SUSAN LEIPER

SUSAN LEIPER, Scribe, was introduced to calligraphy through Derick Pao in Hong Kong in the early 1980s. Derick had just returned from the US with his enthusiasm fired by Donald Jackson at the calligraphy convention in Minnesota in 1980. For Susie, the invitation to work on The Saint John’s Bible was as if life had come full circle.

Born and brought up in Glasgow, Susie studied French at the University of St Andrews and History of Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. Whilst working as an editor of books on Chinese art and archaeology, she developed her calligraphy through attending workshops and completing the Advanced Training Scheme run by the Society of Scribes & Illuminators (SSI), of which she is now a fellow. Working on The Saint John’s Bible turned out to be her formal training ground.

Donald Jackson always assured Susie that the discipline of working on the bible would later give her the freedom to do anything. He was right. Since 2006 Susie has taken up painting as well as developing her calligraphic work. Painting has liberated her calligraphy, leading to large works on canvas and huge walls that combine lettering and abstract painted marks. Chinese landscape painting, where the emphasis is strongly on the mountain, has influenced her abstract mountain paintings, and the Chinese book is behind her one-off artist books.

Susie exhibits regularly and is represented by the Open Eye Gallery Edinburgh. Her work is held in many national and international collections including the National Library of Scotland, University of Edinburgh, Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge, V&A Dundee, the British Museum and the Royal Collection. She lives and works in Edinburgh and still makes frequent trips to China.
Links:
https://susieleiper.com/slwp/
https://boundunbound.org.uk/collective/artists/susie-leiper/
https://www.art-scot.com/susie-leiper
www.susieleiper.com