December 6, 2024
Editor's note: These artist spotlights are part of a series of posts examining the intersection of AI with art. They include a brief summary of the artist generated by AI (but also checked for accuracy by a human) and images generated by AI "in the style" of the artist. They do NOT include actual images by the artist (other websites already do this much better than I could).
Susan Boulet (1941 - 1997)
Susan Seddon Boulet was a visionary artist known for her ethereal and dreamlike paintings, which drew heavily on mythology, shamanism, and spiritual traditions from around the world. Her art, characterized by intricate detail, vibrant color, and symbolic imagery, explored themes of transformation, healing, and the interconnectedness of all life. Boulet's works are celebrated for their ability to evoke a deep sense of wonder and connection, resonating with viewers on both an emotional and spiritual level. Over her career, she produced a vast body of work, including paintings, drawings, and book illustrations, which have inspired audiences worldwide.
Early Life
Susan Boulet was born on February 22, 1941, in São Paulo, Brazil, to English parents. Her early life was deeply influenced by the lush, vibrant landscapes of Brazil and the stories and traditions of its diverse cultural heritage. The untimely death of her mother when she was young and her father's later absence left her to be raised largely by caregivers, which instilled in her a deep sensitivity to themes of loss, connection, and transformation—elements that would later define her art.
Boulet attended a boarding school in Rio de Janeiro before moving to Europe in her late teens, where she traveled extensively and immersed herself in art, history, and culture. After returning to Brazil, she worked briefly as a secretary for a cattle rancher, an experience that connected her to the natural world and further inspired her artistic vision. In 1967, she emigrated to the United States, settling in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she began to dedicate herself more seriously to her art.
Artistic Style
Boulet’s work is instantly recognizable for its dreamlike quality and symbolic depth. Her style combines delicate, precise line work with soft, flowing layers of color, often blending figures with natural and mythological elements. Key characteristics of her art include:
Symbolic Imagery: Boulet's art is rich with archetypes and symbols drawn from various cultural traditions, including Native American, Celtic, African, and Asian mythologies. Her images often feature animals, goddesses, shamans, and celestial beings, exploring the relationships between the physical and spiritual realms.
Layered Technique: Boulet developed a unique technique of layering oil pastels over ink, which allowed her to create luminous, textured compositions that evoke a sense of otherworldly beauty.
Themes of Transformation: Central to her work are themes of metamorphosis, spiritual journeys, and the interconnectedness of life. Her paintings often depict figures in transition, merging with animals, plants, or cosmic elements, symbolizing unity and personal evolution.
Mythical and Mystical Elements: Boulet’s art often reflects her deep interest in mythology, psychology (influenced by Carl Jung’s theories), and shamanism, making her works resonate as visual meditations on universal truths.
Notable Works
Some of Susan Seddon Boulet’s most iconic works include:
Shaman Series: This series of paintings explores the figure of the shaman as a healer and intermediary between worlds. These works often depict human figures adorned with animal totems, feathers, and other sacred symbols, emphasizing the unity of spirit and nature.
Goddess Series: Boulet’s depictions of goddesses from diverse cultural pantheons celebrate feminine power, wisdom, and creativity. Her Goddess paintings blend human and cosmic forms, embodying the divine feminine in all her manifestations.
Animal Spirit Guides: Many of Boulet’s works feature animals as central figures or companions to human forms, reflecting her belief in the spiritual significance of animals as guides and protectors. Wolves, owls, horses, and big cats are common motifs, symbolizing strength, intuition, and transformation.
Illustrations for Mythological Texts: Boulet’s illustrations for books such as The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and Shaman: The Paintings of Susan Seddon Boulet showcase her ability to visually interpret complex spiritual and mythological ideas.
Later Life and Legacy
Susan Seddon Boulet continued to create art throughout her life despite struggling with chronic health issues. Diagnosed with cancer in the early 1990s, she remained deeply connected to her work, using her art as a means of personal and spiritual exploration. Boulet passed away on April 28, 1997, in Oakland, California, at the age of 56.
Her legacy endures through the widespread popularity of her art, which has been reproduced in calendars, posters, greeting cards, and books, reaching audiences far beyond the art world. Boulet's work continues to inspire spiritual seekers, artists, and lovers of mythology, resonating deeply with those who find meaning in her meditative and transformative imagery. She is remembered as a pioneer in visionary art, whose unique style and profound connection to the spiritual and mythical realms have left an indelible mark on contemporary art.
This summary was written by The Artist Biography Writer, a GPT created by the editor in ChatGPT on December 6, 2024. A human double-checked the factual assertions.
How well does AI "interpret" Susan Boulet?
Using "in the style of Susan Boulet" to create AI-Assisted images with standard diffusion models at this time will likely produce an image of a woman similar to the one below. As usual, Flux will generate more variable images that are also less directly influenced by Boulet's works. Adding a subject modifier will change the image while keeping a rough version of Boulet's style (see below).
