Powerful mountain vistas, fiery-brilliant sunsets, the magical transformation as the late afternoon sunlight splashes and bathes the landscape with glowing color: These are the elements which inspire Susanne to create paintings.

    She and her husband, Bob, are fortunate to live in the small and aptly named community of Carefree, Arizona. This little town is nestled in the foothills of the upper Sonoran Desert, revered by many as the most diverse and lush desert in the world. It is this strikingly beautiful environment which provides her with the dramatic and vividly-hued scenes which her work embraces with such artistry.

    Susanne is a “Plein Air” painter, derived from the French term for “open air.” This style of painting requires the artist to work very fast to capture the light and mood of a scene before it changes and vanishes forever. She accomplishes this using oils and palette knives. Knife painting allows her to cover the canvas with paint quickly, and to get the correct color, lighting, and composition while on location. Then she takes the blocked in canvas home and completes it in her studio.

    She was born in 1953 and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts. Susanne studied at both the Art Institute of Boston and the Museum of Fine Arts School. She also studied at the Corcoran Museum School in Washington, D.C. She is the daughter of a professional artist and was encouraged to paint prolifically since childhood. However, Susanne’s most significant influence has come from her long-time friend and mentor, renowned wildlife and landscape artist, Bill Freeman.

    After having worked in many different media and styles, such as pottery, sculpture, portraiture, wild life art, and various types of abstract art, Susanne chose landscape painting as her favorite form of expression. She has lived in the desert for thirty years, and has grown to love the magnificent Southwest vistas.

    Since the beginning of her professional career in 1980, Susanne has been in numerous one person gallery shows around the country. Susanne has been commissioned by authors such as Larry McMurty and Edward J. Lavin to create art for their book covers. Her art work is displayed in many corporate and private collections around the world including Donald Trump, Giant Oil, and Leggett and Platt. She is very grateful to all the collectors who have enabled her to pursue her passion for art. Susanne feels one of her missions in life is to help others appreciate the majestic beauty of the Southwest by capturing its magic moments in her paintings.