Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzanne Reed Fine.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Suzanne. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a fourth-generation artist who was raised in the mountains of southern Colorado. I always loved drawing and appreciated solitude and being outside, among trees, hiking in mountains or looking for rocks and then drawing them. Having come from a family of artists, builders, mechanics and workers with their hands, I assumed that everyone did this. My senior year in high school, I took a night course in color theory at Adams State College 30 miles away. That class opened up so many possibilities for my artwork, as I had only drawn with pencil or ink, never liking the way color looked in my work before.
The professor at that time was teaching college and also managing his professional career as a painter, author in the art world. He recommended I go to college and get a degree and then go to art school which I did. I loved the idea of graphic design which at that time was done by hand (before computer graphics) as a career path. Meanwhile, my parents had moved for job reasons to Atlanta, so when I graduated from Adams State, I came to Atlanta to study graphic design at the Portfolio Center on Bennett Street. It was a specialized school for advertising, marketing, photographers, illustrators, taught by professionals in the advertising business in Atlanta. It was a great opportunity and I loved the way the classes were formatted like an actual ad campaign situation. I would ride Marta transferring two busses and train each morning from Decatur to Buckhead. I should also say that I had grown up in such a small town, my graduating class in high school was 38 to go from there to Atlanta was a little overwhelming. The city was exciting and new and I liked the anonymity of it too. I loved the challenge of the work, but I was getting about an hour or two of sleep at night and not eating well, took a toll on my body and my well being.
So after a year and a half of it, I decided to get out of school. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I felt it was too much for me. I remember feeling a little more than defeated, besides exhausted mentally and physically and the woman who was signing me out made the flip comment that I ‘wouldn’t ever make it as an artist anyway.’ I was really angry about the comment, but looking back, the thing that might have kept me down in any other subject, had the reverse effect. She didn’t know anything about me or my art, other than walking into her office that day. But I wondered if I had made the wrong decision all along, everything seemed to be wrong, so I moved back to Colorado. I applied to Graduate school, took the GRE and failed the math part twice. I took the math class for the test, and got through the class but couldn’t pass the test still! I wondered if it wasn’t meant to be — again! I worked for several years in graphic design jobs, and after a tumultuous marriage, divorce, I moved back to Atlanta. I met new friends, got a job as a receptionist at Emory and did some medical illustrating as well.
Eventually, I met my husband and we moved to Virginia where I got a job teaching art to children at a Parks and Recreation. I loved it, I was so happy to share what I knew about drawing, painting, color, sculpting to people that hadn’t been immersed in it their whole lives. At the same time, I began doing freelance illustrating and painting, eventually getting my art into a local gallery in Hampton, VA. There I met artists, craftsmen, writers, creatives that I had missed being near. I started teaching classes and workshops out of my home and the gallery to adults. Eventually, I became part owner in the gallery and learned more about the business side of art. After our daughter was born, we decided to move closer to our families in Atlanta and settled in Columbus where we are today. My husband works full time and helps with the business of my art, and our two daughters are graduating this year one from High school the other from college. I try to get back to the mountains once a year and paint with friends. That is where I met my friend and gallery owner Chere Waters, who has supported me and represented my work for the past 15 years. I ship or send new pieces to her every year.
Here, I have a studio in an old brick (1902) schoolhouse, that I spend my day’s painting. I continue to teach and mentor students and have my art in Two Sisters Gallery and Highland Gallerie in Columbus, and C. Waters Gallery in Colorado. I’m Signature status member of the American Watercolor Society, the Southern Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, and National Watercolor Society. In the past few years, the art scene in Columbus has gotten more active, with Columbus State University, their art department, the Columbus Museum, Galleries and recently the Bo Bartlett Center which I am fortunate to be a part of. As well as many young and established artists becoming more active and working together to support each other in the community.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Yes and no, I touched on that in the previous question, but the idea of always coming back to what I know –my art–has always been there. By nature, creatives are sensitive people which makes us aware of situations and life that in turn feeds our art. At the same time, we have to develop a thicker skin so we aren’t debilitated by comments and events in the world. There were numerous things in my life that were obstacles or might have stood in my way but there was that internal drive for my art that seemed like it took over. I’ve been turned down for shows, rejected by galleries, sales had fallen through, or didn’t come at all.
It all hurts and makes you pause either for a few days or more, but ultimately you have to use that to pull yourself together and get to work. I remember when I was newly divorced and my self-esteem was at an all-time low, the relationship was abusive, mentally as much if not more than physical. I felt like I had failed, let everyone down. My family was supportive and I remember my mom telling me that she didn’t think I was weak at all in fact, she thought that was the strongest thing I could do was to stand up for myself and walk away. My father, who was very quiet most of the time, told me after a while that I had to pull myself together, and get back into the world, fix your makeup, meet people, get a job.
Please tell us more about your art.
I love color and have been influenced by the crisp colors of the southwest and the atmospheric softness of color and humidity of the south. My work is reflective of that and my time between quiet times in the rural area versus the business of life in the urban landscape. I enjoy painting large landscapes on canvas in acrylic and smaller works on paper. I have a studio that I work in that I love and have been in for a little over a year.
There are two galleries in town that carry my work, Two Sisters Gallery and Highland Galleries and C.Waters Gallery in Creede, Colorado. Which all keep me going, I work on one body of paintings for a particular gallery or show at a time. In the past, I have done more figurative pieces, and nonrepresentational work, but have been narrowing my focus to landscape. My work is about examining the movement of the larger world around us and the held moment of where we are in that instant.
I feel like I’m an extroverted introvert. I love my alone time, my creating time and walks in nature, but I also enjoy talking with people, demonstrating in front of groups. It’s a balance, and I think of my paintings like that too, a balance between talking and listening. Line is the intimate conversation in the crowd of color.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My family definitely has been a huge part of my art and support. My parents, brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins have always been cheerleaders. I was also very fortunate growing up to have teachers and friends who helped me out from early on. My high school social studies teacher, Jim Hicklin felt that I could benefit from learning from Stephen Quiller, who was the professor in college. He then became over the years a mentor and we continue to paint together and still keep in touch. I have watched and learned from him and how he taught, communicated with students and his business practices.
One thing that stands out to me is how he would critique our paintings by finding positive things that we’re working in the piece and suggest things to consider. If something wasn’t right, he would point out that it might need more work. He is very calm and well thought in his approach to life and his work and I have always appreciated that. I try to do that in my own practice. I think positive affirmation is a better teacher than tearing others down. The support of my friends and husband and two daughters have been integral to me. I have been a stay at home mom, but continued to paint and have my career while raising my girls which has had its ups and downs at times, but honestly I was better at organizing my time and being focused when I would get into the studio during nap times and school hours. I’ve been very fortunate to get helping hands up from friends who have become patrons of my art and patrons of my art who have also become friends.
Contact Info:
- Address: Suzanne Reed Fine
627 Second Avenue, Ste. 1
Columbus, GA 31901 - Website: suzannereedfine.com
- Phone: 706-568-1052
- Email: suzannerfine@gmail.com
- Instagram: suzannereedfineartist
- Facebook: Suzanne Reed Fine Artist
Image Credit:
All artwork photos Suzanne Reed Fine, Photo of Suzanne Reed Fine by Harper Fine
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