Email:susanmwarner@hotmail.com
Website:susanmwarner.com
Alimitedselectonofthesepaintingsareavailableonline: https://shop.nemaa.org/artists/susan-warner/
SusanWarner–ArtistStatement
I'mapastelartist,drawntocapturingtheessenceofplacesthroughlight,color,andthestoriesthey hold.Fromwidevistastotucked-awayalleys,Iframecompositions,lettingtheinterplayoflight, shadow,andcolorguideme.Whentherightcombinationcatchesmyeye,Igrabaphoto,areminder ofthatspecialmoment.
Backinthestudio,Idevelopitfurther.Thestudioismyspacetorecallthosemomentsandrefine themintoafinalcomposition.It'swhereItranslatememoriessoviewerscanconnectwiththefeeling ofthatplace,tobetransportedthere.Figuresoftenfindtheirwayintomypaintings,addingapulseto thenarrative,asilentinteractionbetweenpeopleandtheirenvironment.
Pastelsaremychosenmedium.Iappreciatetheirsimplicity–purecoloratmyfingertips.Theirunique luminosityandabilitytolayerandblendallowmetosuggestaworldofeffectswithjustafewstrokes. It'saboutcapturingthetexturesandspiritofalandscape.
Travelingtoanewplaceandencounteringawholenewpaletteofcolorinspirefreshideas.Innovative pastelmaterialsandchangingvistasaremyplayground,pushingmyartisticboundariesandmovingmy artforward.
APillowofWinds
Istartedthisoneduringa workshopwithPastelArtist KarenMargulis.Thetitleis"A PillowofWinds",lyricsfroma PinkFloydsong.Thephoto creditgoestomyfriend KristineLynn.
Image9WX12H,CurrentlyUnframed
TheMusée d'Orsayisoneof myfavorite museumsandit wasthesiteof thisiconicview throughtheclock tower.
Alonelymotorcyclein analleyinSalerno, Italymademethink aboutwhatitwouldbe liketocommuteina citywithtinystreets andlotsoftraffic.
AveburyVillageis surroundedbyaneolithic stonecircle.Thecountryside aroundithasapeacefuland magicalfeelandyoucan sensetheancientspiritsthat gatherhere.
BarkattheMoon
HiltonHeadBeachinthe Fallwasthesceneforthis capturedmoment.The fullmoonwasrising. OzzyOsbourn’ssong lyricsmadeafunnytitle forthispiece,although therewasnotanybarking orhowlinggoingon.
BlueOctober
ThisistheviewfrommyfrontwindowinNortheastMinneapolis.Thetrees alongourstreetturnbeautifulshadesofredandorangeintheFall.I employedabitofartisticlicenseandaddedourhouseonthefarright.For thetitle,IwaslookingforsomelyricsaboutFallLeavesandcolors,and then,whilestillinthemidstofthepandemic,IthoughtthatBluewasthe bestwaytodescribethisOctober.
33X27Pastel onPaper, CustomMatted andFramed
TheBuceriasbeach, nearPuertoVillarta waslivelyand colorfulonthis beautifulsunnyday. Thetitleisfroma JohnPrinesong.
ByMyself,ButNotAloneismyfirst piecetobeacceptedintoaJuried show.Itwasafinalistinthe2016 ArtistryMNWinterShow.The sceneiswarmandcolorfuland couldeasilybesomewhereinthe U.S.onaFallafternoon.Itis actuallyAweil,SouthSoudan.My husbandwasthereonamission withDoctorsWithoutBorders. Whileworkingonthispiece,Iwas abletofeelclosetohim,even thoughhewassofaraway. Thispaintingwasmyentryinto theFootintheDoorexhibition, displayedattheMinneapolis InstituteofArts,2020. 16X14PastelonPaper,CustomMatted andFramed
ChangeofVenue
Onabeautiful eveninginGranada Spain,wewerenear thefamous Alhambra.The interestingshadow onthepillarcaught myeyeandbecame thestarofthis somewhatabstract piece.The geometricshapeof thetower(ortree)in thedistance contrastswiththe detailoftheshadow.
