Unique hyperrealism art gallery by Suzana Stojanović Suza contemporary Serbian hyperrealist artist. Original art created in various techniques including oil on canvas paintings, pencil and oil pastel drawings of horses, Arabian horse portraits, landscape, people portraits; equine artwork; hyperrealism paintings & drawings, classical realism fine art. Enigmatic short stories about life based on different life experience, temptations, events, myths, legends, mysteries and fairy tales; books.

~ Heavenly world of horses ~

▪ HEAVENLY WORLD OF HORSES (The opening word by Timošenko Milosavljević, 2003.)

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm very pleased to say that the author of these paintings, Suzana Stojanović, prefers portraying horses to men in her drawings. Horses are still better ranked than men, mostly because a man on the horseback is considered to be successful whereas a horse on a man's back has nothing but problems.A good horse at full gallop leaves dust behind which means that there are more roads to be paved, while people blemish, gossip and envy one another; I've almost forgotten about the politicians - they are always related to some affairs.So, poetically speaking, a horse is a magnificent animal which, unfortunately, isn't in a position to choose its master or its owner. Then there are, of course, "horses with wings", which obviously went into business with some airway companies. I have often had a chance to sense a slight feeling of helplessness in those who were constantly criticizing hyperrealism because they themselves lacked the artistic skill. In other words, instead of learning first and then giving their opinion about the learnt facts, they immediately criticize and by doing so try to hide their own imperfection. However, Suzana Stojanović with her hyperreal paintings captures the scenes at the right moment just in time for all of us to see defiance and pride, might and beauty, gentleness and wisdom. The world of horses is heavenly: God was merciful to bless us with such beauty. There are fights between roosters, dogs, bulls and men. Fights between horses don't exist. Horses race in order to win nobly, they jump over hurdles instead of passing them by and they don't enter through the backdoor. Horses go ahead, people lose their way. Unfortunately, horses are being killed, aren't they? No, you don't have to answer. It's all clear to me.

۞

▪ RAJSKI SVET KONJA (Reč na otvaranju - Timošenko Milosavljević, 2003.)
Dame i gospodo,
Moram da kažem da mi je drago što autor ove izložbe Suzana Stojanović crta portrete konja a ne, recimo, portrete ljudi. Konji naime i dalje bolje stoje na tabeli od čoveka, jer je čovek na konju uspeo u životu, a konj na čoveku ima samo probleme. Za dobrim konjem se diže prašina što znači da ljudi još nisu asfaltirali sve puteve, a za ljudima se dižu ljage, ogovaranja, zavisti i umalo da zaboravim političare - dižu se afere. Dakle, poetski govoreći, konj je prekrasna životinja koja, nažalost, nije mogla da bira gazde ili vlasnike. Tu su, naravno, i krilati konji koji su očigledno ušli u posao sa nekim avio kompanijama.
Često sam imao priliku da u naglašenom otporu prema hiperrealizmu osetim prizvuk nemoći onih kojima savladavanje umetničkog zanata nije išlo od ruku. Oni, drugim rečima, umesto da najpre uče, a onda komentarišu naučene činjenice, odmah prelaze na komentare i time pokušavaju da sakriju sopstvenu manu.
Za razliku od njih Suzana Stojanović je zaustavila kadrove svog hiperrealističkog načina slikanja i to u pravom trenutku: taman da mi svi vidimo prkos i ponos, silinu i lepotu, blagost i mudrost. Svet konja je rajski deo čovečanstva: Bog je bio milostiv i podario nam je takvu lepotu.
Postoje borbe petlova, borbe pasa, borbe bikova, borbe ljudi. Ne postoje borbe konja. Konji se trkaju da građanski pristojno pobede, konji preskaču prepreke a ne zaobilaze ih i ne ulaze na mala vrata. Konji vuku napred, ljudi vuku ko gde stigne.
Nažalost, konje ubijaju zar ne?
Ne, ne morate mi odgovoriti. Sve mi je jasno.

~ While the guitar is playing ~

▪ WHILE THE GUITAR IS PLAYING (Major Mitchell, the author of historical novels about the American west and children's books, 2007.)
I was privileged a few months ago to receive an e-mail requesting a link to my author’s website. Normally, I wouldn’t have considered such a request, but the fact that this one came from Serbia caught my eye. I began to investigate, and was introduced to a lovely young lady, Suzana Stojanović Suza. While our communication has been via electronic e-mail over thousands of miles, I would like to share a few observations about her from a fellow writer’s point of view.
It is not often that Almighty God pours out multiple blessings or talents upon a single person, but it seems that He made an exception with Suzana. Born in Vranje, Serbia on April 18, 1969, into a family of intellectuals, she began reading and painting at the age of four. She took a thirteen-year break from her art to dabble in music. I use the term dabble flippantly, since she is an accomplished violinist who composed her first piece at the age of fifteen. She returned to her art and writing in 2001 with The Magical World of Horses series, and many of her paintings are now hanging in private collections in Serbia, the USA, Italy, Switzerland and Slovenia. Suzana has developed the habit of writing a short story to accompany her paintings, and as an American novelist, I would like to focus on those stories.
While the format in which these stories appear (usually as a block or one paragraph) seemed a little awkward, I soon discovered her command of the English language is superb. Most of her writing, with the exception of her rendition of The Prince and The Beggar, would be better described as poetry, rather than mere story-telling. The words flow from a deep-rooted emotion that stirs the reader’s imagination. My personal favorite is We will always be together when the guitar is playing. Since I do not know Suzana Stojanović personally, I can only guess at the source of this passion, but I am thankful it has found an outlet in her art and writing.
There are many things a writer can do right as well as wrong. Every piece of art or literature is designed to invoke any number of emotions or visions, and many authors mistakenly try telling the art enthusiast or reader what to see or feel. This is a huge mistake, since we all see, taste, love or hate from our own life experiences. Not everyone likes Rocky Road ice cream or Western movies. Suzana has a knack for writing only enough to allow her fans to experience their own emotions, instead of forcing them to experience her own.
It is worth a few minutes to visit her website, and browse through her art and read the accompanying stories. I believe she would be an interesting person to meet, and wish her success and health for the future.

~ Suzana and her magical world ~

▪ SUZANA AND HER MAGICAL WORLD (Davorka Vučak, an artist, 2007.)
I daren't write by chance (because in one of our e-mails, whose existence makes me extremely happy) Suzana wrote that, in different situations in life, "by chance" sometimes means "just an excuse for inexplicable", but that's exactly how I clicked on her magical web page.
As a great lover of horses and their world, as a horse rider, I was astonished by what Suzana's paintings, her biography and accompanying stories revealed to me. The paintings and that stream of tender reflections illustrate beauty, warmth, nobleness, feelings and intelligence of both her and those magical creatures. It's a unique union of a man and a horse. I know it all too well. It's hard to achieve it and feel it but that's exactly what Suzana has managed to do, understanding the depth of a strong, masculine body that gives a sense of power; each vein on the neck that is pulsating; the sincerity of a horse's eye, no matter what that eye wants to tell us at a certain moment - that it's in fear, that it is grateful for our breath being united with its widened nostrils, that it's grateful for a lump of sugar, for given sweetness and love, for bales of hay or oats that it takes as a child takes chocolate...It's an honest creature. Honesty is hard to find in humans. And once one finds it, they should know how to put that on canvas and into words. "While I'm creating I always believe that someone somewhere far away might touch my soul in some of my paintings, in some of my stories" - says Suzana. I would say that she has touched my soul, and other souls as well, understanding them in a particularly subtle way. I'd call her "the ambassador of nobleness".
Each painting is magnificent, each story is wonderful.
While I'm reading Memories, that subtle and sophisticated story, I feel sad, my throat tightens because that story describes my life, my reflections on memories that are, as she says "the house of treasure", reflections on my family that doesn't exist anymore, on all those magnificent everyday things and details that made life with my parents wonderful. They were exceptional parents. And after that, there is a bunch of memories left - the warm, beautiful and cheerful ones, but also the ones that bring pain. All of that Suzana united in a wonderful story, perhaps my favourite, though it's not fair to isolate any of them from that abundance that represents a true remedy for us, because in each of them I find pieces of the mosaic of my own life.
Her painting, narration, violin playing (because Suzana is an artist in that as well), and her gift gave her the ability to unite it all and make, both for her and us, a step forward, I'd say a step into the world, the same world we all strive for, or at least say we do, but which we demolish and destroy: the world of beautiful things, children and wonderful creatures in the world of animals and fairy tales.
God, bless us with more perfection like this one.

