A career educator with a B.S. from Cornell and an M.Ed. from Harvard Graduate School of Education, Susan lives in Portland, ME and works at the Harvard Ed Portal, at Harvard University. She oversees educational outreach programs for 1st through 12th grades, and works with undergraduates, graduate students and faculty on teaching, and communication. She has taught secondary school biology and prior to that worked on several PBS science series.
Susan studied watercolor and acrylic painting with artist Kat O’Connor from 2004 through 2019. In addition, Susan participates regularly in painting and plein air workshops with Kat O’Connor and others in locations such as Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, Skopelos, Greece; Cinque Terre, Italy; or more locally in New England and Maine. She belongs to the Society of Animal Artists, the New England Watercolor Society, and the Copley Society of Art.
A fervent believer that art is essential to conveying information about the natural world, Susan enjoys engaging all ages in pursuits that connect art, science, health and the outdoors.
Statement
Painting is a wonderful excuse to sit with something I find fascinating. I can spend hours watching the Damariscotta River, wondering how the tide, current and wind combine to create wave patterns, or staring into the tanks at the Fisherman's Co-op, marveling at the beautiful crustaceans. Time stops as I take in the smells, sounds and shadows of a landscape or watch a pollinator at work. Painting enables me to dwell in this state of intense focus, and as a science educator, painting is often an act of discovery.
I need first-hand experience with a setting or organism in order to create a painting. My own reference photos, taken on the spot to depict the color, value, or movement authentic to my experience are critical to my studio process. Then, thumbnail sketches in pen help me find an interesting composition without erasing and fussing too much.
While I love painting landscapes and architecture, I’ve recently focused on depicting animal species from new perspectives, perhaps bringing me full-circle back to my training as a biology teacher. While it's important to me that the animals themselves are realistic, I increasingly find myself experimenting with abstraction, negative space or reflection to portray their interactions with each other and their environment, and encourage viewers spend time with these creatures.
All images © Susan L. Johnson. Any duplication or use of text or images without Susan L. Johnson's permission constitutes copyright infringement.
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