Susan Hauptman

I was first introduced to Susan Hauptman as a sophomore at UGA. One of my professors recommended that I look at her work because it's comprised strictly of self portraits. She was actually the chair of the Lamar Dodd School of Art right before I got there- from 1997-2000.

Susan has used the self portrait as the foundation of her work for more than twenty years. She is an incredible draftsman... including every little detail. All of her pieces are done in charcoal and pastel; on occasion she will use carefully selected color. Her work is extremely personal and evocative; I have always found it to be very soothing and intriguing. She exposes herself in her portraits in a way that gives insight to her own psychology and innermost expression. The starkness of her appearance as well as her androgyny really begin to challenge the idea of beauty.

Hauptman earned her B.F.A from the University of Michigan and her M.F.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit, and currently lives and works in New York.