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Spring: Boise River
16x20
acrylic
barnwood frame not pictured

original watercolor and acrylic paintings

Seeking beauty through watercolor and acrylic painting

original watercolor and acrylic paintings

Seeking beauty through watercolor and acrylic painting

About me

Indian Creek Winery in Kuna, Idaho printed my Yellow Finches image on the 2021 release of chardonnay

I have been painting since my college years in the 60's. My first art class was held in the evening in a pathology lab on the campus of Oregon Health Sciences University. I was a nursing student and wanted to have an extra- curricular activity apart from science. The teacher was a Northwest watercolor artist who offered the art class to people on the campus. We painted on black slate tables surrounded by shelves full of lab specimens in glass jars. The teacher, Charles Mulvey, taught us to paint seascapes and landscapes using simple strokes of our brushes.

Over the years I have had other teachers in classes and workshops. One workshop introduced me to acrylics. The texture possible with acrylics is intriguing. I treasure the insights other artists and teachers have shared with me.

Painting has been a way for me to preserve memories and interpret the beauty around me. Nursing has taken me around the world. From 1969 to 1971 I was a missionary nurse in Viet Nam. I have worked as a nurse in seven states. As a New Yorker, I met my husband, and we brought two sons into the world. Each location has inspired me to paint. Creating art was my respite when I was a hospice nurse for 15 years. Maternity nursing in Palm Springs was my most recent job, and I have been retired since 2011.

California was my home for seven years, now I live in Idaho. I am a member of the Art Source Gallery in Boise. I have sold work in galleries in Palm Desert, Palm Springs and Sun Valley. My paintings have been selected for various juried shows including the Palm Springs Art Museum annual Artists' Council Exhibition (six times). Two of my paintings have been chosen by the city of Meridian, Idaho to be displayed on traffic boxes.

Some of my images are available at redbubble.com . Prints on several surfaces can be ordered. Also my images can be printed on a variety of products.

Please search

susanellestudio/redbubble.com

to check out the possibilities.

My inspiration

Spiders spin webs to catch insects. Some of the webs are utilitarian and have random form. Other webs are stunningly beautiful, especially when highlighted with the sparkle of morning dew. These webs show planning and the artistry of patterns. I identify with the spiders who create beautiful webs. I paint seeking beauty, mostly in nature. My hope is to bring tranquility to those who see my work.

Comments from people who have my work in their homes is that the paintings bring feelings of calm.

I am drawn to scenes or subjects in nature that have radiant color and interesting shadow and light. Studying under Kathy Dunham in Palm Desert, California taught me the importance of good lighting to define the shapes of any subject.

I usually begin a painting by taking a photo of the subject or scene. To make the composition stronger I sometimes change the arrangement of elements of the photo. I sketch on paper first and decide what will be the center of interest and its location in the composition. Sometimes I choose and make a sample test strip of the colors I will use in the painting.

Some subjects call for the softer medium of watercolor. In some of my acrylic paintings I use layering with transparent, diluted pigment, so the effect is like watercolor. The acrylic texture mediums are fun to use. Acrylic paint can be heavy or light depending on the subject or my mood. I must be making lots of endorphins when I paint because of the positive feelings I have with a brush in my hand.