SUSAN GLASS NORTHERN MICHIGAN ART 
I paint to express the spirit of the moment and celebrate the seasons along the  Nothtern Shores of Lake Michigan.
Painting "en plein air" engages the senses and becomes a way to pay attention to the  ever-changing energy in the natural world. I look for  vitality in the patterns of light, the rhythms of a composition and the true colors of a scene. 

Watercolor has been my primary medium since moving full-time to Northern Michigan. Originally inspired by Expressionist works of Emil Nolde and  early landscapes of Georgia O'Keefe, I continue to explore  watercolor and the many ways it can be descriptive, direct, and surprising.

Other  inspiration for color and composition include: the quilts of Gee's Bend,   Folk and Outsider art,  the paintings of  Henri Matisse,  David Hockney, Joan Mitchell, and Alma Thomas.

Originally from the Detroit area, I returned to study at Wayne State University for an M.A. in painting, after earning a  B.A. in English from the University of Michigan.  I established a studio practice in the artists' loft space, the Brooklyn Building,  to be part of the lively urban art scene in downtown Detroit. There, I produced a body of work in oil on glass, using recycled windows. With their readymade grid and interesting aura, old windows became a  a means to  put the viewer in the immediate scene.

As a teacher, I learn from my students and continue to find new ways to see. As  Adjunct Professor in the Art Department of North Central Michigan College, I have taught Drawing and Composition and Life Drawing. I also teach private watercolor and  plein air classes.