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Susan Lane Gardner Comforting, soothing, challenging, frustrating, rewarding - my artwork is all of these things to me. It has provided me with a place to go that is solely my own, to create something that only I could do, in my own way and in my own time. I was presented with a "gift" while taking a walk in 1984 when I had the "out of the blue" desire to take a drawing class. I was directed to exactly the right class by my best friend which followed the book by Betty Edwards, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". I learned how "to see" in order to draw. Creating a piece of artwork is not always an easy journey to be on but I learned early that if I worked hard enough I usually ended up with a picture I was pleased with. And even when that wasn't true, the process was a learning experience and I have realized through the years that my thoughts while working on a picture are often the same as how I think about my life. For me, it is a step at a time, feeling my way along, standing back and taking a heard look to determine the next step to take, overcoming frustration and enjoying the delicious feeling when everything is going well. I started out drawing in graphite pencil, going to colored pencil and currently working in acrylic paints. I usually work from a photograph to get my picture started. I make thumbnail sketches to work out composition and design and I usually start with a light free-hand drawing on my paper. I layer my colors and keep layering until the colors sparkle, as it is in the color that I find artwork exciting. I work in complementary colors and acrylic paints offer the opportunity to create beautiful, vibrant colors. My artwork has been juried into art shows, both local and out of state3, and I have won various awards. My work has also had the honor of being published in four "Best of Colored Pencil" books and one "Creative Colored Pencil" book and is also in private collections. | |
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