Suzie Art Page

In 1947, I was born in Wichita, Kansas. At an early age, I learned to entertain myself because toys and extra money were scarce. My imagination became my best friend in many respects. I invented all sorts of games, dramas and scenarios to amuse myself.

As a small child, I remember my first experience with drawing. I would peel the tips off of bobby pins and scratch into the lacquer of the headboard of my twin bed, small drawings of stars, cowgirls, dogs and fairy godmothers . My mother was tolerant of my first scratch board attempts, because she had the foresight to allow me some creative license. When there was no space left to etch my tiny figures, she would resand the headboard and lacquer it again. I owe her much gratitude for her tolerance.

When I was eight, my mother enrolled me in a drawing class offered by the Wichita Museum of Art. She saved extra money so I could attend. I could not wait for Thursday afternoon, and it was in those sunlit rooms that my creative passion ignited.

When I attended the University of Kansas, I chose to major in foreign languages - French and German. I wanted to earn a scholarship to see the great museums of Europe. That dream became a reality. It satisfied me for a while and I graduated with a teaching degree.

In 1969, I married the month after graduation. Within a short time, I gave birth to three active sons. It was a busy time, as I was teaching languages during the day and decorative painting in the evenings. I still yearned to work as an artist, and returned to school for a degree in Commercial Art from Johnson County Community College. After graduation, I worked as a graphic designer for Research Health Services and free-lanced for Hallmark, Inc. as well as other clients.

We moved to Columbia, Missouri, where I discovered the graduate program in fine art at the University. Three years later, there was another move to San Diego, a climate ripe with painters. The San Diego Watercolor Society offered workshops with renowned artists. I discovered Stephen Quiller and Robert Burridge, who remain a key influences in my work.

For several summers, I traveled to Taos, New Mexico, where Michele Cassou offered retreats in process and intuitive painting. My sense of color exploded and I discovered boldness. The works in Taos were totally different from my earlier mixed media pieces.

Kansas City is now my home. My two granddaughters, Caroline and Annabelle offer me playful inspiration as well as my friends and family. I feel their love and support each day, as they encourage me to paint and share my work.

Recently, I studied with Jill Badonsky, co-founder of Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching. Please check that button and I will tell you about this exciting new area of my life and how it can serve you.

As well as private collections across the United States, and in Argentina, my work has been exhibited at the following locations:

Creative Design Gallery – Rancho Bernardo, CA

Par Jewelry Gallery– Rancho Bernardo, CA

San Diego Hospice – San Diego, CA

San Diego Watercolor Society – San Diego, CA

Poway Center for the Performing Arts – Poway, CA

Del Mar Fair Annual Juried Artist Exhibition – Del Mar, CA

The Athenaeum – La Jolla, CA

Maxim Pharmaceuticals – La Jolla, CA

George Caleb Bingham Gallery, Columbia, MO

Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, KS