 ۞

▪ SUZANA I NJEZIN ČAROBAN SVIJET (Davorka Vučak, umetnica, 2007.)
Bojim se napisati slučajno (jer je jednom u našem korespondiranju, za koje sam ja izuzetno sretna da postoji, Suzana za  "slučajno" u raznim životnim događanjima, napisala da je to  "ponekad samo izgovor za neobjašnjivo"), ali upravo tako sam jednom kliknula na tu njenu magičnu web stranicu.
Kao "bolesni" zaljubljenik u konje i njihov svijet, kao jahačica, ostala sam astonished s onime što su mi Suzanine slike, njena biografija i popratne priče otkrili. Slike i ta topla razmišljanja u "potocima" oslikavaju ljepotu, toplinu, plemenitost, osjećaje, inteligenciju nje same  i tih magičnih stvorenja. Poseban je to spoj čovjeka i konja. Ja to jako dobro poznajem. Teško je to postići i osjetiti, a Suzana je upravo to pronašla i u to prodrla. U tu dubinu snažnog, mišićavog  tijela koje daje osjećaj moći, u svaku žilu na vratu koja kuca, u iskrenost konjskog oka, bez obzira što nam u nekom momentu to oko želi poručiti; da je u strahu, da je zahvalan za naš dah koji se spojio s njegovim raširenim nozdrvama, da je zahvalan za kocku šećera, za pruženu dragost i ljubav, za hrpu sijena ili zobi koju dočeka kao dijete čokoladu… To je iskreno stvorenje. Iskrenost se teško nalazi u ljudskom rodu. A to onda treba znati pretočiti na platno i u riječi. "Dok stvaram ja uvek verujem da će možda neko tamo daleko da dodirne moju dušu u nekoj od mojih slika, u nekoj od mojih priča." - kaže Suzana.  A ja bih rekla da je ona takla i na posebno suptilan način prodrla u moju dušu, naše duše. Nazvala bih je  "ambasadoricom plemenitosti".
Svaka je slika prekrasna, svaka je priča prekrasna.
"Sećanja" - kad to čitam,  tu suptilnu i istančanu priču,  teško mi je, grlo se stisne, jer sam u tome našla svoj život, svoja razmišljanja o uspomenama koje su, kako ona kaže "kuća blaga", o svojoj obitelji koja više ne postoji, o tolikim krasnim malim svakodnevnim stvarima i detaljima  koje su činile divan život uz moje roditelje. Iznimne roditelje. A onda  ostaje obilje uspomena, toplih i lijepih, veselih, ali i onih koje donose bol. Sve je to Suzana stopila u divnu priču, meni možda najdražu, iako nije fer bilo koju izdvajati iz tog obilja koje su nama istinski lijek. Jer, u svakoj pronađem kamenčiće mozaika svojeg života.
Njeno slikanje, njeno pripovijedanje – kao njeno preludiranje na violini,  jer Suzana je i u tome umjetnik. Dakle,  njen dar dao joj je mogućnost da to sve stopi i učini i sebi i nama iskorak, rekla bih u svijet, onaj svijet za kojim svi žudimo, ili barem pričamo da žudimo, a kojega toliko rušimo i uništavamo; svijet lijepoga,  djece, predivnih stvorenja u svijetu  životinja, bajki.
Bože, podari nam više ovakvih  posebnosti.

~ All the magical horses ~

▪ ALL THE MAGICAL HORSES (Jory Sherman, the author of The Ballad of Pinewood Lake, the winner of a Spur Award from the Western writers of America for "THE MEDICINE HORN" and a nominee for a Pulitzer Prize for "GRASS KINGDOM", 2007.)
Serbian riflemen on horseback charge across a plain under a cloudy sky. A horse in harness races to the finish line, its nostrils distended, mane flying in the wind. A lone horse gambols across a meadow, hooves flying, tail flashing high like a gallant flag, turning in mid-flight with a graceful flow of energy that leaves the earthbound viewer breathless. A thoroughbred, with four white stockings, poses with a regal air, head up, turned toward something or someone unseen. Another horse, sensitive nostrils flaring, looks out from the canvas with soulful eyes, the white blaze on its face like molten lightning frozen in its visage. A lone Serb walks ahead of his horse, leading the animal across a sandy plain, the ornate saddle worn like a badge of honor atop the horse’s back. And, a pair of horses seem to be caught in a sudden flash of light, their affection for one another palpable, exquisite.
In the hands of artist Suzana Stojanović, a picture is not only worth a thousand words, she spends that amount, and more, on some of her paintings. She writes "stories" about the horses she draws and paints, but they are not stories in the traditional sense. They are prose poems, essays on life and love and the energy embodied in the universe of horses. These stories are as beautiful as her paintings, evoking deep feelings and tranquil reflections on what the artist sees and feels in that magical world of the horse.
Suzana is an amazing artist. Not only does she delve into realism, but paints in photorealism and hyperrealism. There is an electromagnetism in the latter forms that vibrates not only in the mind, but in the deepest recesses of the human soul. Her prose poems reflect that same light and intensity, but flow so naturally that she achieves a lasting effect as well as a deeper appreciation for both her poetic visions and her art. The complimentary effect embeds both the image and the prose deep into conciousness, giving a kind of mythic structure to her paintings and her prose.
The myth always masks a deeper meaning, a more profound sense of the true, and Suzana’s work achieves that level of intensity. I feel as I pour over her work that she may well be the modern reincarnation of the ancient Gallic goddess, Epona, the goddess of horses. The horse she paints is not Pegasus. It does not have wings. But, beneath the paintings and interwoven into her prose, Pegusus lives and flies. And, when the light is just right, you might see not only one of her horses in a moonlit meadow, but a unicorn in the garden. Such is her power as an artist.

~ By imagination to the truth ~

▪ BY IMAGINATION TO THE TRUTH (Stana Smiljković, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy and the author of many textbooks on the methodology of language and literature, 2007.)
Human nature is enigmatic and mysterious. Even man himself cannot reach its web in the depths, stray and lost thoughts and newborn ideas. Images of dreams emerge and warn, govern and protect. Consicousness exists to set a man straight. "All we have is ourselves, but we aren't aware of how much we have" - says Suzana Stojanović, a painter and a writer, in one of her stories.
A word, as well as a painting, has its own power. They dignify, talk, warn and whip with that power. Misfortunes are overcome by words as well as harmony is shown through them. Out of the cosmic chaos, a word should come out as a winner, galloping. Suzana's word on the existence and overpowering the chaos galloped its way out together with her horse paintings. The poetess doesn't speak long and much. Even with silence she expresses the symphonies of her thoughts on the struggle of good and evil, on faith in the existence and the creation of our own lives, on the silence of solitude.
Faith in the existence is a supreme task that man has to accomplish. The unshakeable faith in the power of art and the wisdom of existence permeates the reflections expressed in one breath and one move. Obsessed both with the eternal struggle against the inhuman in man and sorrow because of the inability to protect our own personality from "nobody" in ourselves, Suzana Stojanović travels, worries, cries for help and warns the reason because "only imagination will go to eternity, taking with itself all of its secrets which have been hidden from ignorance and short-sightedness for centuries".
The stories before us aren't stories in literal and theoretical sense. They are more like thoughts on the wisdom of the existence of the real spirit, the balance of mind and body, a man's desire to win the genuine human sense and true face. Being conscious of ourselves means being conscious of others as well. The struggle for the ideas which strengthen our spirit intertwines within the lines of lyrical prose, thus finding out with certainty the possibilites for a true survival. Suzana regrets the fact that "there are more and more evil men" while knowing that only the one with great heart wins, only the one who helps the lost and a better one, the one who believes in visions and hears the impossible...The winner sleeps inside us and waits for the bells to wake him up.
The imaginary awareness of the world is attached to the realistic one. Running away from the reality as the author sees it and the transmission into the world of imagination allows the author the unlimited freedom which belongs to her only; it protects her from the chaos that threatens to destroy the ultimate labyrinth - the human freedom of mind and spirit. And there, on encountering wonderful and fantastic landscapes and events in the stories, you should open and close the door with caution and fear. Even though the author believes in optimism, fear of the known and especially the unknown awakens her senses, her visions and she yields herself to the infinite word game and its meaning. There is Phoenix, Daedalus and Icarus, The Prince and The Beggar - good and evil to block the paths. There's Suzana's imagination with which she achieves a greater wisdom and a metaphorical vision of reality. With her paintings and stories she has created the world which is only hers, considering it a better one.