14X18PastelonPaper CustomMattedandFramed
AFlockofGeese restingneartheopen wateronafrozenSt. CroixRiverinHudson WI.Thefrontgooseis onwatchdutywhile theothersrest.
P-2024NOV25
CustomFramedandMatted:19Wx15H
Alateafternoonwalkalong thecanalinLondon,near Regent’sPark.Thiswasa challengetomyselftouse onlythetipsofmypastels. Theeffectisfeatheryand shimmery.
P-2025AUG05
HeartbeatPass
WhenIdidtheunder-painting forthis,thetreesandridgeline lookedlikeaheartbeatonan EKG.Thisfitwiththefactthatit wasalong,steeptrailtogetup tothispoint,soHeartbeatPass seemedtobeanappropriate title. OnthelastlegofthePCT,almost toCanada.
KinniKayaker–Ifyou haveeverpaddledon theKinnikinnickRiverin Wisconsin,youwill recognizethispeaceful stretchwithitslush greenbanks.Ifyou havepaddledthisriver youwillalsoremember theriseinyour heartbeatasyoupeer aroundthatquiet corner,knowingthat theremightbea sectionofrapidsthat willgrabyourkayak,flip itover,orsuckyou dangerouslyclosetoa fallentree.It’sallin goodfunandnottoo serious,butthat anticipationiswhatI rememberwhenIlook atthispiece.
20X16PastelonPaper
Image10WX8H,Framed15WX10H
P-2023DEC20
Lilypads,again.Ilove paintingthem.Thisonehas allofmyfavoritecolorsinit.
LittleTug
Wewerestrollingalong theriverfrontin SavannahGeorgia,when thishugecontainership camethrough,pulling whatlookedlikeatiny boatalongside.Itwas incredibletowatchthem maneuverthatgigantic shipthroughthenarrow riverandunderthe bridge.Iwasexcitedto usesomeofmymanyred pastels,soIchangedthe boatcolorfromgreento red.
16X12PastelonPaper
OnethecanalinLondon, wherehouseboatsare moored,Icameacrossthis sceneasthesunlitupthetree andthebuildingsinthe background.Thereflections andthecomplimentary orangesandbluesgaveme theperfectcolorpalette.
AcompanionpiecetoA NightattheOpera.Thiswas ourviewacrosstotheseas oppositeourbox.Ihadfun recreatingtheantique scrollworkandplush furnishings.
Mile,MileandaHalf–Thispaintingisan intersectionbetween mylife-longloveofthe outdoorsandmymore recentdiscoveryof pastels.Thetitle“Mile, MileandaHalf”isfrom abackpackingmovieof thesamename.Itisa lightheartedanswerto thehiker’squestion “howmuchfarther?”
Tomeitmeans“we’ve gotawaystogo,so relaxandenjoythe scenery”. 18X16PastelonPaper
Wehadfinecompanyon ourmorningstrollonthe beachinSanJuanPuerto Rico.
AtButlerBeachinFlorida,Iwasstandingonasandbar,withmybackto theAtlanticandfacingWesttowardthisamazingsky.Thetitleisfroma songbyKansas.ItisabouthowweareallonthisEarthtogether.Hereis abitmoreofthelyrics: Wearechildrenofthefuture Maybewe'rejustpassingthroughhere Alldependsonwhatyoudohere
OneSummerDream
OneofthreeentriesintotheWhite BearLakeCenterfortheArts“Into Nature”pleinAircompetition. ThisiswhatIcalltheclassicWhite BearLakeviewthatyouseeasyou drivehomefromthebeach.
OutontheWeekend
WhiletravelinginSpain,we wentonahikeintheSierra Nevadamountains.Thegrasses hadabeautifulgoldenglowand thegroundwasabluishgrey.In thedistance,youcanseethe far-offmountains.Wegota littlelostthatdayandendedup goingcross-countryoverhills andfarmfields.Itwasmore adventurethatIhadexpectedto havethatday,buteventually, wemanagedtofindourway backtothecar.Thetitleisfrom aNeilYoungsong.
