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FACEBOOK PAGE: Susan Glass Northern Michigan Art
ON INSTAGRAM as susan.glass1 BEVELED EDGES FRAMING 8442 M119, Harbor Springs, MI CROOKED TREE ART CENTER IN PETOSKEY , MI 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. Whether enjoying a landscape view or focusing on a single flower's beauty, I find the fluid brushstrokes of watercolor become like musical beats of apprecition,. Harbor Springs Farmer's Market is a favorite site for immersion in color and energy! (above photo by Hannah Bianchi) 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, Alma Thomas and Stanley Whitney. 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. Retired as Adjunct Professor at North Central Michigan College, where I taught Drawing and Composition and Life Drawing,. I now teach private watercolor and plein air classes. |