance of discipline and openness, discipline to sustain the work, and openness to accept the unexpected.
This approach resonates with her broader artistic life. Whether producing films, serving on the boards of art institutions, or running a gallery, Aulik has continually sought to create spaces where dialogue, transformation, and discovery can occur. Her paintings embody this same spirit: they are sites of inquiry where meaning is uncovered, not dictated.
A Dialogue Between Chaos and Balance
Underlying much of Aulik’s work is a tension between chaos and balance. In her large canvases, chaos appeared in the form of dense layers and the unpredictability of months-long processes. Balance emerged only after relentless revision, when the composition reached a state of resolution.
In her smaller works, chaos comes in the form of the unexpected, a sudden shift caused by a line or mark. Balance is achieved through the artist’s attentive response, her ability to listen and surrender to what the paint demands. This ongoing dialogue between chaos and balance is what gives her work its vitality and depth.
A Legacy of Artful Living
Susan Aulik’s career is a testament to the many ways one can live a life of art. She has explored creativity not only on canvas but also through film, community service, and the cultivation of artistic spaces. Her journey illustrates that being an artist is not about clinging to a single form or scale but about embracing transformation, listening deeply, and allowing the work itself to speak.
In a world that often values certainty, Aulik reminds us of the beauty of not knowing, the richness of surprise, the necessity of stillness, and the wisdom of surrender. Her paintings, whether monumental or miniature, invite us to enter that space with her: to pause, to look, and to listen.
