An award-winning Northern California artist, Susan’s passion for the outdoors and love of wildlife is the inspiration for her paintings. Sonoma County’s diverse culture and surrounding forests, vineyards, coastline, and pasturelands offer her abundant subject matter. “Nature’s moods are limitless… constantly changing interplay of light and shadow, atmosphere, color and reflection. By the very nature of watercolor’s vibrant translucent pigments, my artwork is a personal interpretation of sound, smell and sense. I find myself looking for ‘the painting’ in every watery pond, every cloud pattern, every shadowy doorway, and every colorful season. I strive to draw the viewer into a painting by creating an intriguing ‘story’ with subtle passageways that invite entry and allow the mind to roam and experience the freedom of personal interpretation.”
The Medium: The use of water itself induces feelings of calm and meditation. “The nature of watercolor is to “float” and then settle…the trick is to relax and let the pigment flow from the brush.” Layers of rich color allowed to dry between layers create the much-desired glazing effect which produces luscious, juicy, translucent depth in glowing colors which seem to vibrate from the surface of the heavy rag papers. Years of watercolor instruction and class work have enhanced the evolution of her unique style. Susan has had the opportunity to study with several premier watercolorists, including Pat Kurtz, Holly Downing, Sylvia Miller and master Chinese Watercolorist Lian Zhen.
Major Awards and Accomplishments: Marin County Humane Society Award for Outstanding Art Interpretation (tempera) –All Schools
Kona Coffee Company sign board design winner (wood carving and acrylic) Kona, Hawaii 1965
Moon’s Gallery One Woman Show, Plumas County (watercolor – sold out) 1988
Best of Medium, Sonoma County Harvest Fair (watercolor) 1996
1st Place, Amateur, Sonoma County Fair (watercolor) 1997
1st Place, Sonoma County Harvest Festival (watercolor) 1998
People’s Choice Award, Aqua Areas Watercolor Show, 2000
“Painting simply fills me up with imagination and joy and brings expression, emotion and balance into my life.”