What she does: Susie Rosmarin makes colorful, eye-popping paintings that play with repeating patterns and variations of color. The works themselves are visually stunning, attaining many of the kinetic optical-illusion effects of op-art. To Rosmarin, though, the extraordinary visual effects are secondary to the fundamental, on-canvas changes of light and color. "I never set out to do [op-art]. It was a byproduct of my process. So I had to accept it and go with it. And I did."

Why she likes it: In the mid-90s, Rosmarin became fascinated with mathematical patterns -- how things arrive at certain sums. Because of the nature of her process, Rosmarin has to wait until the end to see how the work has come together into a unified whole, a final sum. She doesn't know exactly how it's going to look until she pulls the last piece of tape off. When talking about why she enjoys painting, Rosmarin says very matter-of-factly: "Making something happen on a piece of canvas is really satisfying."

What inspires her: Her recent work has been inspired by Ellsworth Kelly's Spectrum series, which she finally had the opportunity to see in person, though in general she draws great pleasure from other artists' work. Landscape, in particular, has been a huge inspiration for her because of its natural play of light, color and atmosphere. When she speaks of living in New York, she reminisces about the indescribable beauty of the Hudson Valley light that transforms the sky at twilight.

Who are her heroes? Besides the countless artists whose work she admires, Rosmarin admires the toughness and complete focus of athletes. She's seen firsthand the way successful artists live their lives like top athletes in training, a very different idea from the typical depiction of the artist.

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