Susan began creating animal portraits when she was a teenager. Those portraits
were created with pencil and notebook paper. Since that time, she has experimented
with many different types of media, including watercolor, acrylics, colored pencils,
and her latest love, oils.

Life got in the way of creating art for awhile, but In 1988, Susan was fortunate
enough to discover the Florida Keys. She spent almost 20 years there, soaking
up the sunshine and the incredible art. It was there that she was able to renew
her love for art and learn from some of the best artists on the islands.

The mountains of North Carolina became Susan's new home early in 2008. She and
her husband, Ian, are enjoying the total change in environment. Susan loves the
surrounding woods and farmland. Deer visit nearly every day, as well as the
occasional turkey or raccoon.

Susan enjoys working in both oils and colored pencils. Her colored pencil paintings take many hours to create. Each painting is created with anywhere from 5 to 15 layers of color. Each layer is influenced by the layers below. Some of Susan’s colored pencil paintings are done with wax-based pencils and some are done with watercolor pencils. She uses different types of paper depending on the pencils she will be working with. The papers vary from smooth to rough and each type has its own characteristics that lend to the final painting.

Early in 2006, Susan began working with oil paints. After 2 years of using only colored pencils, the change to working with oils was amazing. She loves the depth and intensity of the oil colors. In 2007, Susan returned to her first love - animal portraits. Her love of animals shows through clearly in her paintings. She has that special ability to capture the spirit of the animal.

 

Galleries:

Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art
Greensboro, North Carolina