Susiehyer has been drawing and painting since she was a child. “I remember drawing a pair of ceramic flamingos my mother used to keep on her dining room table when I was four years old”, she says. “I knew from that moment I would be an artist when I grew up.”
Born Susan Lynn Hyer in 1954, and known by the moniker Susiehyer, she was fortunate to have multiple art classes in both primary and secondary public education at West Essex Regional High, North Caldwell, NJ. Attending art programs at Moravian College, The Baum School of Art, and the University of West Florida in the 1970’s, she continues to study and expand her repertoire and abilities, attending the Art Students League of Denver and participating in workshops whenever she can, with artists such as Quang Ho, Kim English, Ron Hicks, Jay Moore, and Kevin Weckback. In 2001 she also completed the Denver Botanical Gardens Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration.
This award winning artist has been working professionally since 1976 and has been the recipient of a number of scholarships, grants, and awards for her work, including two international design awards. Her work has appeared in numerous galleries and national exhibitions, hangs in many private and corporate collections, and has been published in the celebrated books Art of the National Parks: Historical Connections, Contemporary Interpretations and Landscapes of Colorado. Susiehyer’s work has also been featured in Southwest Art Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Art of the West Magazine, Plein Air Magazine, and on the covers of Art Life, Evergreen Living, and Mountain Country Life. Most recently she was included in the American Art Collector Series of books. She has been a National Vice President of the Women’s Caucus for Art, President of the New Orleans Chapter, and is a signature member of Oil Painters of America , signature member of the American Impressionist Society, Plein Air Painters of New Mexico , signature member of Plein Air Artists of Colorado, and Plein Air Painters of Hawaii .
Susiehyer maintains a home, studio, and multiple gardens in Evergreen, Co where she lives with her husband, sometimes one or two grown children, a dog, two cats, and numerous elk, deer, and other wildlife. She continues to push herself in new directions and challenge herself artistically, traveling to paint “en plein air” (outdoors/on location), and working from sketches, field studies, and photos in the studio. Painting trips outside of Colorado usually include Grand Canyon, Zion National Park and southern Utah, Sedona, Taos, California and Hawaii. And when the right opportunity arises, there is international travel as well…..Mexico, Tahiti, Belize, Corsica, France, Portugal. She teaches workshops out of her studio in Evergreen and is an invited juror for local and and national exhibits.
To follow Susie’s travels, activities, recent paintings and latest news also visit https://www.facebook.com/SusieHyerStudio/
Education
West Essex Regional High School, North Caldwell, NJ. graduated 1972
Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pa., 1972-76 Bachelor of Arts/Fine Art, Scholarship Award
Baum School of Art, Allentown, Pa., 1977 Scholarship Award
University of West Florida, Pensacola, Fla., 1978-79 Scholarship Award
Denver Botanic Gardens Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate Program, 2002-03
Art Students League of Denver, 2002-2004 (studies with Quang Ho, Kim English, Doug Dawson, Kevin Weckbach, John Lencicki, Ron Hicks)
extended studies with Kevin Weckbach, workshops with Quang Ho, Dan Beck, Kim English
Exhibitions
Lone Tree Arts Center, Lone Tree, CO 2015, one woman show
Byers-Evans Museum, Denver,CO 2013
Evergreen Fine Art, 2013, one woman show
Byers-Evans Museum, Denver, CO, 2013
Lakewood Cultural Center, 2013, one woman show
Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver 2009, one woman show
Mary Williams Fine Art, Boulder 2008
Rotary Gallery, Evergreen, 2008, one women show
Center for the Arts Evergreen, 2007, one woman show
The Framed Image Denver 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Cultural Council of Estes Park Gallery, “Susiehyer At Large”, Estes Park, CO, 2007, one woman show
National Exhibitions include : Virtuosos of the Oil Painters of America Exhibit 2019, OPA National Exhibitions 2012, 2014, 2015; OPA’s Western Regional 2010, 2016; OPA Salon Shows, 2010, 2015, 2016: American Impressionist Society 2015, 2017: Women Artists of the West 2009; Salon International; Paint America Top 100: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010; Art for the Parks 2005 , Top 100 and Mini 100 Competition; Arts for the Parks 2005, 2006: Top 100 and 2nd 100.
