Odditorium is a series of fine art and two artist books created by Sue Clancy. In this work Clancy playfully practices household surrealism.
Quick book links: Odditorium artist book for grownups and On Looking At Odditorium artist book for children and Odditorium On Storyberries – more details about the fine art exhibit and each book below.
In the Odditorium Clancy takes an uncommonly odd view of ordinary objects from around the house and paints them in whimsical situations with animal characters that evoke feelings of magic, wonder and laughter. She’s deliberately remixing elements of the common world to tell a new and pleasant story of magic household surrealism.
Her goal is to tell gentle, pleasant and comforting stories because that’s what she needed as a kid and what she wants more of as an adult. Clancy views her creations as souvenirs of moments of love and kindness.
Clancy uses gouache, ink, color pencil, acrylic and collage to make her fine art images. The collage text you see in each image is from a falling apart copy of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen that Clancy had in her house. Austen wrote about emotions and dealing with them so Clancy enjoys the visual pun of including bits of Austen’s text in this fine art series. Clancy creates animal characters because an animal behaving like a human highlights our humanity.
Here’s a look at some of the Odditorium fine art which is available via Caplan Art Designs and has been on special exhibition at Burnt Bridge Cellars. If you are interested in one of the paintings below please contact Caplan Art Designs for availability https://caplanartdesigns.com/

























The video above and 4 others on Sue Clancy’s YouTube channel talk about why she does this work. Links to each of the videos are near the bottom of this page. Written transcripts of 4 of the videos follows this…




Here’s a look at the Odditorium fine art exhibit on the walls of Caplan Art Designs https://caplanartdesigns.com/

Here’s a look at the Odditorium fine art exhibit on the walls inside Burnt Bridge Cellars https://www.burntbridgecellars.com/














The Odditorium artist book for grownups is a 24 page 8 x 10 size coffee table book. Some sample pages are in the photos below. More book details including how to order in this link https://www.blurb.com/b/10698335-odditorium










The artist book for children titled On Looking At Odditorium is about how Clancy used her imagination to create this art series. There is a line drawn museum guide who talks about Clancy’s thinking as she created these works. On Looking At Odditorium is intended as a fun resource for teachers and parents to help them share with children the skills of observation. This book is a 26 page 8 x 10 size picture book. More details including how to order is in this link https://www.blurb.com/b/10758158-on-looking-at-odditorium












On Storyberries.com there’s a special ebook edition of On Looking At Odditorium that is free for children. https://www.storyberries.com/bedtime-stories-odditorium-free-art-books-for-kids/

For the pun of it (i.e. household surrealist art becomes a household item) a collection of Odd Greeting Cards is available here https://www.zazzle.com/collections/odd_greeting_cards_art_by_clancy-119338499337369594
And a collection of Odd Mugs is here https://www.zazzle.com/collections/odd_mugs_art_by_clancy-119680926784788694
A very few samples are photographed below.


Clancy’s hand drawn sketchbook that led up to (prequel?) this Odditorium series is titled Another Sketchbook. Spoiler alert: this sketchbook is about reading and the life of the mind. Sketchbook details here https://www.blurb.com/b/10134263-another-sketchbook-by-clancy And here are a few photos of the printed book Another Sketchbook.








List of all videos of Clancy talking about aspects of this exhibit:
ABOUT ODDITORIUM https://youtu.be/-kkCVoAQejk
Household surrealism as a way of coping
https://youtu.be/hqlkz7gMrHI
What Clancy is doing
https://youtu.be/MML0OSY9OpQ
Three Things Inspire Clancy’s Art
https://youtu.be/cSiGGj1cgxk
Why I make art by Clancy
https://youtu.be/GYiby2CfySc
List of blog links in which Clancy shares her process of creating the Odditorium series.
https://sueclancy.com/of-odd-hats-flowers-and-books/
https://sueclancy.com/of-civility-books-odd-art-and-rice/
https://sueclancy.com/well-well-odds-are-its-a-gift/
https://sueclancy.com/the-minutest-concerns-poems-love-books-and-odd-balls/
https://sueclancy.com/kids-read-aloud-patch-la-belle-and-other-playful-paintings-and-poems-by-sue-clancy/
https://sueclancy.com/crows-writing-art-and-the-odd-sandwich/
https://sueclancy.com/crows-cookies-and-thinking-in-the-odditorium/
https://sueclancy.com/flamingos-enjoying-life-in-the-odditorium/
https://sueclancy.com/an-odditorium-of-books-walks-green-dragons-and-cookies/
https://sueclancy.com/an-odditorium-of-stories-poems-and-mugs-of-soup/
A most delightful Odditorium!!
Oh thank you!!! ❤❤❤❤
You’re welcome!!
I just ordered the Odditorium soft cover book!! So excited to see it soon!!! Also, I wouldn’t normally share a link for something you can purchase, but I recently ordered a lapel pin for 2.50 with a green dragon reading with a pile of books, and I can’t help but share it so you have a chance to get one since I just read in your other post that the images mean something special to you… in case you like it: https://www.offworlddesigns.com/too-many-books-pin/ The company is a good one that I’ve bought things from over many years, and they’re having a 75% off sale since they’re moving. So especially good deal right now too. 🙂
Oh!!!! A pin!!!! What fun!!! Thank you!!! Going to go look at it after I finish this reply!!! Thanks for telling me about it!! Thank you too for getting a copy of the Odditorium softcover!!! Perhaps after my green dragon bookplates come a way for me to send you one might be thought of?!? Thank you so much!!
Yes, I would love one of your special dragon bookplates!! Thanks!! When you do a post about them arriving we can chat and get in touch where I can send you my address safely. 🙂