۞

▪ MAŠTOM DO ISTINE (Prof. dr Stana Smiljković, 2007.)
Čovekova duša je zagonetna i tajnovita. Ni sam ne može da dohvati njene mreže u dubinama, zalutale i izgubljene misli, začete ideje. Slike snova izranjaju i opominju, upravljaju ili čuvaju. Svest je tu da uputi čoveka. "Imamo samo sebe, a nismo ni svesni koliko mnogo imamo" - kaže Suzana Stojanović, slikar i pisac, u jednoj od svojih priča.
Reč kao i slika imaju svoju moć. Njome oplemenjuju, vode razgovore, njome opominju, ali i šibaju. Rečima se pobeđuju nesreće, i iskazuju harmonije. Iz kosmičkog haosa reč treba da izađe kao pobednik. Da izgalopira. Suzanina reč o postojanju i nadvladavanju haosa je izgalopirala zajedno sa slikama konja. Pesnikinja ne govori dugo i mnogo. I ćutanjem iskazuje simfonije svojih misli o borbi dobra sa zlom, o veri u postojanje i kreaciji sopstvenog života, o tišini samoće.
Vera u postojanje vrhunski je zadatak koji čovek mora da ispuni. Nepokolebljivost vere u snagu umetnosti i mudrosti postojanja prožima refleksije iskazane jednim dahom i jednim potezom. Opsednuta večitom borbom protiv nečoveka u čoveku i tugom zbog nemogućnosti odbrane sopstvene ličnosti od nikoga u sebi, Suzana Stojanović putuje, brine, vapi, opominje razum, jer u "večnost će otputovati samo mašta i poneće sa sobom sve svoje tajne vekovima skrivane od neznanja i kratkovidosti".
Priče pred nama nisu priče u knjizevnoteorijskom određenju. Više su to misli o mudrosti postojanja pravog duha, o ravnoteži duha i tela, o želji da se čovek izbori za pravi ljudski smisao i istinito lice. Svest o sebi čuva i svest o drugima. Borba za ideje kojima se osnažuje duh prožima tekstove lirske proze i sa sigurnosću nalazi mogućnosti pravog opstanka. Suzana žali: "što je sve više loših ljudi", a zna da pobeđuje samo onaj ko ima veliko srce, onaj ko pruža ruku posrnulom i boljem od sebe, onaj ko veruje u vizije i čuje nemoguće...Pobednik spava u nama i čeka zvona da ga probude."
Na realno saznanje o svetu nadovezuje se bajkovito. Bežanje od stvarnosti kakvu doživljava autor, prelazak u okvire mašte dopušta bezgranično, i samo njenu slobodu, brani je od haosa koji preti da razori krajnji lavirint - ljudsku slobodu misli i duha. I tamo, pri susretu u pričama sa čudesnim i fantastičnim predelima i događajima, sa oprezom i strahom treba otvarati i zatvarati vrata. Iako autor veruje u optimizam, ipak strah od poznatog, a naročito nepoznatog budi njena čula, njene vizije i ona se predaje beskrajnoj igri rečima i njenim smislom. Tu su: Feniks, Dedal i Ikar, kraljević i prosjak - dobro i zlo da pregrade puteve. Tu je mašta Suzanina kojom postiže višu mudrost i slikovitu viziju stvarnosti. Stvorila je slikom i pričom svet koji je samo njen, smatrajući ga boljim.

~ It's all relative ~

▪ IT'S ALL RELATIVE (Momčilo Zlatanović, PhD, the professor of literature at the University of Pedagogy and the University of Philosophy; a member of the association of Serbian writers, the Association of scientists and artists of Niš and a permanent member-assistant of Matica Srpska in Novi Sad; the author of a number of books on folk poems, dictionaries, monographies and a collector of prose folk literature, 2007.)
These are reflective poetic texts. Even lyrical-meditative. This kind of literature isn't articulated enough as a creation. It hasn't been researched enough. Many theories of literature don't even mention it. Suzana gives them interesting name - short enigmatic stories. Enigma is their basic idea.
I've read them twice. Carefully. I liked them all. The author is self-centred but there is much space for the reader as well. For today's reader, torn by a busy lifestyle and worries that dramatic time has brought, they can represent a valuable reading material. Suzana's got a refined sense for the man of today, for his disturbed soul. He has to be wise in order to find his way in the dark which is brought by the lights of civilization.
I think these lyrical jewels should be published.
It goes without saying that I liked The Prince and The Beggar as well. There are some wise teachings in it, including this one - it's all relative.

۞

▪ SVE JE RELATIVNO (Prof. dr Momčilo Zlatanović, profesor narodne književnosti Učiteljskog i Filozofskog fakulteta; član udruženja književnika Srbije, Asocijacije naučnika i umetnika u Nišu i stalni član saradnik Matice Srpske u Novom Sadu; autor više knjiga narodnih pesama, rečnika, monografija i sakupljač proznih narodnih umotvorina, 2007.)
Ovo su misaono poetski tekstovi. Čak lirsko-meditivni. Ova književna vrsta nije dovoljno artikulisana kao kreacija. Malo je proučavana. Mnoge teorije književnosti je i ne pominju.
Suzana im daje interesantan naziv - kratke enigmatične priče. Enigma je njihova osnovna misao.
Pročitao sam ih dva puta. S pažnjom. Sve su mi se dopale. Autor je okrenut sebi ali i za čitaoca ima dovoljno prostora.
Za današnjeg čitaoca, rastrzanog ubrzanim tempom života i brigama koje je donelo ovo dramatično vreme, one mogu predstavljati dragoceno štivo.
Suzana ima istančano osećanje za današnjeg čoveka, za njegovu uznemirenu dušu. On mora biti mudar za snalaženje u mraku koji donosi svetlost civilizacije.
Mislim da bi ove lirske medaljone trebalo objaviti.
Razume se, dopala mi se i priča "Kraljević i prosjak". U njoj ima mudrosti. Jedna je i ova - sve je relativno.

~ Young talents: painting is her love ~

▪ YOUNG TALENTS: PAINTING IS HER LOVE (N.M. Newspaper "Vranjske", 1984.)
Only now when the school year is over can Suzana Stojanović, one of the top three pupils at "Vuk Karadžić" school in Vranje, get some rest. This summer break will really do her good as she couldn't rest at all during the school year. This little girl spent almost all of her time at school, primary of the school of music, either participating in many sections or preparing for numerous competitions.
And in between her regular classes and the violin classes, forgetting for a moment about the complex world of numbers and complicated mathematical rules, Suzana was taking her sketching block and coloured pencils, devoting herself entirely to the world of drawings and paintings. Since the earliest childhood she was trying to draw, though not with precision, everything that surrounded her and in that way express all of her feelings.
Suzana is now 15 and her love for painting is never-ending. On the contrary, her artistic talent is becoming more and more expressed. Numerous competitions won in this field testify to that. Suzana is at the same time the only representative of the county district of Vranje who, together with the other children with the artistic talent from the other parts of the Republic, participated in Vuk's 13th gathering that was held in Loznica. Her immense artistic talent was shown once again. She was chosen to participate in the Pupil's art colony which was held in Petrovac on the river Mlava from 24th-30th June.
Suzana has recently won three significant awards - two for her artistic and one for her literary work in contest the children's magazine Kekec organized under the name of "That's brotherhood and unity". This summer she is going to participate in two more art colonies in our county district - in Dobrejanac and Prohor Pčinjski.
- I particularly like painting portraits - this talented girl says. I'm especially fond of Tito's portrait, the one awarded in the contest of Kekec magazine and published in the almanac.  
Music is Suzana's other great love. She has won significant awards in this field, too. Last year, out of 26 compositions which were chosen for the 8th Festival of children's creative work in the field of music, two were Suzana's. She composed "The Yearning" and "The Indian Camp" for the violin, not hoping to be awarded. She even lost her sheet music. Fortunately, she knew her compositions by heart so everything ended well.
Suzana likes other subjects, too. She has won numerous awards for both literary work and maths. Still, she regrets the fact that like most other children of her age she doesn't have more time for walking, playing with her friends or going out.
۞

▪ MLADI TALENTI: SLIKARSTVO JE NJENA LJUBAV (N.M., "Vranjske" novine, 1984.)
Tek sada, kada je školska godina završena, Suzana Stojanović, jedna od tri najbolje učenice osnovne škole "Vuk Karadžić" u Vranju, može malo da predahne. Njoj će letnji raspust zaista dobrodoći, jer tokom školske godine skoro da nije imala ni časa odmora. Gotovo sve vreme ova devojčica provodila je u školi, osnovnoj ili muzičkoj, učestvovala u radu mnogih sekcija, pripremala se za brojna takmičenja.
A u predahu između redovne nastave i časova violine, zaboravljajući na trenutak zamršen svet brojki i komplikovana matematička pravila, Suzana je uzimala blok i boje, sva se posvećujući svetu crteža i slika. Još od najranijeg detinjstva, nepreciznom dečjom rukom, pokušavala je da na crtežu predstavi sve ono što je okružuje, da na taj način izrazi sva svoja osećanja.
Suzani je sada petnaest godina, a njena ljubav prema slikanju ne prestaje. Naprotiv. Njen talenat prema ovoj vrsti umetnosti postaje sve izraženiji. O tome svedoče i mnogobrojne prve nagrade na takmičenjima iz ove oblasti. Suzana je i jedini predstavnik vranjske opštine koje je ove godine u Loznici, zajedno sa mladim talentima u oblasti likovnog stvaralaštva iz ostalih krajeva Republike, učestvovala na 13. Vukovom saboru. I ovom prilikom njen talenat došao je do punog izražaja. Izabrana je za učesnika Đačke likovne kolonije, koja je od 24. do 30. juna održana u Petrovcu na Mlavi.
Suzani je nedavno stiglo još jedno vredno priznanje. Dobila je tri "Kekecova" pera, dva za likovne i jedno za literarni rad, u okviru akcije ovog lista "To je bratstvo i jedinstvo". Ovog leta očekuje je učešće još u dve likovne kolonije u našoj opštini, u Dobrejancu i Prohoru Pčinjskom.
- Posebno volim da slikam portrete, kaže ova nadarena devojčica. Titov portret, jedan od nagrađenih u "Kekecovoj" akciji i objavljen u kalendaru "Turističke štampe" naročito mi je drag.
Muzika je Suzanina druga velika ljubav. Vredna priznanja požnjela je i u ovoj oblasti. Prošle godine, na kongresu dečjeg muzičkog stvaralaštva, od 26 izabranih kompozicija za Osmi FEDEMUS, dve su bile Suzanine. Za violinu je komponovala "Čežnju" i "Indijanski logor", ne računajući ni na kakvu nagradu. Tako se i desilo da je izgubila note. Srećom, svoje kompozicije znala je napamet pa se sve dobro završilo.
Voli Suzana i ostale predmete. Mnoge nagrade osvojila je u oblasti literarnog stvaralaštva, kao i matematike. Ipak, pomalo žali što, kao većina njenih vršnjaka, nema više vremena za šetnju, igru, izlaske.

