My paintings are landscapes and nature scenes that are profoundly abstract. I choose to paint life and the environment because I desire to examine the different forms of nature and our emotional associations with it. But that’s not how it started out; I used to work from photographs and painted photorealistic work. Now, my work is evolving toward abstraction inspired by nature.

I paint completely from imagination. I usually start with an idea, allow it to grow and then let my creativity drive me; mostly I paint from my heart and go where it leads me.

Color inspires me, also layering. My paintings have many layers, like an onion. When you stand in front of one you see something different than when you are 15 feet away. I am also continually challenging myself, trying out new ideas and using new materials, pushing the envelope and keeping myself fresh.

Through my work, I try to elicit an emotion, evoke a feeling. I want people to get lost in my art, find joy in it and seek meaning for themselves.

Susan will be having an upcoming solo exhibition, “Nature’s Revelations” January through March 2008 at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City.