Expectant

by Lynn Huber and Susan Voss

Lynn Huber and Susan Voss had known one another for twenty years, yet it was this collaborative project that allowed them to truly know each other. Both artists, they approached the challenge from different backgrounds. Susan brought formal training and a master’s degree in art, while Lynn worked as a self taught abstract painter guided by intuition. The structure of collaboration created a space for growth, discovery, and deeper friendship at a serendipitous moment in their lives.

They passed the canvas back and forth, allowing the painting to evolve organically. Lynn began by layering the surface with fragments of old text, including dictionary pages and book excerpts, while Susan added pieces of newspaper, building a foundation rich with history and meaning. As they worked, they nurtured the process with patience and attentiveness, speaking to one another not only through words but through paint. The pivotal moment came when Susan introduced two realistic chairs into the composition. Their grounded presence offered balance within the abstraction. The chairs, steady and supportive, seemed to float in space with quiet dignity, waiting expectantly.

In Expectant, the two chairs symbolize friendship, supportive, restful, and open to conversation. The painting embodies the blending of realism and abstraction, with yin and yang forming a unified circle. It reflects not only artistic synergy but personal connection. Through layering paint and sharing stories of their past and present, Lynn and Susan created a work neither could have imagined alone. The collaboration became both artwork and relationship, a testament to shared vulnerability, growth, and gratitude.