"I look at the relationships between the big value shapes and their proportions, and try to find some kind of a visual pattern in them with the goal of having a solid abstract design underneath the painting. How I put the paint down is my response either to the subject matter, the specific materials and surfaces I'm using, or how I'm feeling at the time. While I may have a specific goal for the painting in terms of what I want to explore, if I'm lucky, I can let go of having to have it turn out a certain way, surrender to what is happening and allow it to evolve by itself without my brain getting too much in the way. Those are the paintings I usually like the most."
Susiehyer knew from the time she was four that she would grow up to be an artist. She studied fine art at Moravian College, the Baum School of Art, the University of West Florida and the Art Students League of Denver working with such notables as Kim English, Mark Daily, Kevin Weckbach, Ron Hicks, and Quang Ho. Her work is in many private and public collections and she has won numerous awards for both her studio and plein air paintings, including two international design awards.
A previous national vice president of the Women's Caucus for Art, she is now a member of Women Artists of the West, Plein Air Artists of Colorado, and OPA. She maintains a home and studio in Evergreen, CO, and travels to paint en plein air. Her work has been seen as a featured artist in Southwest Art Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, and was chosen for the Landscapes of Colorado book by Ann Daley of the Denver Art Museum.
Selected Awards:
2010 Plein Air Artists of Colorado, Saks Galleries, Denver CO first place
2010 Denver Plein Air, Denver, CO Honorable Mention
2009 Women Artists of the West, Saks Galleries, Denver, CO third place
2009: Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival, Salida, CO BEST OF SHOW and Quick Draw winner
2009: Plein Air Artists of Colorado, Abend Gallery, Denver, CO BEST OF SHOW
2009 Victor Plein Air, Victor, CO BEST OF SHOW
2008 Estes Park Plein Air, Estes Park, CO, Award of excellence
2008 Denver’s Plein Air, Denver, CO, Honorable Mention
2008 Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival, Salida, CO, Honorable mention
2007 High Plein Air Exhibit, Denver, Co, First Place and BEST OF SHOW
2007 Paint, Sculpt, Shoot Evergreen, Evergreen Art Center, Evergreen, Co, BEST OF SHOW
2007 Estes Park Plein Air, Estes Park, Co, Bronze Award
2006 Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine Silver Award, Estes Park Plein Air, Estes Park, CO
2006 Arts for the Parks Top 200
2005 Arts for the Parks Top 100 and Mini 100, Awards of Excellence
2005 Estes Park Plein Air, Award of Excellence
2003 Artists of Colorado, Colorado History Museum, Denver, Co. Award of Excellence