Cologne-based artist Susanne Herbold paints intuitively rather than rationally. She begins by choosing her characteristically bold colors, summoning her desire to interpret elements of both nature and her innermost self. She then allows her process to flow organically, uniting her being with the canvas. This ever-growing process results in vibrant works of art that invite the viewer to pause and reflect on life.

Herbold’s artistic inspiration emerged when she was young. At first, she admired other artists, such as Marc Chagall. It was a Chagall that she first replicated for her father, and when she saw the strength and happiness it brought to him and those around her, her love for making art solidified. She was also inspired by photorealistic techniques earlier in her career. Nowadays, she aims to integrate the beauty of nature into her work, manifesting in canvases full of color and life. She currently draws inspiration from the idea of what happens when you pull back the curtain from our increasingly fast-paced world: she seeks to make visible the possibilities that lie in taking a step back.

Herbold also attempts to open her work up to the influence of cultures that are not her own as she examines human activity across different spaces and time periods. Herbold now works as a full-time artist, choosing to always jump at opportunities for the development and ongoing evolution of her art and her process.