~ Horses have soul too ~

▪ HORSES HAVE SOUL TOO (Z. Aracki, Newspaper "Novosti", 2001.)
A work of art or a photograph? That's the first and the greatest dilemma for those who see the work of young Suzana Stojanović from Niš. Because what their eyes see looks so real as if it was "about to speak". And yet, they are looking at the paintings that belong to hyperrealism, a movement which involves hardly any women painters all around Europe. "Horses cannot lie", says the young artist. "They are sincere when they love, when they are furious, joyful or sad. I've tried to look into their soul..."


۞

▪ I KONJI IMAJU DUŠU (Z. Aracki, "Novosti", 2001.)
Umetnička slika ili fotografija? To je prva i velika dilema sa kojom se susretnu oni koji vide radove mlade Nišlijke Suzane Stojanović. Jer, ono što oko vidi toliko je verno da samo što "ne progovori".
Pa ipak, reč je o umetničkim slikama koje pripadaju hiperrealizmu, pravcu u kome u čitavoj Evropi žena gotovo da nema.
- Konji ne umeju da lažu - tvrdi mlada slikarka. - Oni su iskreni i kada vole i kad su besni i kad su veseli i kad su tužni. Ja sam pokušala da prodrem u njihovu dušu...

~ The Magical World of Horses ~

▪ THE MAGICAL WORLD OF HORSES (S.L. Newspaper "Slobodna reč", 2002.)
In order to paint a great painting, it is necessary to have knowledge of many different fields, because that is the way of getting into the essence of what you want to present, says the artist who at the same time nurtures literature, music and painting. - The pride and breed are the themes of these beautiful works whose author represents a fine combination of a lady and an artist, who at the same time nurtures literature, music and painting. With these words painter Dragan Sotirović opened an exhibition named "The Magical World of Horses" in the gallery of the National University last Friday. Its author, Suzana Stojanović, was born in Vranje, but she lives and works in Niš. After she had finished High school of mathematics and technical science and High school of music, specializing in the violin, she studied literature even though painting remained her main passion. This extremely humble girl rarely speaks about her numerous domestic and international awards. Apart from the music festival awards and primary and secondary republic school competitions in match, physics and literature, she is also the youngest winner of the 7th September award in art of the city of Vranje. Maybe that was the crucial moment for her to devote herself to painting even though she is a graduate student of literature. 

۞
 
▪ MAGIJSKI SVET HATOVA (S.L. "Slobodna reč", 2002.)
Da bi se napravila dobra slika potrebno je poznavati mnoge oblasti, jer se tako može ući u suštinu onoga što se želi predstaviti, kaže umetnica koja uporedo neguje literaturu, muziku i slikarstvo.
- Ponos i rasa su tema ovih lepih radova čiji je autor fina kombinacija dame i umetnice koja uporedo neguje literaturu, muziku i slikarstvo. Ovim rečima je slikar Dragan Sotirović, prošlog petka, u Galeriji Narodnog Univerziteta otvorio izložbu pod nazivom "Magijski svet hatova".
Njen autor Suzana Stojanović, rođena je u Vranju a živi i radi u Nišu. Nakon završetka srednje matematičko-tehničke i srednje muzičke škole gde se bila posvetila violini, studirala je književnost ali joj je slikarstvo ostalo u prvom planu. O svojim brojnim domaćim i međunarodnim priznanjima, ova izuzetno skromna devojka nerado govori. Pored nagrada na muzičkim svečanostima i republičkim takmičenjima osnovnih i srednjih škola iz matematike, fizike, književnosti, najmlađi je dobitnik "Sedmoseptembarskog priznanja grada Vranja" iz oblasti likovne umetnosti. Možda je to bilo presudno da se prepusti slikarstvu iako je apsolvent književnosti...

~ A sparkle in the eyes of Suzana's horses ~

▪ A SPARKLE IN THE EYES OF SUZANA'S HORSES (B. Janacković, Newspaper "Blic", 2002.)
The horse portraits painted by Suzana Stojanović (32), the artist from Niš, are magnificently real. They are magnificent not because the spatial, third dimension can be noticed almost immediately in these hyperreal paintings, but because of the warmth coming out of each painting - from the eyes of these noble four-legged animals, that, according to the legend, the Almighty made out of a gust of wind. As if it was alive...- an amazed young art lover said as he was standing for a couple of minutes with his eyes wide open in front of the portrait of a bay horse with bulging hindquarters, which was captured skillfully at a full gallop, waiting for it to make the next move. And the young painter, also a graduate student of literature, made her first moves with the paintbrush when she was four. Her indisputable talent was proven when she won an international award while attending the sixth grade of primary school. From then on, she paints oils on canvas (realism only), and up to now she has painted more than 250 paintings with nature and rural motives, portraits of people...Now, she is exclusively painting horses. There's an entire horse herd on the walls of a small living-room - 20 exquisite portraits of black horses, Lipizzaner horses, Arabian horses and ponies...

۞

▪ SJAJ U OKU SUZANINIH KONJA (B. Janacković,"Blic", 2002.)
Čudesno su stvarni portreti konja niške slikarke Suzane Stojanović (32). Čudesno, ne zbog toga što se u slikama, urađenim u maniru visokog realizma, gotovo jasno može nazreti prostorna, treća dimenzija, već zbog topline koja izvire iz svake slike, iz očiju plemenitih četvoronozaca, koje je, kako propoveda legenda, Bog stvorio od vetra.
- Kao da je živ...- izusti jedan očarani, mladi posetilac dok je kao skamenjen nekoliko minuta, širom otvorenih očiju, stajao pred portretom dorata nabreklih sapi, vešto uhvaćenog u trku, čekajuci da načini sledeći pokret.
A mlada slikarka, inače apsolvent književnosti, prve poteze četkicom načinila je još sa četiri godine. Nesumnjivi talenat potvrđen je priznanjem osvojenim na međunarodnom konkursu u šestom razredu osnovne skole. Od tada radi ulje na platnu, isključivo realizam, i do sada iza sebe ima oko 250 slika: seoskih motiva i prirode, portreta ljudi...Sada slika isključivo konje. U malenoj dnevnoj sobi na zidovima je cela ergela - 20 volšebnih portreta vranaca, lipicanera, arabera, ponija...

~ The Magical World of Horses ~

▪ THE MAGICAL WORLD OF HORSES (Miroslav Popović, The trotting almanac of Serbia, "KAS" art, 2002.)
In a mysterious world of paintings portraits have always been the greatest challenge of all; silent guardians at the gates of the forbidden garden. Human nature can be seen both in the eyes and on the face of a man. The portrait is deprived of physical movement but what makes a portrait a masterpiece is the spiritual inner world that is already reflected on our faces and in our eyes for the whole eternity. The invention of camera has made the portrait painters almost disappear from the world of art.
In the last century, in which the spiritual was transformed into the material, it seemed that the ultimate challenge to paint the intangible attracts artists less and less. And then, at the end of the 20th century, a young woman decided to start painting portraits of horses. Her name is Suzana Stojanović and she has been living in the world of magical realism of winged Pegasus and proud Bukefal for years. 
"A horse has always been the inspiration for the artists. Leonardo da Vinci himself said that not only painting a horse was a challenge, but that it also took a lot of courage to accept it - Suzana tells us. Up to know she has painted more than 250 oils on canvas. She is using the oil pastel technique at the moment which won her the admiration of Dragan Malešević Tapi himself. 
"It's done on the cardboard, colours don't mix and not the slightest mistake is allowed. The work keeps on for days and nights, but my love towards horses makes me forget my great effort and hard work. A horse can be beautiful but if you don't give it your heart and soul it will never look alive in the painting, it will only remain "beautiful".  
Full of life and beautiful. Suzana's portraits are horse psychology encyclopedia of its kind. Within vivid frames various moods of these long-legged animals are being captured by using a range of different colours - something that the greatest experts at the horses' nature only feel intuitively but are often unable to express it. Suzana's paintings can do that. It seems as if her horses spoke of their secret inner world which was galloping just beside our daily life and the world of oblivion - familiar to all of us, but indistinct as the thud of horses' hooves in the blue distance, in the evening...