Professional Organizations
Oil Painters of America, signature member http://oilpaintersofamerica.com
American Impressionist Society, signature member http://americanimpressionistsociety.orgPlein Air Artists of Colorado(PAAC) signature member http://www.pleinairartistscolorado.com
Plein Air Painters of New Mexicao
Plein Air Painters of Hawaii(PAPOH) http://www.papoh.com/artists
Paint America Association Signature Society: Signature membership http://paintamerica.blogspot.com/
Publications
Art of the National Parks: Historic Connections, Contemporary Interpretations, Jean Stern, Susan Hallsten McGarry, Terry Lawson Dunn, Fresco Fine Art Publications
Plein Air Magazine, Dec/Jan 2017 feature article
Art of the West Magazine, Nov/Dec 2011, “Nature’s Magic”
Southwest Art Magazine, July 2011, “Teachers and Their Students”
Southwest Art Magazine, Feb issue 2011, feature article, “The Big Picture”
Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Mar/Apr issue 2009, feature article “Today’s Masters”
Soundings Magazine, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Winter issue, 2009
Southwest Art Magazine, August 2007, “At Home in Nature”
Landscapes of Colorado, Ann Daley/Denver Art Museum, Fresco Fine Art Books, 2007
Best of Oil Artists and Artisans, Kennedy Publications, 2007 and 2009
American Art Collector Book Series, Alcove books, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
Colorado Homes and Lifestyles Magazine, 2004
A Season of Growth, Colorado Lottery, 2004
Evergreen Living Magazine, cover and featured artist, 2004
Canyon Courier, front page and featured article, 2004
Mountain Country Life Magazine, cover, 2004
Contemporary Women Artists Calendar, Bo Tree Productions, 1986
Art/Life Magazine, cover, 1984
Les Beaux Arts Magazine, 1984
Hue Points Magazine, 1983 and1984
Awards
2018 Paint the Peninsula, Port Angeles WA, Best Nocturne Award
2018 Oil Painters of American Wet Paint Competition, Steamboat Springs CO. Plein Air Award
2018 Santa Fe Plein Air Festival, Santa Fe NM. Enchanted Sky Award 2nd Place.
2017 Plein Air Artists of Colorado 21st Annual National Exhibit, Mary Williams Fine Art, Boulder, CO. Third Place
2017 Paint the Peninsula, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA. Best Nocturne Award
2016 Oil Painters of America Fall Online Showcase, Third Place
2016 Plein Air Artists of Colorado, Mary Williams Fine Arts, Boulder, CO 2016 Award of Merit
2015 Plein Air Artists of Colorado, Mary Williams Fine Arts, Boulder CO, 2015 Award of Merit
2015 Debra Huse Gallery “Just Plein Fun”, Randy Higbee Award of Merit
2014 Telluride Plein Air, Best of Show/Artist Choice Award, Telluride, CO
2014 Oil Painters of America 23rd National Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Bennington Art Center, Bennington, VT. Landscape Award
2014 A New Look At the West, Pearce Museum, Corsicana, TX. Tin Star Award of Excellence
2013 Colorado Plein Air Festival, Denver, CO, Plein Air Magazine Award of Merit
2013 Colorado Plein Air Festival, Denver, CO, Plein Air Artists of Colorado Award of Excellence
2013 Plein Air Artists of Colorado National Exhibit 2013, Award of Excellence
2013 Sedona Plein Air, Sedona, AZ, Quick Draw Award, and Purchase Award
2012 Denver Plein Air, Denver, CO, Third Place and People’s Choice Awards
2012 American Women Artists, K Newby Gallery, Tubac, AZ, Award of Recognition for 2-D
2012 Windows To The Divine, Abend Gallery,Denver ,CO, Third Place Collectors Choice Award
2011 Plein Air Rockies, Cultural Council of Estes Park Fine Art Gallery, Estes Park, CO BEST OF SHOW
2011 Plein Air Artists of Colorado, Saks Galleries, Denver CO Award of merit
2011 Denver Plein Air, Denver CO, Honorable Mention
2010 Plein Air Artists of Colorado, Saks Galleries, Denver CO First place
2010 Denver Plein Air, Denver, CO Honorable Mention
2009 Women Artists of the West, Saks Galleries, Denver, CO Third place
2009: Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival, Salida, CO BEST OF SHOW and Quick Draw winner
2009 Plein Air Artists of Colorado,Abend Gallery, Denver, CO BEST OF SHOW
2009 Victor Plein Air, Victor, CO BEST OF SHOW
