My mother was an artist so I have always created. She brought me my first set of acrylics at age five so I would stay out of her oil paints. I started taking classes in ceramics and painting at age five at the Richmond Art Center. By the time I was 12 I was exhibiting my paintings at craft fairs, including KPFA’s annual holiday faire, Live Oak Faire in Berkeley, CA. I have a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute.
After art school I fell into making jewelry to survive. My clients included: Esprit, Wilkes Basford, I Magnums, and other specialty boutiques on the west and east coast. I have had my work in publications and on TV: The Esprit catalog, (national and international), Glamour Magazine, Women’s Wear Daily, W, New York Magazine, People are Talking, Bay Guardian, by the San Francisco Examiner etc. I don’t separate my art from my craft it is all part of me.
For the last ten years I have worked with developmentally disabled adults, mentoring in micro art businesses. Before that living in the Bay Area I taught traditional and non-traditional arts and crafts at the Native American AIDS Project from toddlers to elders. I teach pine needle baskets, mixed media, jewelry, beaded buttons, and acrylic mediums and paint. The children summer art program started 16 years ago with the Shasta County Arts Council where I have been involved since 2000. In the art program we cover painting, sculpture, pen & ink, watercolor, vintage inspired robots, papermaking and the Kitchen Sink.
With Shasta County Arts Council I started as a volunteer over 16 years ago. I have been a teacher in residence on a NEA grant in Redding School District. I was one of 6 rotating teachers in the program.
I started ARTsMART as a volunteer with Americore Vista working on conomic devolvement for artists in 2004. Today it is an artist co-op sponsored by SCAC in a gallery setting.
Currently I am the Special Events Coordinator
email: susan@shastaartscouncil.org