۞

▪ MAGIJSKI SVET HATOVA (Miroslav Popović, Kasački Almanah Srbije,"KAS" art, 2002.)
U tajanstvenom slikarskom vilajetu portreti oduvek behu kraljevski izazov, nemi čuvari na kapijama zabranjenog vrta. Oči su ogledalo duše a lice ogledalo čovečije. Portret je lišen fizičkog pokreta, ali, onaj teg, sav od retkog dragog kamenja, na terazijama vrednovanja slikarske veštine, koji čini portret vrhunskim umećem, jeste - unutrašnji Pokret ili dijalektički damar Unutarnjeg, duševnog sveta koji se vec čitavu večnost ogleda. Na licu. U očima.
Pronalazak fotografskog aparata i filmske kamere učinio je da portretisti gotovo izblede na svetskoj slikarskoj mapi. U prošlom veku, u kojem je duh potonuo u materiju, činilo se da sveti poziv u lov na Neuhvatljivo sve manje privlači umetnike.
A onda, pred kraj dvadesetog veka, jedna mlada žena odluči da slika portrete konja. Njeno ime je Suzana Stojanović, i već godinama živi u svetu magijskog realizma krilatog Pegaza i ponosnog Bukefala.
"Konj je večita inspiracija za umetnike. Sam Leonardo da Vinči je rekao da je izazov raditi konja i da je potrebna velika hrabrost upustiti se u taj izazov." - pripoveda Suzana. Do sada je naslikala preko 250 ulja na platnu. Trenutno radi tehniku uljani pastel pred kojom je skinuo kapu i jedan Dragan Malešević Tapi.
"Radi se na kartonu, boje se ne mešaju, nije dopuštena ni najmanja greška. Radi se danima, noćima, ali, ljubav prema konjima čini da zaboravim na veliki napor i uložen trud. Konj moze da bude lep, ali, ako mu ne date srce i dušu on nikada neće biti živ na slici, on će ostati samo lep." 
Živi i lepi. Suzanini portreti svojevrsna su enciklopedija psihologije konja. Unutar živopisnih ramova uhvaćena je bogata paleta raspoloženja vitkonogih ljubimaca, ono što i najveći poznavaoci konjske duše slute i osećaju ali često ne mogu to saznanje da saopšte. Suzanine slike to mogu. Njeni konji kao da govore o svom unutrašnjem, tajnom svetu, koji galopira tik pored našeg sveta svakodnevlja i zaborava - svima nama blizak, ali nejasan kao topot mnogih konjskih nogu, predveče, u plavoj daljini.

~ As if they were alive ~

▪ AS IF THEY WERE ALIVE (Mima Majstorović, Magazine "Politika", 2002.)
"I'm speechless. This is fantastic! How in the world has she managed to depict horse hair like that?" - a young design student from Belgrade shouted spontaneously while standing in front of one of Suzana's paintings exhibited in Geca Kon Gallery. Upon opening the exhibition in Pančevo, a famous hyperrealist Dragan Malešević Tapi wrote down his impressions: "Well done, you are a true artist. When I first saw your paintings I thought they were actual photographs. Congratulations."

۞

▪ KAO DA SU ŽIVI (Mima Majstorović, Magazin "Politika", 2002.)
Bez reči sam. Ovo je fantastično! Kako je samo uspela da tako oslika konjsku dlaku? - spontano je uzviknula u Galeriji "Geca Kon" pred slikom Suzane Stojanović mlada Beograđanka, studentkinja dizajna. A poznati hiperrealista Dragan Malešević Tapi, otvarajući izložbu u Pančevu, upisao je u knjigu utisaka: "Alal ti vera, veliki si majstor. Kada sam prvi put video tvoje slike, mislio sam da su fotografije. Čestitam ti."

~ The stunning realism of Serbian artist Suzana Stojanović ~

▪ THE STUNNING REALISM OF SERBIAN ARTIST SUZANA STOJANOVIĆ (Author John Sebastian, Magazine "The New York Optimist", 2010.)
The New York Optimist is a weekly online magazine focusing on the arts, painting, sculpture, filmmaking, photography, fashion, dining, education, health care, events in and around town and nightlife of New York City. It's a multi media company focusing on the arts and lifestyles. The New York Optimist is a online magazine that will print 4 times a year a collectors edition with original prints by famous Artists in photography and fine painting and sculpture. This magazine can be viewed as an interactive resource for Lifestyles and The Arts, education and Business Spotlights that cover most industries including Real Estate, Fine Dining, Travel, Interior Design, Education and Live news feeds from CBS, NBC, and many other information based companies and web sites. Reaching an educated and affluent audience that come to the web site weekly to read feature articles by the finest journalists in their field covering the subjects that matter most to readers. Check news that’s updated daily, see the hottest artists and the galleries or locations where you can see their work.

~ Magical World or necessary sugar cube ~

▪ INTERVIEW: MAGICAL WORLD OR NECESSARY SUGAR CUBE (Ružica Z.N. Stojković, Newspaper "Danas", 2003.)
A girl with downy flapped cap, that "must to have" detail of the generation inherited from the pile of values, ideals and all together "heavenly chases" of her own parents and "close relatives", appeared before time to the appointed meeting. She was sitting at the chair squirming as if she were at the dentist`s. She was speeding up the beginning of the conversation, which was a possible indicator that she would be a little pushed to speak, because it seemed that she had been one of those who liked "to push fast to the end". Music that slowly overcame our hosts cozy autumn saloon, tucked up with the fragrances of early coming autumn, dimmed light of delicately placed lamps, as if it were that necessary associate to relax a young woman in the lack of time. However, she pulled her cap even more to her flaming eyes.
Who is Suzana actually? It was a kind of beginning.
- From the earliest days that I remember, I was doing only the things that I was feeling, not accepting to do anything I didn`t like. Painting is something that was making me complete, that I liked, since at the age of four I started drawing and very soon my first horse in natural size appeared on the wall of my room. It is still there, always waits for me when I visit my house in Vranje, beautiful, magical, the one - because it is alive all the time. Fifteen years later I stopped painting.
On the question "why", she decisively responds "way too personal question". On the repeated question, she more willingly answers that she would never paint just for painting "it is completely spontaneous in my case, I never know when I would paint, simply I do not force myself - escaping from "personal". Not before the insinuation that arts are before all possibly personal matter, Suzana Stojanović accepts. "I stopped instinctively, as I instinctively paint. The circumstances were like I felt that I "had to" stop and with that I protected somehow both painting and myself. I was suffering, but frankly my paintings were suffering too, deep down in myself, but when I returned 13 years ago I think that it had to be like that somehow. It was a period of my maturing, a period of new perceptions. The things I see now, I could not see then, possibly I was not able to see then".
Was that creative silence, collecting and "storing on one safe place" perception?
- I knew that "it" will happen one day again, that is why I kept silent, I collected, took care of that, although the return to painting could happen even after thirty years, or in any other unspecific period. However, I kept all palettes and a few unfinished paintings.
The period of silence ceases after thirteen years and preserved passion of nineteen years old girl starts to pour out. You, as a young woman started "once again". Did something specific happen then?
- It is complex, and that sort of my silence is a new beginning. Both of them started from me, nothing from the outer world did motivate myself, all was only in me. Love moves me-belief that in this world there is something more supreme, something "close personal". I did not go into painting for money or fame. I paint because I like to do that, I cannot explain that, it is my world. I do not know at all how does the moment of going into painting looks like, the moment of getting into that beautiful world. Indeed, while I think when I do my drawing, I recall of that, but in the moment I have palette in my hands, everything stops and colour occupies me and carries me away.
Your paintings belong to modern, high realism or hyperrealism. There are big disputes and very much divided thoughts on these "movements"?
- My thinking about any sort of realism, no matter which degree you give to it, is not going into details, of, for example, horse portrait or human portrait. It is important to represent real space, real creature-person, real part of a day, it is realism for me, all lights, shadows, reality in richness of endless lights play. It is always connected to my mood, moment when I see something in some way and how it all looks like "in my head". While I paint I do not stick to some of the principles, I paint how I feel. Painting is freedom. People feel that, painting is love, painting is artist`s soul. Painting is something more than painting itself - it is a "subject" of observation. If painting is not "alive", people can feel that, I do not know how myself, but one painting is more than a painting, it is life and freedom.
Freedom as a universal postulate of humanity, is one high and hard objective, frequently something that cannot be realized in many spheres of creation and life. How do you reach it?
- To work and to do the things you truly desire to do, is very hard, but if you are ready to try, it might possibly succeed. I do not put up with force, I work only the things I like, in which I believe. I do not have prototypes, I do not use only special palette paints, special preparations, special brushes (one of the colleagues with Academy once stopped and exaltedly said "original Van Dyke brown", I asked him to show me that in the painting, and then I showed him the tube of our "home made" palette paint. He did not believe!). I buy material from many different producers and it is not important to me whether they are highly ranked or not, since everything is in my fingers and my head. I buy preparations mostly in bookstores, sometimes I make them myself, but I do not make a fuss about it. It does not deal with any kind of philosophy, or paints, preparations but it deals with courage itself. For a good painting it is necessary to have something more than courage alone. It is condensed and unconscious - I am conscious when I start my painting and when I sign it, everything in-between is total power of the painting over me. The process of creation is completely irrational; sometimes I create painting from a single drawing, sometimes only with fingers and colours, but I do not decide upon that consciously.
Why a horse?
- They intrude somehow themselves, not with their beauty, it is possibly the last that forced me to paint them, but with their looks in the eyes, carried for centuries, as if they were collected in their glance. They simply haunt me. In their first phase, as a little girl, I painted horses too, although rarely, I draw and paint people most of all, and now, I do only horses. I will wait for some time - the moment when I will recognize in people the people again, if they awake in them. Horses are "on their own", nobody possesses them, and people are very wrong, because horses are one un-ceased net of our existence. People are not consequent, free, courageous, while horses are all these things. I will soon get very my "own horse" , but no one will posses anyone in that situation. I am looking forward to its coming, our "talks" and sugar cubes with which we make them happy. It will come soon, but for now it is a secret, although it will be his name - "Secret".