Image18WX10H,Framed24WX14H
Whilevisiting Thessalonikiin Northern Greece,we walkedpastthis prettyfieldof cosmos.
RivieraHomesickBlues
OntheRivieracoastof France,nearCapFerrat. Itwasneartheendof ourWintertripin2022 andIwasreadytogo home.
CustomFramedandMatted:19Wx15H
P-2022MAR28
RocksandWind
ThecoastlineofBasqueCountryis oneofthemostbeautifulplacesin theworld.
SantoriniRendezvous
Customframed9X9
P-2024NOV27
Awintereveningin
Santorini.Thebeautiful whitechurcheswithblue domeswerecommonin thesmalltowns.
PasteloncoloredPastel paper,mountedinfloat frame.
Shadowplay
P-2024JUL05
Duringahikingtrip,I wasamazedatthe bluecolorofmy shadow,comparedto thebrightlylitstone undermyfeet.
Pastelonpaper,mountedon canvasinfloatframe.
Image12WX12H,Framed15WX15H
Birchtreesareanotheroneof myfavoritesubjects.The referencephotoforthisonewas takeninColorado,atRocky MountainNationalPark.Ihada nicedayofsketchinginthepark. Image6WX8H,Framed13WX15H
P-2023DEC27
InPortugal,wetookacablecartothe topofasmallmountaininthetown ofGuimaraes.Wehikedthroughan areaofhugeboulders.Icaught Mohammadashewaswalkingintoa shaftofsunlight
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StateofMind
ThisisacombinationoftworeferencephotosfromSanJuanIslandInWashington.The colorsandshapeofthefenceremindedmeofAndrewWyeth’s“Christina’sWorld”.I chosethetitleafterreadingaboutChristina.AccordingtoanarticlefromMoMA,his painting,ismoreapsychologicallandscapethanaportrait,aportrayalofastateofmind ratherthanaplace.
13X13imageinablack floatframe. 14X14Framed
StillMovement
Beachhousesonthehorizon starinthissoftlycolored landscape.Anothersouvenir fromButlerBeach,nearSt. AugustineFlorida.
17WX14HPastelonpaper,CustomMattedandFramed
InTyre,Lebanon,Icameuponthisquietscenewith mutedcolorsintheharboronapeacefulmorning.
CustomFramed:17Wx10H
SunlitCaldera
Theviewfromthe Ferryaswepulling intotheterminal onSantorini
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Abacklitsceneonthe promenadeinNice,France
TheRighttoRoam(revisited2024)
P-2024NOV25
Hikinginthe Englishcountryside, justafewtrain stopsfromLondon. Werambledalong farmfencesduring thisWinterhike.
TheSeventhWave
Image12WX9H, Framed16WX20H
P-2023JAN10
Therhythmandpatternof waveshavealways mesmerizedme.It’ssaid thattheseventhwaveisthe biggest.Thepowerofall thatwateristhrillingto watchasitcrashesonthe shore,thetransparencyof thewaterilluminatingthe colors.Ichosethepainting’s titlefromtheStingsong “LoveistheSeventhWave”. Thesongisabouthowour livesarerockedbytrouble andworries,butthepower ofloveisbuildingandwill overcometheworld’s adversities,ifweletit.
Anarrowstreetin NiceFrancewasthe settingforthis eveningstroll.
UntitledBoatsinHarborAthens
WhisperedSunset
Acrosshatched versionofthe MemorialPark inRedWing, Minnesota
YourRockySpine
PuertoRicoisanislandof naturalbeauty.CharcoLos Moronesisagreatexampleofa swimminghole,offthebeaten path.Ittakesalittlebitofeffort togetthere,butiswellworthit. Thewáteriscoolandclearand reflectsthelushforestthat surroundsit.Thetitleisfroma songbyTheGreatLakes Swimmers. P-2025APR09
