Suzanne has lived most of her life in Suffolk, growing up in the village of Elmsett, and attending Hadleigh High School where she developed a keen interest in art. After leaving school in 1987, she followed her other love, which is animals, and worked at Highcliff Veterinary Practice for 32 years, mainly as a nurse, latterly becoming a receptionist.On Friday 18th October 2019 she left to become a full time artist.........
Painting has always been her hobby and she likes to think that her love of nature shows clearly through her work. Her prime subject is to draw and paint birds and she has become a keen birder in her spare time. Her preferred medium is now acrylics and she likes to create very detailed work of both bird and background. The choice of mounting and frame, their colour, style and size, is an important part of her art and she gives considerable thought to this aspect of the finished creation. Sue feels it enhances the painting, especially when one particular tone in the surround sensitively picks up even a hint of a shade in her subject. She senses the work comes more alive and is then truly complete.
She much prefers to specialise in producing originals, although her husband's high quality, limited edition, giclee prints are proving extremely popular, sometimes even mistaken for an original. Each run is strictly limited to 25 and it gives them great pleasure to know more people have shown an interest in one particular painting. Eight of her works have actually already completed their full run! As well as her chosen subjects, she is also open to painting particular birds in different settings and has been pleased to be commissioned to do so on several occasions.
She has exhibited in East Anglia for some thirty years, starting with a gallery in Hadleigh, Suffolk and continuing at various other local venues including St Marys Church, Stoke by Nayland, Needham Market, Sudbury, Tendring and Suffolk Shows as well as the Norfolk Show and Holt. She is in galleries in Stonham, Dedham, Nottingham and Anglesey. Having been a regular contributor to the Art Exhibition at the Hadleigh Show for the last 14 years, she completed three years as Head Steward of the Art Exhibition Committee for the Show, only finishing that informative phase of her art world to concentrate on painting even more. In 2019 she was accepted for a stand at the 2019 International Birdfair and, following the most encouraging and exciting opening year, is delighted to have been accepted again for 2020.
In July 2015, Brett Gallery opened in Monks Eleigh, one of Suffolk’s many pretty villages, and Sue was thrilled to be asked to exhibit a selection of her originals and fine art prints. Brett Gallery is part of Bridge Farm Barns, a collection of unique, independent retail outlets and attractions with a welcoming tea room, each offering the visitor an unparalleled range of distinctive products with good service in a relaxing environment. To be an opening contributor of this exciting new project, with its fresh surroundings, opened up new another new horizon. After nearly five years, the Gallery is now going to run by Sue and her husband John. as the founder, Win Gage, retires at the end of March 2020. As well as giving her the opportunity to continue exhibiting regularly in a Gallery, it also enables her to continue to learn more about the fine art world. Sue's paintings have traditionally been on high quality paper though she has recently expanded her range. This includes painting birds on old milk churns, watering cans and slates, each project arising from an idea from a client or indeed, as with the slates, a holiday in the Lake District!
Now living in Hadleigh, most of her painting is still done from her stable studio in Elmsett, which overlooks many bird feeders. Apart from enjoying her art, the ultimate pleasure for Sue is knowing that someone wishes to hang one of her creations in their home.
In this general catalogue we publish just a few examples of Suzanne's work, with most of the exhibits currently available being shown in our website shop. If you live close by, or are on holiday in the area, do visit the Gallery itself where you should enjoy a relaxed browse through our East Anglian Artists' creations