What ChatGPT 4o Has to Say
The images in this post were uploaded to ChatGPT 4o and ChatGPT was asked to act like an art critic and to comment on how well these images do, and do not, correspond with Boulet's style. Here is what it said:
The attached images evoke themes and styles reminiscent of Susan Seddon Boulet's body of work, particularly in their spiritual and symbolic resonance. However, there are clear distinctions in technique, tone, and the degree of realism that differentiate these pieces from Boulet's characteristic ethereal and mystical style. Below is a detailed comparison of how these images correspond to and diverge from Boulet's iconic works.
Image 1: Intricately Patterned Unicorn with Rainbow Mane
Correspondence to Susan Boulet’s Work:
Symbolism and Mythical Elements: The unicorn is a quintessential symbol of purity, transformation, and mysticism, aligning with Boulet's frequent exploration of mythical creatures and spiritual archetypes.
Layered Detail: The intricate patterns adorning the unicorn’s body, reminiscent of sacred geometry, parallel Boulet’s technique of embedding symbolic elements into her compositions to evoke deeper meaning.
Color Palette: The soft, luminous colors—particularly the rainbow hues—echo Boulet’s preference for vibrant, blended pastels, which often imbued her works with an otherworldly glow.
Deviations:
Hyper-Detailed Realism: Boulet’s works were more stylized and impressionistic, with delicate linework and soft textures. This piece’s precise, almost photorealistic detail contrasts with the dreamlike ambiguity of her style.
Decorative Emphasis: While Boulet incorporated symbolic motifs, her focus was more on spiritual depth than the ornamental intricacy seen here.
Image 2: Shamanic Figure with Radiant Headdress
Correspondence to Susan Boulet’s Work:
Shamanic Theme: The depiction of a shamanic figure reflects a central theme in Boulet’s oeuvre, which often celebrated spiritual healers as intermediaries between the earthly and the divine.
Radiant Circular Motif: The circular halo-like structure behind the figure echoes Boulet’s use of radiating patterns to symbolize cosmic energy and spiritual enlightenment.
Emphasis on Connection with Nature: The figure’s adornments—feathers, beads, and natural elements—align with Boulet’s emphasis on the interconnectedness of humans and the natural world.
Deviations:
Realism and Portraiture: This image leans heavily on photorealistic techniques, particularly in the facial features, while Boulet’s work often embraced a more fluid and abstract style, emphasizing emotion over strict anatomical accuracy.
Somber Tone: Boulet’s shamanic figures typically radiate warmth and vitality, whereas this piece has a darker, more introspective mood, shifting the emotional resonance.
Image 3: Ethereal Woman with Decorative Headpiece
Correspondence to Susan Boulet’s Work:
Mythical and Feminine Themes: The ethereal woman, with her intricate headdress and serene expression, resonates with Boulet’s frequent exploration of goddesses, muses, and feminine archetypes from myth and legend.
Focus on Spirituality: The circular elements and feathered adornments evoke a sense of transcendence and connection to higher realms, a hallmark of Boulet’s symbolic approach to depicting divine femininity.
Soft, Blended Colors: The muted blues and golds, along with the luminous softness of the painting, align with Boulet’s use of pastel tones to create a dreamlike atmosphere.
Deviations:
Highly Polished Aesthetic: This piece’s highly polished, hyper-realistic rendering of the face and decorative elements differs from Boulet’s more organic, layered, and textured approach, which often left space for interpretation.
Absence of Symbolic Integration: While the headdress and jewels are intricate, they lack the deeper symbolic layering of animals, patterns, and cosmic motifs that often populated Boulet’s works.
Overall Comparison
How They Align with Boulet’s Work:
Thematic Resonance: All three images touch on themes central to Susan Boulet’s art—spirituality, mythology, shamanism, and the divine feminine.
Symbolic and Archetypal Content: The use of archetypes like the unicorn, shaman, and goddess connects these works to Boulet’s focus on universal symbols that bridge cultural and spiritual traditions.
Atmospheric Elements: The ethereal quality and soft blending of colors in these images evoke a similar sense of transcendence that Boulet’s art often achieved.
How They Diverge:
Realism: Boulet’s style was more impressionistic and fluid, while these images lean heavily into photorealism, especially in facial features and fine details.
Ornamentation vs. Symbolism: While Boulet incorporated layered patterns and symbols, they served a deeper narrative or spiritual purpose, whereas these works lean more heavily on decorative intricacy.
Emotional Tone: Boulet’s art often radiated warmth, healing, and an inviting energy, while these images, particularly the shamanic figure, adopt a more solemn and intense mood.
Conclusion
The attached images draw inspiration from Susan Seddon Boulet’s thematic and symbolic language, reflecting her focus on mythology, spirituality, and transformation. However, they diverge stylistically, favoring a hyper-realistic, decorative approach over Boulet’s more impressionistic and emotionally evocative style. While they successfully evoke her spirit and subjects, they lack the layered subtlety, textured softness, and profound symbolic integration that define Boulet’s unique artistic legacy.
Comentários