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Suzan Savage: Sure! I paint to further understand the wonders of the world around me. For myself and others yes, but also for my students, in hopes of inspiring their own exploration of the wondrous in what they see. My genre varies widely, but I am always drawn to capture the essence of my subjects with quick bold strokes and many layers of color and texture. I am more in tune with an impressionistic approach than worrying over minute detail! My tool of choice is often the palette knife. It's an excellent tool for fracturing color and light, lending animation in my pursuit to capture the essence of whatever I may be working on. I also enjoy process and experimenting with various mediums and techniques. Exploration and experimentation... What a wonderful meditation painting can be!

It’s about finding the essence – distilling the essential nature of the subject to a simpler

arrangement of light, form and color. Sometimes there is a story to be told, whether in my

composition or from the viewer imposing their own experiences. Sometimes, the piece simply is. If my work motivates the viewer to look more closely and find a connection in what they see then I am happy.

It is impossible to pinpoint really. I am constantly inspired by the amazing artists that cross my path whether from study of the masters of the past or newly discovered artists of present day... However, I will say that the Impressionists (particularly Monet and Degas) have always had a strong influence on my process.

My primary focus has been guiding others in their artistic journey through workshops and

classes for about 12 years now, so I haven’t pursued showing my work at galleries and shows in a while. When I did, I enjoyed it most when I could interact directly with those interested in my work - most often sculptures and vessels in clay at the time. I did this primarily through gallery shows and art festivals. Today I do most of my marketing and sharing of work through my websites and social media sites. This may very well change in these unprecedented times as class venues have become limited and I focus more energy on creating pieces for potential collectors rather than primarily for classes...

Definitely! I think that is the very essence of artistic endeavor - evolution. In the early years of my journey while attending UT Austin in the Fine Art Dept, I was very much taken by

Expressionism. It perfectly suited my thought that art best conveys meaning through

exaggerated line and emotion and must tell a story. I incorporated this notion into my work as much as I could at the time. Now I find the most satisfaction with a gentler touch capturing the beauty in the world around us rather than feeling the need to impart profound meaning. There is still a love of line and process with an emotional connection, sometimes with a story, but it is of a less chaotic variety!

I would advise exploration and experimentation without concern of the end product. Let the

process be the goal! It has always served to give me a broader understanding of the mediums I use and encouraged freedom in developing new techniques. This leads to another piece of advice that I learned the hard way and often share with my students – Its’s ok to embrace your perfectionism, but as a tool, not a goal!

I am revisiting some of the paintings I had set aside unfinished, usually from a demo, with a new purpose in their completion. Without the constraints I place on myself for a work created with class in mind, I can tweak them to my heart’s content! This is extremely satisfying and also allows me to address the circumstances of the challenging times that have motivated me to spend as much time marketing my work for potential collectors as for my classes.

A few years ago, my Mom gave me an age stained, well-worn drawing of a cow that I did when I was 6years old. She’s trotting away - udders, spots and all. I have no idea if I was proud, I wouldn’t have known at the time how unusual my depiction was for a child of that age, but I am sure I had joy in the drawing of it. I have it hanging in my bathroom – it makes me smile for many reasons now!

On occasion. I have taken many in the past and have always enjoyed “bartering” as well, but it is not currently my focus...

I am fortunate in that my artwork is an intricate part of my life through my business ZanArt, but I am also an avid gardener. Of course, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, but I am seldom not involved in some type of project that involves my artistic side – after all color, texture and design permeates so much in our lives.