Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Bell.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was always attracted to making art but was talked out of it as a career path by my parents. As a compromise, I studied to be a fashion designer and worked in that industry for 15 years. Then major life changes caused me to reflect on what I really wanted and I decided that I would pursue the painting career that I had always desired. I got a job as a waitress at night and started to study painting during the day and have been working at it diligently for the past 30 years. I think I can say that I am a successful artist due to never giving up. I continue to work at art both technically and also the business of art.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think that in all artistic pursuits one struggles with rejection. You have to try and walk a line where you stay true to your vision and not be driven by what you are told to create or to try and produce what you the market wants.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Because we live in a world that wants to see a recognizable “brand” as an artists you must focus on a style or genre to achieve recognition. Early on I realized that I would have the most latitude in the subjects that I am interested if I just became identified as a “western”artist.
I grew up in Colorado. I love the land and the animals so that is what I focused on in my work. The thing that I like to do and I am most proud of is painting animals live “en plein air”. It is really a challenge because they are constantly moving but it is so much fun because you are seeing them in all their dimensions while trying to capture their image on canvas. You get to know personality, movement, relationships and small details that you would never see working from a photo. It isn’t easy and you don’t always get a masterpiece but you do gain a lot of information and experience and the more you do it the better the paintings get.
What were you like growing up?
I was interested in nature and animals although I grew up in a city. I always loved every kind of art. Painting, ceramics, jewelry, you name it. I loved art classes. Mostly I was wild about horses. My Dad got so tired of me asking for a horse that he finally said “If you can get straight A’s all through 6th grade I will buy you a horse”. So I did, and he bought me my first horse, Duke.
I think this taught me to really work at it if you truly want something.
Pricing:
- $350 -$12,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.susanbellfineart.com
- Instagram: artistsusanbell
- Facebook: susan,bell,
