Remembering Sedona II
Mixed media on canvas
16" x 16"

Window Series X
Mixed media on paper
12" x 12"

Born and educated in Germany, Susanne began painting with watercolors in high school, adopting other media in later years. Her formal art education includes courses and workshops at the Boston Museum of Fine Art School, the DeCordova Museum School in Lincoln (Ma), and Sir George Williams University in Montreal (Quebec). In addition, Susanne has attended national and international workshops and seminars in various media.

She returned to watercolors in early 1995 and the medium has captivated her since. Her work is influenced by Impressionists VanGogh, Gauguin, Monet , Nolde and Marc. In the last few years she has enjoyed the challenges of abstract work. She is experimenting with acrylics and collage inspired by scenes from nature, but painting her inner vision rather than the actual image.

She has entered, and been juried into many national and international shows. In addition, she has illustrated a children’s book, a book cover and participated in the “Pigs on Parade” public art project in Seattle. Susanne’s work has been featured in various solo and group shows on both U.S. coasts.

I have chosen water media to create the imagery I see and feel in nature. Going for walks in the woods or on the beach I see the colors and beauty around me. My objective is to put on paper what touches me about what I see. I reach inside myself and create the spirit and the mood that moves me, beauty in nature seen through my eyes and put on paper translating, abstracting and adding my inner feeling.

Recently I have experimented with acrylic paints combined with Washi paper collage. The results are interesting and have a quality of depth that I find very pleasing. In the past I have experimented with watercolor as the medium to express myself. It has given me the freedom and lightness to create what I perceive as the essence of my surroundings. I have now added touches of other media to enhance and highlight what I want to say. I do not want to paint what I see; I want to paint what I feel after I have seen.

I create a mental picture and then start with intuitive splashes of color making stronger statements as the painting develops. Experimentation with all water media and the reaction from one medium with the other is an important focus for me.
Making art is feeling and seeing what’s around you.