Susan has lived and worked in north Cumbria for over 40 years so the local landscapes of the Solway, Hadrian’s wall and the Lake District, are familiar subject matter.
Early work included etching and wood engraving where composition is crucial. Now mostly painting in oil, the creative process begins in sketch books, en plein air, then worked and reworked and completed in the studio. Travel has always played a large part in her life and many ideas are derived from places she has visited, sometimes many times so they are not transient or superficial, but hold a place in her heart.
Importantly colour, light and composition are prominent in her paintings. However recording or representing a particular place is less important than capturing its essence and soul, and her emotional response to it. She regards that as being the essential ingredient before embarking on a painting.
