Feature Friday- Paintings by Suzy

BySusan Myers on acrylic painting, Painting

I’m in the midst of putting together at least six different tutorials for you, including a series on beginning quilting that will be posting starting July 12.  Please be sure to stop by and check it out.  I am teaming up with Patricia at Discount Sewing Supply who will be offering an exclusive, limited selection of fabric for this very project.  I am very excited about it.
In the meantime, I will show you something else I do when I have the time.  Most folks know me as a crafter, but my secret is that before I began crafting, I was a painter.  Most of my paintings are owned and displayed in my parents house.  In fact, it’s kind of like the “Museum of Suzy” over there.  A little embarrassing, but heck, isn’t that what parents do?  
This painting is one of my early works.  My preferred medium is acrylic paint and over the years I have perfected my personal style.  This is my depiction of Nags Head, NC.  The beach that we went to every summer when I was a child.

               
Back in 1999, I did a whole series of lighthouses; twelve of them to be exact.  I had prints made of them and made them into calendars for family gifts.  I own two of the originals and the rest have been given away to the family.

               

In 2005, I painted this set for my father.  He grew up in Lock Haven, PA.  One of his valued possessions was a book of old black and white photos of the town during the 50’s and 60’s; the era of his teen years.  He had pointed out two different photos in the book of places that he had worked as a teen.  The painting on the top is a depiction of the old war monument that used to sit at the main intersection in town.  Behind it is a radio shop that my dad worked in as a teen.  It is no longer there and they even moved the statue, but this is how he remembered it.  The painting on the bottom is a building that he worked in- the radio station, not the State Store.  You know when I painted this, I had no idea that a State Store was a liquor store.  Ha!

This painting depicts an old mill in Virginia.  I began this painting when I was pregnant with my youngest.  It then sat and collected dust for nearly 20 years before I finally cleaned it off and finished it.  That’s my attention span for you.  Anyway, the finished painting is now on display in my Etsy shop.
Finally, I painted something for myself.  This is a tryptic that I painted depicting our favorite part of the country- western Montana.  Since I have moved to painting onto much larger canvases, this painting actually is about 8 feet long and is displayed over my couch in the livingroom.  

Continuing with the large sized canvases, I then painted a depiction of the city of San Francisco as seen from the top of the Coit Tower.  This painting has over a thousand windows depicted in it and can currently be seen displayed in my Etsy store.  If it doesn’t sell before then, I will be entering it in a local art competition in the fall.

Here are a couple of close-up photos.  The canvas actually measures about 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall.  The painting took me a year to do, simply because my attention span is ridiculously small.  There is always crafting to do!

And my current project in progress.  A painting of an old restaurant in the center of Seattle, WA.  The Seattle area is my second most favorite area of the country.  This painting is roughly the same size as my San Francisco painting.

I have many more paintings in my head just waiting to come out on canvas, and not nearly enough time in the day.  Someday I hope to quit my day job and do painting and crafting full time.  Until then, though, I guess I need to earn a paycheck.  

Or maybe win the lottery.  Ha!

I am an artist, crafter and humor writer living in Atlanta, GA. I attended the Atlanta College of Art, and have a background in fine arts, graphic design, and photography. I like to specialize in vintage and recycled crafts such as quilling, Ukrainian Egg Dying, batik and quilting.

28 Comments

  1. You never cease to amaze me! You are my crafting hero.. I think you could give Martha a run for her money! These are beautiful. Thanks for sharing with the Pink Hippo Party.. can't wait to see what you share next!

  2. Your paintings are gorgeous! Although I love them all, one of the lighthouses is my favorite. Growing up as a kid we lived near the ocean, and the lighthouse just spoke to me.

  3. {nifty thrifty things} says:

    Thank you so much for sharing these beauties @ {nifty thrifty sunday} last week!
    I can't wait to see more from you on Sunday!
    xoxo,
    Vanessa

  4. SJ @ Homemaker On A Dime says:

    Really awesome post! Thanks for linking it up at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop 🙂

    Btw, I also have a blog party called Market Your Biz and Giveaways. Please feel free to link up to have them promoted 🙂

  5. Thanks for partying with me this week over at 365 days 2 simplicity's Simply Creative blog party. I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

  6. What awesome painintings, I love the lighthouses, but the San Fransisco ones really took my breath away

  7. Catherine says:

    What beautiful paintings! I need to pick up painting again. I haven't painted (other than crafts) since my oldest was born (5+ years ago).

  8. Handy Man, Crafty Woman says:

    You are so talented! I especially love the 3 piece set of the mountains. Thanks for linking to Handy Man, Crafty Woman Wicked Awesome Wednesday!

  10. I love it! I'm a painter too and love looking at blog parties. I have a little blog party every Thursday called Simply Creative over at 365days2simplicity.blogspot.com. I'd love it if you linked it up!

    Angela

  13. These are beautiful!

  14. OH my goodness – they are fabulous Suzy! Is there no end to your talent??

    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a great weekend!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

  15. Vivienne @ the V Spot says:

    Amazing! I had no idea you were a painter too. So what, this makes you a quadruple threat…? I've lost count of your talents!

  16. The Answer Is Chocolate says:

    Suzy! These are incredible! Oh my gosh you are so talented.

  17. {nifty thrifty things} says:

    Wow, these are amazing, Suzy!! Great job!
    xoxo,
    Vanessa

  19. So happy you posted these. As awesome as your crafts are, I think the paintings best show off your talent. They are all simply amazing – and I am so proud to own one!

  20. I was so pleased to see all the paintings on display. They really look fantastic and I am so proud to own them.

  21. You are so talented Suzy! When I first some of the paintings above, I initially thought they were photos.

  22. CREATIVE MIND says:

    These are amazing.i love these awesome paintings 🙂 so creative lovely!!!

  23. You really do have some crazy skills! I'm floored!

  24. A Pretty Pastime says:

    O.M.G. You have some really mad skills! Your art (as well as your crafts) are stunning!

  25. chillin with Quillin says:

    Really awsome paintings, your really great at it!!!
    Paula

  26. Whimsy-ma-blog says:

    So, as a crafty person who is also an engineer, can I say that I LOVE that all your paintings have such a fantastic perspective! For someone who has to sit on their hands to keep from straightening picture frames in other people's houses, your windows and buildings are PERFECT!

    And besides that, you're just a great painter. Thanks so much for sharing these with all of us to show us another side of you!

    (And western Montana and the Pacific Northwest are my favorite parts of the country as well.)

  27. Melissa @ Love Affair With My Brother says:

    Your paintings are absolutely stunning! I am from the Bay Area so the San Francisco one really speaks to my heart, and I can't wait to see your Seattle one, as that is where I live now 🙂

  28. Thrifty Crafty Girl says:

    These are amazing. I cannot even draw stick people… you are so talented!

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