“Because each part of the process influences every other part, the making of a painting is more complex than it seems. It’s the artist with her knowledge in relation to the subject as well as to what’s happening on the canvas, which has a life of its own.”

About the artist

My first formal instruction in painting and drawing began at six years old with lessons from my parents, both talented nonprofessional artists who filled our home with art books and original artwork. My name is Susan Dawkins, but I sign my work with my middle name, which my mother and I shared.

I completed my formal education at the College of William and Mary, the University of South Carolina, and Ringling School of Art and Design, where I earned a certificate in Advertising Design. While employed as a commercial artist, copywriter, and technical writer, I continued my education in classes and workshops with Daniel Greene, Dawn Whitelaw, and Carolyn Anderson, among other outstanding contemporary artists, and painted commissioned portraits.

In 2015 I left corporate life and moved my studio from Charlotte to Clyde, North Carolina, where I daily find new inspiration. My work is painted en plein air, from my own photographs, or from setups in the studio.

I have taught art to children and adults for the South Carolina Arts Commission and the Queens Institute for Lifelong Learning, and enjoy demonstrating my unique painting knife techniques for arts groups in Western North Carolina.