۞ 
 
▪ INTERVJU: MAGIJSKI SVET ILI NEOPHODNA KOCKA ŠEĆERA (Ružica Z.N. Stojković, "Danas" 2003.)
Ko je Suzana zapravo, bio je mogući početak?
- Od najranijih dana kojih se sećam, radila sam samo ono što osećam, nepristajući da činim nešto što ne volim. Slikanje je ono što me je ispunjavalo, što sam volela, jer sam sa četiri godine počela da crtam, i ubrzo je nastao moj prvi hat u prirodnoj veličini, na zidu moje sobe. On je i danas tamo, uvek me čeka kad god odem u svoju rodnu kuću u Vranju, lep, čaroban, pravi, jer živi sve vreme. Petnaest godina kasnije prestala sam da slikam.
Na čuđenje "zašto?", odlučno odgovara, "to je previše lično pitanje". Na ponovljeno pitanje, pomirljivije odgovara da nikada nije slikala da bi slikala, "to je kod mene sasvim spontano, ja nikad ne znam kad ću slikati, prosto ne silim sebe - bežeći od "ličnog". Tek na insinuaciju da je umetnost možda pre svega lična, Suzana Stojanović pristaje. "Prestala sam spontano, kao što spontano i slikam, splet okolnosti je bio takav da sam osećala kako "moram" da prestanem, time sam štitila i svoje slikanje i sebe. Patila sam, doduše, kao i slike koje su bile u meni, ali kad se sad vratim trinaest godina unazad, mislim da je baš tako i moralo da bude. Bio je to period sazrevanja, novih percepcija. Ono što sad vidim tada nisam mogla da vidim, možda, nisam ni umela".
Je li to bilo kreativno ćutanje, skupljanje i "pohranjivanje na sigurnom" percepcija?
- Znala sam da će se "to" jednog dana desiti ponovo, zato sam ćutala, skupljala, čuvala, mada je povratak slikarstvu mogao da se desi i za trideset godina, ili u neki sasvim neodređeni period. Ali, sve boje sam čuvala, kao i nekoliko nedovršenih slika.
Period ćutanja prestaje nakon trinaest godina, i počinje da "kulja" sačuvana strast devetnaestogodišnje devojke, vi kao mlada žena počinjete "ponovo". Da li se nešto posebno desilo?
- Kompleksno je, i to moje ćutanje i novi početak. I jedno i drugo je krenulo iznutra, iz mene, ništa me iz spoljnog sveta nije motivisalo, sve je bilo samo u meni. Pokreće me ljubav, vera da na ovom svetu postoji nešto uzvišenije, nešto "sasvim lično". Nisam krenula u slikanje zbog slave ili novca. Slikam jer je meni lepo, jer volim da slikam, to ne mogu da objašnjavam, to je moj svet. Uopšte ne znam kako nastaje tren ulaženja u sliku, u taj lepi svet. Doduše, dok razmišljam, kad radim crtež, toga se i "prisetim", ali onog trena kad se dohvatim boje, sve prestaje i boja me potpuno obuzme i nosi.
Vaše slike pripadaju moderni, visokom realizmu ili hiperrealizmu. Velike su rasprave i veoma podeljena mišljenja o tim "pravcima"?
- Moje mišljenje o bilo kojoj vrsti realizma, ma kako ga stepenovali, nije detaljisanje, recimo portreta konja ili čoveka. Važno mi je da predstavim realni prostor, realno biće, realno doba dana, to je za mene realizam, svi valeri, gameni, senke, svetla, realnost u bogatstvu beskrajne igre svetlosti. To je uvek vezano za moje raspoloženje, tren u kome ja nešto vidim i kako to sve izgleda "u mojoj glavi". Dok slikam ne pridržavam se nekih principa, slikam kako osećam. Slikanje je sloboda. Ljudi to osećaju, slika je čovek, slika je ljubav, slika je slikareva duša. Slika je nešto više od slike, to nije "predmet" koji se posmatra. Ako slika nije "živa" ljudi to osete, ne znam ni sama kako, ali slika je više od slike, ona je život i sloboda.
Sloboda kao univerzalni postulat humanosti je visoki i težak cilj, često neostvarljiv u mnogim oblastima stvaralaštva i života. Kako je vi dohvatate?
- Raditi samo ono što istinski želite, jeste teško ali ako ste spremni da probate, možda i uspe. Ja ne trpim prisilu, radim uvek ono što želim, u šta verujem. Nemam uzore, ne koristim specijalne boje (kolega sa Akademijom je jednom zapanjeno stao i rekao ushićeno "original Van Dajkova braon", ja sam ga zamolila da mi je pokaže na slici, a potom mu pokazala tubu "naše" boje. Nije verovao!), posebne preparature, posebne četke... Materijal kupujem od različitih proizvođača, nije mi važno jesu li visokomarkirani, jer je sve u mojim prstima i glavi. Preparature najčešće kupujem u knjižarama, nekad sama uradim, ali ne "filozofiram" na te teme. Tu se ne radi o filozofiji, ni o bojama, preparaturama, reč je o hrabrosti. Za dobru sliku potrebno je i više od hrabrosti. To je kondezovano nesvesno - svesna sam samo kad počnem sliku i kad stavim potpis, sve između je potpuna vlast slike nada mnon. Proces stvaranja je potpuno iracionalan, nekad sliku stvaram iz crteža, nekada samo prstima i bojom, ali, o tome ne odlučujem svesno.
Sloboda, hrabrost, vera u sebe, da li ste nekada posumnjali, zastali pred kritikom?
- Slikam zbog sebe, i da, hrabra sam, ne razmišljam ni o čemu što se dešavalo od 2001. do 2003. godine kada je i nastao ovaj ciklus "Magijski svet hatova", niti sam šta očekivala. Radila sam jer sam morala, i mislim da svako ko slika zbog drugih, da bi postao slavan, neće uspeti.
Zašto konj?
- Oni se nameću, ne lepotom, to je možda poslednje što me je nagnalo da ih slikam, pre je to njihov pogled, ono što vekovima nose, kao da je nakupljeno u njihovom pogledu. Prosto me proganjaju. U svojoj prvoj fazi, kao devojčurak, slikala sam i konje, mada ređe, pre svega ljude, a sada samo konje. Čekam neko vreme kad ću u ljudima prepoznavati ponovo ljude, ako se oni u njima probude. Konji su "svoji", njih niko ne poseduje, i ljudi su tu u strašnoj zabludi, jer konji su neprekinuta mreža naših postojanja. Ljudi nisu dosledni, slobodni, hrabri, dok konji to jesu. Ja ću uskoro dobiti "svoga" konja, ali, niti će on mene ni ja njega posedovati. Radujem se njegovom dolasku, našim "pričama", i kockama šećera kojima ih usrećujemo. To će se desiti uskoro, ali je zasad tajna, mada će se možda tako i zvati - Tajna.

