Throughout her storied career, American abstract painter Susan Swartz has intently explored themes from the natural world.  Her vibrant, layered artworks lie at the intersection of art, nature, and spirituality, expressing environmental urgency while transforming color, texture, and movement into immersive, contemplative experiences.

Her dedication as an environmental activist was recognized in Salt Lake City when she was selected as the Official Olympic Environmental Artist for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.  Shortly thereafter, she battled two environmentally borne illnesses which deepened her advocacy for environmental stewardship.  These experiences marked a pivotal shift in her practice—from realism to abstraction—as she moved from depicting what she saw to creating expressive and interpretive artworks. 

“Pulsating with dazzling color, Susan Swartz’s abstract landscapes simultaneously articulate her awe of the natural world and her rallying cry for its preservation.” -Dr. Susan Fisher Sterling, Director of the National Museum of Women in the Arts 

Today, Swartz often incorporates actual foliage into her paint, including the very food we consume. These tactile canvases push beyond the frame, connecting audiences to emotive materials.  She believes that art can awaken a sense of responsibility toward the planet by inviting people to slow down, observe, and reconnect with what sustains us. With the Great Salt Lake only 50 miles away, Swartz has recently embedded found material from its drying beds in her work to draw attention to its critical need for restoration. 

An established artist, Susan Swartz has participated in solo museum and gallery exhibitions throughout the United States as well as in China, England, Russia, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Portugal.  Her artwork is held in museum, embassy, private, public, and corporate collections. 

Recognizing a need for more contemporary art offerings in her hometown, she established Susan Swartz Studios in Park City in 2016, an active space for exhibiting. In addition to presenting her own work, the gallery hosts numerous events and exhibitions around the mission of bridging human understanding with spiritual and cognitive connections to the environment.