Asta Sutton studied the unconscious part of the human mind as a source of creativity both in theory and in practice. She searched for ways to get inspired by the unconscious and to rouse her own unconscious during the process of painting.

Sutton says that when painting, one must boldly and sincerely listen to one's emotions and be ready to meet the pros and cons of the unconscious. This is the only way to expose the unconscious.

"Honest and receptive, you must let yourself sink into an abyss and collapse. Like a child, an artist must paint without inhibition and morality. Painting must not be disturbed by rational thinking because the unconscious is involved", Sutton points out.

In an artistic production, the researcher of the unconscious becomes the subject and the unconscious assumes a deeper meaning. According to Sutton, there is merely an invisible wall between the conscious and the unconscious. She says that you must be on the level with yourself in the process because it involves balancing with your inner self.


Stimulating the unconscious in the painting process

In her study Asta Sutton observes the working methods of Salvador Dali and Jackson Pollock, which are quite opposite. She notes that the unconscious can be stimulated by studying their techniques. Pollock's abstract art combines with Eastern philosophy that requires the skill to live the moment:

"Painting entails absolute concentration. Rational control is set aside and the artist must trust in one's skills without thinking. Mistakes are unacceptable. One must paint honestly and openly to lure out unconscious thoughts", says Sutton.

Pollock's technique builds on passionate, intensive, mentally exhaustive, and often hurried painting.

On the other hand, Salvador Dali's paranoiac-critical method consciously combines surreal pictures or objects. Paranoiac thoughts and pictures are at the service of the unconscious.

"Dali paints without morals and taboos, creating a dreamy super-reality. His ambiguous picture combinations consisting of both tangibly realistic and fantastically magical pictures stimulate the viewer's unconscious", Sutton says.

Dali's paranoiac-critical method welcomes mistakes as an opportunity for the unconscious to create something new. Also dreams are Dali's source of inspiration and path to the unconscious.

Asta Sutton's own artistic work and her process of studying the unconscious through painting are presented on the artist’s web pages.


Information on the public examination of the dissertation:

Asta Sutton's dissertation Art and the Unconscious: A Semiotic Case Study of the Painting Process was examined on Friday 24 October 2014 by the Faculty of Art and Design of the University of Lapland. The opponent was PhD Annika Waenerberg from the University of Jyväskylä and the custos was Professor Tuija Hautala-Hirvioja from the University of Lapland.


Information on the doctoral candidate:

Asta Sutton (nee Huutonen, born 1965 in Kramfors, Sweden) graduated from Jyväskylän Lyseon Lukio upper secondary school in 1984. She earned her Master's (art and design) degree at the University of Lapland in 1997. She has also studied at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Canada, in 1993–1994 and at the University of San Diego, California, USA, in 2000–2013.

Sutton has worked as a visual artist and visual art teacher in Oulu, Finland, between 1995 and 1997; in Calgary, Canada, between 2006 and 2007; and in San Diego, USA, between 2008 and 2012. In addition, she has worked as project manager and art teacher in the fundraising project for Del Mar Hills Elementary School. Also, she was the head curator of the art exhibition of the Finn Fest 2011 event in San Diego and President of the Del Mar Art Center Gallery. She is presently an active member of the gallery.


Further information:

Asta Sutton
Tel. +1 858 353 9609 (California, USA)
astasutton (at) gmail.com

The press release copies of the dissertation are available at the Lapland University Press, tel. +358 40 821 4242, publications (at) ulapland.fi


Information on the Publication:

Asta Sutton: Art and the Unconscious: A Semiotic Case Study of the Painting Process. Acta Universitatis Lapponiensis 287. University of Lapland: Rovaniemi 2014. ISBN (paperback) 978-952-484-765-0, ISSN 0788-7604. Web version (pdf): Acta Electronica Universitatis Lapponiensis 155. ISBN (pdf) 978-952-484-766-7, ISSN (pdf) 1796-6310.


Sale of the Publication:

Lapland University Press (University of Lapland Library at Yliopistonkatu 8, Rovaniemi), tel. +358 40 821 4242, publications (at) ulapland.fi, ordering via the Internet: www.ulapland.fi/lup


ULapland/Communications/RJ