Light and shadow dancing together, vibrant colors catching the eye…. these are some of the elements of my explorations into creating mood on paper.

Six years ago, while having a private practice as a Clinical Art Therapist, I began experimenting with watercolors and it quickly grew into a full time passion! I'm continually fascinated with the process of transforming a blank piece of white paper into shapes with color that become flowers, gardens, buildings or whatever inspires me. There is almost a magical relationship between paper, paint and brush that takes on a life of its own, and I get to direct the flow!

Two very beautiful areas - the southern California coastal area, and the mountains of North Carolina have inspired some of my compositions. My gallery reflects a mixture of these two- you'll see some pieces with a southwest / Mediterranean flavor and paintings that are influenced by the changing seasons and lush colors of the mountains. When travelling, I'm constantly composing new paintings through the lens of the camera, so you may stroll by a painting that was also inspired in Italy or Charleston, SC, or somewhere in the southeast. 

One of the greatest pleasures of being a painter is the opportunity to get acquainted with local gardeners and friends who allow me to paint their flowers, gardens and favorite treasures (including a 1966 Corvette Stingray convertible). I like to think that a bit of their personalities mix with the pigments on paper to make each painting a truly unique and original composition.

My work has been in professional and solo shows and is in private collections in New York, North Carolina, California, New Mexico and the Northwest. I have also completed some commercial designs for SpinShades- small nightlights and candle lamps with revolving shades. My designs are personally signed and are nicely packaged for gift-giving. 

Enjoy your stroll through my gallery, and please visit again soon, since my studio is filled with lots of new inspiration and work that will be available soon. Thanks for stopping in!

Chairman, Western Region of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina
Member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina
Member of the American Art Therapy Association

Suzanne Shaffer