Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Kinsella.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Painting provides balance in my life. For me, the process is a working meditation. It quiets my mind and soothes my soul. My paintings represent respite amid the chaos of life and are depictions of my emotions. Like the colors of the rainbow, these painted emotions range from bright and joyful to calm and quiet to solitary and somber. My work is tranquil and peaceful, quiet and serene with a touch of heartache. I use color and texture and perspective, and a scene beautifully cast in light and shadow to create powerful imagery with a sense of peace. The works of Vermeer, Van Gogh and Fantin-Latour are among my favorites and are sources of great inspiration.
My life as an Emergency Medicine Physician began in 1990. My experiences caring for others in crisis were both difficult and exciting, filled with joy and despair, extreme contradictions that impact my artistic approach dramatically. I retired from Emergency Medicine in October 2017 and began painting full time, committing daily to artistic expression.
Painting and creating have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Being entirely self-taught, my journey to the present has had glories, bumps, pauses and lengthy stalls. In the early ‘90s, I read Betty Edward’s Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and was astonished by my right brain! I’d lived in my left-brain for so many years I had no idea my creativity was seeking expression!
Life, as it is wont to do, intervened and there were several years when I didn’t paint at all. And then in January 2016, something magical happened. I had a dream! It woke me from sleep and guided me to buy a cake-icing spatula and to paint with it! The very next day, I bought one and my joyful, wonderful and creative journey to the present day began.
I was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. In 1983, I graduated from the University of Detroit with a BS in Chemistry and in 1987, graduated from St. Louis University School of Medicine. I moved to Atlanta in 1987 for residency at Emory University School of Medicine and fell in love with the South. I live in Atlanta with my husband, David and our yellow lab, Noah. Our children and grandchildren are scattered around the country.
Please tell us about your art.
Painting provides balance in my life. For me, the process is a working meditation. It quiets my mind and soothes my soul. My paintings represent respite amid the chaos of life and are depictions of my emotions. Like the colors of the rainbow, these painted emotions range from bright and joyful to calm and quiet to solitary and somber. My work is tranquil and peaceful, quiet and serene with a touch of heartache. I use color and texture and perspective, and a scene beautifully cast in light and shadow to create powerful imagery with a sense of peace. The works of Vermeer, Van Gogh and Fantin-Latour are among my favorites and are sources of great inspiration.
My choice of medium is acrylic on canvas. I begin with visualizing and sketching. Next, the background comes to life, and finally, I *build* the image with paint.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
Each of my paintings is an emotional self-portrait and I feel most validated when someone comes to a sudden stop in front of one of my works and gasps in recognition of the emotion it elicits in them.
The characteristic that I feel is essential to the success of any artist is best expressed in this quote by Andrew Wyeth. “To be a great artist requires emotional depth, an openness to look beyond self to the subject, and passion. A great painting then is one that enriches and broadens one’s perspective”
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My work can be supported by following:
Website: https://www.susankinsellaart.com/
Instagram: susan_kinsella_art
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susankinsellaart/
My work is on exhibition at the following galleries:
Serena & Lily
Butternut Studio | Atlanta, GA
Magnolia Art Gallery | Lake Oconee, GA
Saatchi
Anne O Gallery | Atlanta, GA
Sunshine Village Art Gallery | Watkinsville, GA
Contact Info:
- Address: 2626 Brookwood Dr NE . Atlanta, GA . 30305
- Website: https://www.susankinsellaart.com/
- Phone: 404 783 6773
- Email: susankinsellaart@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susan_kinsella_art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susankinsellaart/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/susankinsellaar/pins/
Image Credit:
There are no image credits. I take all my photos…The shot of me was taken by my husband.
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