Painter, author, illustrator, new artist this year at Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Show …
My work …
Portrays nature’s rhythms. Flowing, like water or silk fabric. Simple but complex. Reflections, transparency, and lots of light. And goats. Lots of goats and other animals, too.
Strongest art memory of childhood:
I was showing abilities that made my mother believe I should be doing more art. I spent part of high school taking college level art at the University.
How it passed on:
Our home was always the hangout. There was art and sewing stuff accessible. My son’s walls were covered with butcher paper.
Art supply you couldn’t live without:
Don’t touch my filberts.
Finest color: Red
Art crushes:
Michelangelo, Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keefe, Robert Gilmore, Fritz Thaulow. I want to paint like all of them rolled together.
What is bad art:
If it makes me anxious.
Rituals or mantras:
Paint every day!
Distractions to the mission:
A messy house, my living space must be in order, it is okay if the studio is a mess.
Because you are artsy people expect:
I can sing but no one in my family can. At birthdays, my mother would play a record and we were only allowed to lip sync.
Next big thing:
Piccolo Spoleto. Come see me and the goats. Come paint with me! I would love to get visitors to interact.
How are you so beautiful?
I am empathetic to what people are going through even though I seem Polly Anna. I know the issues are there, but I focus on the beautiful. The flowers are still going to bloom.
Why does art matter:
Art nurtures the soul and connects us to the world. It is a brush with something magical. It connects to the world by uniting the dream world with the appreciation of the natural world.
Susan Irish is the founder and owner of Fabulon – Center for Art and Education. Each month she inrterviews a different local artist.