~ The friend of horses ~

▪ INTERVIEW: THE FRIEND OF HORSES (Valentina Milenković, Newspaper "Vranjske", 2006.)
To introduce all this it is necessary to have complete study of horse anatomy and also horses recognition through history and mythology. Horses are frequent motive in the paintings of worldwide known artists. Let us just recall the works of Leonardo Da Vinci drawings, Pier Francesco, Albrecht Durer, Diego Velazquez, Peter Paul Rubens, Jan van Eyck, George Stubbs, Odilon Redon, but also the paintings of other symbolical meanings like the horses of Pablo Picasso, Lubarda, Miodrag Jelić, Mersad Berber...Suzana Stojanović also could not resist them. For "Vranjske" newspaper she speaks about her life and creating, lights and signs that destiny sends to us. She speaks of love - the greatest value of human life.
LIFE CELEBRATION
The impression is that you are a woman of unusual artistic adventure?
- Life is an adventure but art is not. Every new day is full of surprises, unexpected events, new meetings, experiences. The works of art are the products of our life adventures and dreams. Art is something that I take seriously and without art this world would be poor.
Horses are completely unique, painted with lot not only skillfulnes but also spiritual creativity. How do you cherish your inner world?
- I cherish my inner world and make it richer with creation. Everything that I carry deep in myself I try to transfer symbolically through my paintings to the observers, so that they could experience my personality in eye sparkle in the portraits of horses, in their moves. I have dedicated to each of my paintings one of my short stories, one of my unforgettable moments of my mood and life, my desires and dreams. One life is short for creating everything I want, for fulfilling myself in the measure I want. I live for art and I feel happy for every single move of my brush, every living eye I create. I rejoice to each my signature, because I know that I have gifted one more ode to this magnificent animal that has been following us from the very beginning, and we have been giving so little to them.
What is the difference between the horses from the very beginning of yours artistic work and these that appear nowadays?
- I still cannot tell you now why I have started to paint horses. When I was little I loved to decorate the walls with their beauty and their greatness. I loved to paint white horses, fairy tales horses, free ones. They have always associated me to long trips, to princes, princesses, to something that connects centuries and civilizations. After a long break I returned to them in some other way. The thing that I see today is something that I could not see before or I was not ready enough to let myself go into these great temptations. I feel that through this horse motive I can express everything that I want: to paint beauty of these magnificent and romantic Arabian horses, to write about their eye looks deep into the distant places, to compose silent melodies about the mute whisper of their thick manes. Of course, in order to introduce all these, it is necessary to study horse anatomy and to have knowledge of horses roles through history and mythology.
Do they appear after the photos that you take or in some other way?
- I meet this kind of questions almost every day. There are many curious painters and art lovers worldwide and they all want to know something more about my paintings. There is no great philosophy, paintings appear from talent, great work and love towards the creation. At the moment I am working on a book where the procedure of horse paintings and drawings will be in details explained.
You do not classify yourself into any artistic movement. Does that mean that art is something that you adjust to yourself?
- Art is freedom. In this moment I am in the phase of realism, hyperrealism or popular photorealism, but it does not mean that I will keep up to it. I like to experiment and never limit myself in the creation. Horse as a motive is limitless inspiration that can be shown in many ways. I paint in the way I feel, totally spontaneously. My every painting is a story for itself, one part of my life, an event, mood.
Is there anything that motivates you from the outer world?
- Everything depends on the way you regard the outer world and on the wish what do you want to see and you don't want to see. I search for something nice and good in everything that surrounds me. I am happy for every new day, for the fact that I exist, I am happy for every smile that I see in someone's face, for every warm word. Love moves me, faith that there is something supreme and untouchable in this world.
SUGAR LUMP
Why do you say that one needs courage for a good painting?
- The hardest part is to make the first step, when in front of you is just clean canvas and in yourself only a huge wish to create something out from nothing. The process of creation is very long - from irrational (when only emotions carry you and when you are watching in front of you something that you have created). Good painting shines, haunts, calls us to watch her again and study it as for the first time. Painting has that much strenght as much an artist gifts it with his or her own love, energy and fortitude towards the creation.
Dragan Malešević Tapi wrote in his Book of impressions during one of your exhibitions: "Glory to you, you are a great artist!" In what way these compliments motivate?
- Every compliment is a motivation if it is an honest one, especially if it comes from the people that mean a lot to me, no matter if they are "great" or not. I am happy for compliments that come from all the parts of the world, also from those "great" people. However, I am also happy for the compliments given by my friends, parents...giving me great support for everything that I create and work upon.
How do you, in fact, experience horses?
- I have been cooperating for a very long time with horses fans and lovers, but also with horse farms worldwide. Recently, I have received a very interesting letter from one lady from the United States that forced me into deep thinking. She has experienced my paintings in one very romantic and special way; she wrote that I was a whisperer who goes deeply into the horse soul till the end, but immediately after this she presumed that I lived and represented the horses in this way because I did not own them and since I was not in the contact with them. Now I know that I wll spend long time with them in my imagination and in the moment I miss them terribly, I will go to the nearest horse club to bring them a sugar lump.
 
۞

▪ INTERVJU: DRUGARICA HATOVA (Valentina Milenković, "Vranjske" novine 2006.)
Da bi se sve ovo predstavilo potrebno je veoma iscrpno izučavanje anatomije konja i upoznavanje konja kroz istoriju i mitologiju. Konji su čest motiv na slikama najpoznatijih slikara. Setimo se Leonardovih crteža, Pjera Frančeska, Direra, Velaskeza, Rubensa, Van Ajka, Stabsa, Redona, ali i slikarskih radova drugačijeg simboličkog značenja poput Pikasovih konja, Lubardinih konja, konja Miodraga Jelića, Mersada Berbera...Nije im odolela ni Suzana Stojanović. Za "Vranjske" ona priča o svom životu i stvaranju, svetlosti i znacima koje nam sudbina upućuje kao i o najvećoj vrednosti čovekovog života - ljubavi.
SLAVLJENJE ŽIVOTA
Stiče se utisak da ste žena neobične umetničke avanture. Da li na život gledate kao na svojevrsnu avanturu?
- Život jeste avantura ali umetnost nije. Svaki novi dan pun je iznenađenja, neočekivanih događaja, novih susreta, iskustava. Umetnička dela su produkt naših životnih avantura i snova. Umetnost shvatam ozbiljno i bez umetnosti ovaj svet bio bi siromašan.
Konji su sasvim osobeni, naslikani sa puno, ne samo zanatske umešnosti već i sa mnogo duhovne kreativnosti. Kako negujete svoj unutrašnji svet?
- Svoj unutrašnji svet bogatim i negujem stvaranjem. Sve ono što duboko nosim u sebi pokušavam da na simboličan način prenesem kroz svoje slike posmatračima, da na svoj način dožive moju ličnost u sjaju oka, u portretima konja, u njihovim pokretima. Svakoj svojoj slici posvetila sam po jednu kratku priču, po jedan nezaboravan trenutak mog raspoloženja i života, mojih želja i snova. Malo je jedan život da stvorim ono što želim, da ispunim sebe onoliko koliko želim. Živim za umetnost i radujem se svakom potezu kičice, svakom oživljenom i proživljenom oku koje stvorim. Radujem se svakom svom potpisu jer znam da sam poklonila još jednu odu ovoj predivnoj životinji koja nas prati od samog postanka, a tako malo smo joj dali.
U čemu se razlikuju konji sa početka Vašeg umetničkog puta od ovih koji nastaju sada?
- Ni sada ne bih mogla da vam kažem zašto sam počela da slikam konje. Kada sam bila mala volela sam da ukrašavam zidove njihovom lepotom i veličinom, volela sam da slikam bele konje, bajkovite, slobodne. Oni su me uvek asocirali na duga putovanja, na prinčeve i princeze, na nešto što spaja vekove i civilizacije. Posle duže pauze ponovo sam im se vratila na jedan drugi način. Ono što sada vidim ranije nisam mogla ili nisam bila dovoljno spremna da se upustim u velike izazove. Osećam da kroz motiv konja mogu da prikažem sve što želim: da oslikam lepotu predivnih romantičnih Arapskih konja, da pišem o njihovim pogledima uprtim u daljine, da komponujem nečujne kompozicije o tihom šapatu gustih griva. Naravno, da bi se sve ovo predstavilo potrebno je veoma iscrpno izučavanje anatomije konja i upoznavanje konja kroz istoriju i mitologiju.
Da li oni nastaju po fotografijama koje snimate ili na neki drugi način?
- Sa takvim pitanjima srećem se skoro svakog dana. Mnogo je radoznalih slikara i ljubitelja umetnosti širom sveta koji žele da saznaju nešto više o mojim slikama. Nema tu neke velike filozofije, slike nastaju iz talenta, velikog rada i ljubavi prema slikanju. Trenutno radim na knjizi u kojoj će biti detaljno objašnjen postupak izrada slika i crteža konja.
Sebe ne svrstavate ni u jedan umetnički pravac. Da li to znači da umetnost prilagođavate sebi?
- Umetnost je sloboda. Trenutno sam u fazi realizma, hiperrealizma ili popularnog fotorealizma ali to ne znači da ću se zadržati na tome. Volim da eksperimentišem i nikada ne ograničavam sebe u stvaranju. Konj kao motiv je neiscrpna inspiracija koja se može prikazati na mnogo načina. Slikam onako kako osećam, sasvim spontano. Svaka moja slika priča je za sebe, jedan deo mog života, događaja, raspoloženja.
Postoji li nešto što Vas motiviše iz spoljnog sveta?
- Sve zavisi od toga kako posmatrate spoljni svet i šta želite da vidite a šta ne. Ja u svemu što me okružuje uvek tražim samo lepo i dobro. Radujem se svakom novom danu, radujem se što postojim, što stvaram, radujem se svakom osmehu koji vidim na nečijem licu, svakoj toploj reči. Pokreće me ljubav, vera da na ovom svetu postoji nešto uzvišeno i nedodirljivo.
KOCKA ŠEĆERA
Zašto kažete da je za dobru sliku potrebna hrabrost?
- Najteže je načiniti onaj prvi korak kada ispred sebe imate samo čisto platno i u sebi samo ogromnu želju da stvorite nešto iz ničega. Proces stvaranja je veoma dug - od iracionalnog (kada vas nose samo emocije i kada ste u carstvu boja) do realnog (kada ste svesni onoga što stvarate i kada pred sobom posmatrate nešto što ste stvorili). Dobra slika zrači, progoni, zove vas da je opet posmatrate i proučavate kao da je prvi put. Slika ima onoliko snage koliko joj slikar podari svojom ljubavlju prema stvaranju, svojom istrajnošću i energijom.
Dragan Malešević Tapi napisao je u knjizi utisaka na jednoj Vašoj izložbi: "Slava tebi, velika si umetnica!" Kako motivišu takvi komplimenti?
- Svaki kompliment je motivacija za mene ako je iskren, a naročito ako dolazi od ljudi koji meni puno znače, nezavisno od toga da li su to "veliki" ili "mali" ljudi. Radujem se komplimentima koji stižu iz svih krajeva sveta i od "velikih ljudi". Isto tako radujem se komplimentima koje mi upute moji prijatelji, roditelji, koji mi daju ogromnu podršku u svemu što radim i stvaram.
Kako Vi, u stvari, doživljavate konje?
- Veoma dugo sarađujem sa mnogim ljubiteljima i vlasnicima konja i ergela širom sveta. Nedavno sam dobila veoma interesantno pismo od jedne gospođe iz Amerike koje me nateralo na duboko razmišljanje. Ona je na veoma poseban i romantičan način doživela moje slike, napisala je da sam šaptač koji do kraja prodire u dušu konja, ali je odmah nakon toga pretpostavila da ja ovako doživljavam i predstavljam konje zato što ih ne posedujem i što nisam u stalnom kontaktu sa njima. Sada znam da ću se sa njima još dugo družiti u svojoj mašti, a onda kada mi baš mnogo nedostaju otići ću do najbližeg konjičkog kluba da im odnesem koju kocku šećera.

