Susan Crouch: Watercolor

I remember...

I remember riding my bike to summer art lessons at the Children's Museum. It was located in a rambling, old house with a helicopter in the front yard - what child wouldn't love this place? All hot and sweaty from a two mile ride in the Florida sun, I'd park my bike and run up the back steps to an enclosed porch where art class was held. I remember the feeling of stepping through that door into a magical paint-spattered sanctuary. During those summer months on the back porch, a love for painting was born.

Many years of events seemingly unrelated to art followed this beginning. There was college, marriage, a move to North Carolina, and the birth of two sons. My family was the primary focus during this time, and many weekends were spent together backpacking in the Appalachian Mountains where we were immersed in the beauty of God's creation. I didn't realize it at the time, but He had begun to fan that little flame again.

My boys grew older. More time became available. Then one summer I registered for an art class at our local community college and stepped through that door again.

So the journey continues. I have had the opportunity to study with outstanding, nationally known artists such as Cheng-Khee Chee, Frederick Graff, Arleta Pech, and others. In addition to displaying at art festivals throughout the Southeast, I've enjoyed doing free lance work for the DaySpring division of Hallmark. The beauty of God's Word and His glorious creation continue to be the inspiration for my watercolor paintings.

Psalm 19:1 says "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." This is a timeless message - one that crosses all language barriers. It is the message I hope to echo in my paintings.

I work primarily in transparent watercolor because its character allows for a wonderful blending of spontaneity and control. As a result, my paintings are a fusion of realistic and interpretive elements. Most projects begin with preliminary sketches to determine composition, value pattern, and colors. Once these initial decisions are in place, I follow where the watercolor leads me.

I enjoy painting a variety of subjects including flowers, figures, wildlife, and landscapes. My primary focus, however, is always on the light and its ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.