~ A painter Suzana Stojanović is attracted to secrets of the universe - obsession - galloping horses ~

▪ INTERVIEW: A PAINTER SUZANA STOJANOVIĆ IS ATTRACTED TO SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE - OBSESSION - GALLOPING HORSES (S. Mirčić, Newspaper "Revija D", Budva, Montenegro 2010.)
Suzana Stojanović’s pictorial obsession is galloping horses and the universe. She is a versatile artist and a composer and she also studies astronomy. Her paintings are parts of private collections in Serbia, America, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia. She paints horses and makes an in-depth study of their anatomy, she writes short stories and prepares a book called "Following Old Masters" where she gives a detailed description of her long-term experiences and experiments, different techniques, making sketches and paintings.
Where does your artistic obsession with horses stem from?
- You do not choose your subject topic, it chooses you. With their beauty, intelligence and grace, horses chose me to paint them and enter their world. Horses are romantic, fluttering and fabulous. While I am painting them, I feel like I am diving towards the bottom of the sea, and when I finish every part of their slinky body, it is like I am collecting the precious stones from the bottom of the sea. The most difficult part is to paint the ambience because it has to be their background; to stress their every movement, to understand their message. The greatest mystery is to grab the unattainable, to grab something that cannot be gained just by using a good technique, but by something that we carry in ourselves and that can only be seen by us.
Will your first animated movie be dedicated to horses and their anatomy?
- A horse is a mystery for me, just like man is. We still do not know it enough, and we understand it even less. Maybe my future works will reveal more of what is hidden in that unusual creature. My first animated movie will be based on one of my mysterious stories.
Does your art change the world, the individuals or you?
- I work with the finest and loneliest part of the soul. I try to see with my heart. The meaning of my painting is to give people new worlds, to weave the light sky for them. And perhaps to warn them sometimes.
Who has your paintings in Montenegro? Have you had an exhibition in Budva?
- The names of people who have my paintings and drawings as part of their private collection will be a secret. Even secrets make life richer, don’t they? I have not had an exhibition in Budva, but I would love to.
What do you think about Montenegro artists and Montenegro mentality? Are they close to you?
- Montenegrins are people who help people in trouble. I still believe that "manhood and bravery" is important for them.
Are you afraid of being old?
- Instead of answering, here is one thought of Leonard Bloom: "A citizen is a pig that wants to die of old age". The only thing I don’t really marvel, and that I accept as inevitable is death. That is why I create, in order to overshadow the idea of it.
Do you believe in love that saves the world from collapsing?
- I do believe in love, but nowadays it seems to be an instant product. Everlasting love can only be found in Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Such love can move mountains, as well as save the world from the evil created by people. Love is also called God and this is why it can do everything.
What do you daydream about?
- Childhood is the most beautiful dream. Dreams and dreams come after that, dreams that take us between stars and rocks and lead us through life. I often dwell in my dreams but I never forget to come back from them.
The piano, literature, painting, astronomy. Where do you usually find yourself?
- There are so many skies I can land. I don’t want each of them to slip away from me, because that is the only way that makes me complete. Halldor Laxness said once that the one who searches only for the goal cannot see the beauty of what he does. Music, as well as a painting or even a good book tell stories that the whole world understands. That is why I love all these arts and I am going to work on them.

۞

▪ INTERVJU: SLIKARKU SUZANU STOJANOVIĆ PRIVLAČE TAJNE KOSMOSA - OPSESIJA KONJI U GALOPU (S. Mirčić, "Revija D", Budva, Crna Gora 2010.)
Slikarska opsesija Suzane Stojanović su konji u galopu i kosmos. Svestrana je umetnica i kompozitor, a bavi se i proučavanjem astronomije. Njene slike nalaze se u privatnim kolekcijama u Srbiji, Americi, Italiji, Švajcarskoj, Danskoj, Makedoniji, Hrvatskoj, Crnoj Gori i Sloveniji. Slika konje i iscrpno izučava njihovu anatomiju, piše kratke priče i priprema knjigu "Tragovima starih majstora" u kojoj detaljno opisuje svoja dugogodišnja iskustva i eksperimente, razne tehnike, izradu crteža i slika.
Otkud vaša umetnička opsesija konjima?
- Tema slikanja se ne može izabrati, ona bira vas. Konji su svojom lepotom, inteligencijom i gracioznošću izabrali mene da ih slikam, da ulazim u njihov svet. Konji su romantični, bajkoviti, lepršavi. Dok ih slikam osećam se kao da ronim prema dnu mora, a kada završim svaki deo njihovog gracioznog tela kao da sakupljam dragocene kamenčiće sa dna u svoj dlan. Najteže je naslikati ambijent u kome se nalaze, jer on mora da ih prati, da istakne njihov pokret, da shvati njihovu poruku. Najveća misterija je uhvatiti neuhvatljivo, to nešto što se ne dobija samo dobrom tehnikom, već onim što nosimo u sebi i što samo mi vidimo.
Hoće li i vaš prvi animirani film biti posvećen konjima i njihovoj anatomiji?
- Konj je za mene zagonetka, baš kao i čovek. Još uvek ga nedovoljno poznajemo, a još manje razumemo. Možda će moji budući radovi malo više otkriti šta se krije u tom neobičnom biću. Moj prvi animirani film biće zasnovan na jednoj od mojih enigmatičnih priča.
Da li vaša umetnost menja svet, ljude, pojedince ili Vas?
- Ja radim sa najfinijim i najusamljenijim delom duše. Trudim se da vidim srcem. Smisao mog stvaranja je da ljudima darujem nove svetove, da im tkam svetlo nebo... Možda da ponekad opomenem.
Kod koga se nalaze vaše slike u Crnoj Gori? Da li ste izlagali u Budvi?
- Imena ljudi kod kojih se u privatnim kolekcijama nalaze moje slike i grafike neka budu tajna. Čak i tajne obogaćuju život, zar ne? U Budvi nisam izlagala, volela bih.
Šta mislite o crnogorskim umetnicima i crnogorskom mentalitetu? Da li vam je blizak?
- Crnogorci su ljudi koji pomažu u nevolji. Ja još uvek verujem da je za njih važno "čojstvo i junaštvo".
Da li se plašite starosti?
- Umesto odgovora evo jedne misli Leona Bluma: "Građanin je svinja koja hoće da umre od starosti". Jedino čemu se zaista ne čudim a što prihvatam kao neminovno je smrt. Upravo zato i stvaram da bih zasenila misao o njoj.
Verujete li u ljubav koja spašava svet od propasti?
- Verujem u ljubav ali mi ona danas dođe kao instant proizvod. Ljubav za ceo život može se jedino naći kod Pepeljuge ili Uspavane Lepotice. Takva može i brda da pomera, kao i da sačuva svet od svakog zla koje stvaraju ljudi. Ljubav se i Bog zove i zato ona može sve.
O čemu budni sanjate?
- Detinjstvo je najlepši san. Posle njega se ređaju snovi i snovi koji nas između zvezda i kamenja vode kroz život. Često sam u snovima ali nikada ne zaboravljam da se iz njih vratim.
Klavir, književnost, slikarstvo, astronomija. Gde ste u svemu tome Vi?
- Imam više neba na koja se mogu spustiti. Ne želim da mi se jedno od drugog otrgne, jer samo sam tako potpuna. Jednom je Haldor Laksnes rekao da ko u svemu traži samo cilj ne može da otkrije lepotu onoga što radi. Muzika, kao i umetnička slika ili dobra knjiga pričaju priče koje razume ceo svet. Zato volim sve ove umetnosti i radiću na tim poljima.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)