Today we’d like to introduce you to Susanne Belcher.
Hi Susanne, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My life as an emerging artist began in 1991 when I exhibited in my first show with Artist Co-Op7 in the Federal Building in Westwood. Although I was drawn to things artistic at an early age, taking summer classes in ceramics as a kid, throwing pots in my 20s, and later enrolling in adult art classes offered at local high schools and UCLA Extension, I never anticipated that I might someday actually become an artist. My dad was an artist by avocation, so later in my life, he became an important inspiration for me. He was a skilled woodcarver, President of his Wood Carvers Guild, a wonderful watercolorist, and avid painter. Unfortunately, he passed away before he saw I might share that part of his DNA. I actually attribute my venture back into the art world to my youngest stepson, Jason, who ironically has become an ardent art collector and even has a couple of my pieces. When I semi-retired after marrying my husband, Michael, to became a stay-at-home stepmom, I felt lost. I’d always worked and desperately needed outside activity. I stumbled upon Every Woman’s Village in Van Nuys, a haven for artists in the 60s through the mid-90s. And, through divine intervention, enrolled in classes taught by the late Alex Vilumsons, a former L.A. Architect, who gave the students who stuck with him a well-rounded art education. We learned not only how to paint “outside the box”, but also how to do our own framing, curate shows, and ultimately, find our own artistic voice through exposure to every art media imaginable. We sought suitable venues throughout Los Angeles willing to exhibit our works – at one point, we had 25 exhibition opportunities where I personally rotated artists in and out of more than five places a month. Most thrilling, however, was an arrangement Vilumsoms made with a German gallerist friend, Wilfried Merkel, who hosted the first of several exhibitions in his gallery for a selected number of California artists. We were welcomed with tremendous enthusiasm in Germany with press coverage and lots of sales. At that time, I worked only in oils and watercolors, painting bold and colorful Southwest landscapes, but that was soon to change.
My true artistic passion had yet to emerge. But when it did, it completely transformed my art journey. I was seduced by Collage and later photography transforming both my artwork and subject matter dramatically, although nature has remained as my primary inspiration. After participating in several Studio Workshops with Katherine Chang Liu, who became a life-long mentor for me, my work was given direction and focus under her guidance and encouragement. Although I still paint and do some traditional collage, much of my work emanates through the lens of a camera or iPhone now. I combine my images into digital photo collages that hope to capture and embrace the mood-enhancing landscapes and abstractions that express the eurythmic narratives of California life. I’m very thankful that my digital photography and photo collages had a jump start at the former Los Angeles Center for Digital Art under the direction of Rex Bruce. And I feel blessed to be a represented artist at Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts Gallery in DTLA under the curatorship and guidance of Director Petra Wright, who continues to love the best of my past and present work.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Wow, the word “struggles” is an understatement for me. Being a creative has not always been a smooth road over these last 30 years. Continuing to still move forward, produce and exhibit seems paradoxical. I’ve had to put aside my creativity many times over the years, becoming an ongoing caregiver combined with other life challenges. I had just begun my journey at Every Woman’s Village when my mother was diagnosed with T.B. Her generation was very exposed to the disease and although she always tested positive but noncontagious, she was never given the preventive meds needed. I had to leave my home life early in my marriage, move to Oceanside, where I was her sole caregiver until she passed away nine months later. As an only child, it was a terrible loss for me. While caring for her, I learned the true meaning of being “on the dark side of the moon,” where creativity percolates before it manifests. Shortly after her passing, I ended up taking charge of my mother’s sister’s daughter, a first cousin, who was like a big sister to me. She became severely disabled, ended up in a nursing home, had a very difficult personality, but I stuck with her for 13 years before she passed away. Creativity always seemed to take second place while having to navigate a marriage, deal with household responsibilities, and be a full-time stepmom to my husband’s youngest son, who came to live with us when he was almost eleven. My husband, Michael, is a retired attorney and has had many serious physical challenges and hospitalizations throughout our years together. All easier to cope when I was younger, but always a balancing act indeed. I somehow managed to rise to the challenges, persevered, kept a focus on my passion, and, in retrospect, have found the life lessons needed, gemstones, and rewards in some form or another.
So, where did art come in, and how did it survive? Throughout it all… bolstered and supported by the love of my husband and my forever friends, most of whom I met those 30 years ago taking classes and have remained close to all these many years.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I finally got to choose Art after retiring from long and fulfilling careers in the corporate, academic and entrepreneurial worlds. After graduating from UCLA in 1962, I always landed positions that found me on the forefront of new ideas and pioneering ventures that ultimately helped define who I became as an artist – a desire to remain dynamic, try new things, continue to move forward. As an experimental, mixed media semi-abstract painter, collagist and photographer, I believe all artists incorporate things into their work conscious or unconscious that they are passionate about and have experienced in life.
My love of nature remains a constant in my work. In the 80’s, I became a local environmental activist to help stop road access across the Santa Monica’s. My Muse is always found in the eye of a moment – a word, my shadow on the ground, a raindrop on a leaf, graffiti on a billboard, the fleeting flash of a palm tree, an architectural facade, buildings and trees merging together against the sky, shadows, sunsets and imaginative escapisms ending up with paint on a canvas, a photographic capture or torn images on paper. The world is a collage to me regardless of the medium I choose. I usually begin with an inspiration or idea that allows me greater access to my intuitive self and then the piece I’m working on just seems to take on a life of its own. Like the spontaneous inspiration reading an article in the L.A. Times about a Yellowstone wolf killed in the first Montana wolf hunt. So moved by the event, I found the nature essayist who had sponsored the wolf’s tracking collar resulting in a co-authored nature essay/art book using her essays and my collages entitled “Looking for 527.” Or, a recent invitation to give a Zoom presentation on collage and what it’s like to be a professional artist to a Westside Girl Scout Troop of 7 to 9 year old’s working towards an Art & Design Badge. They were all so excited that I was inspired to make each girl a special little collage. I’ve found that the process of creating is far more important than the end result and I know that I work best when I just get out of the way and let it happen. It’s so humbling to look back and take inventory of all that I’ve produced and accomplished over the years, before and after becoming an artist, and finding satisfaction and gratitude for the many opportunities I’ve been given, exhibitions I’ve been in, the awards I’ve received, and appreciation for those who have collected my work over the years.
I also continue to find great satisfaction and inspiration being involved with art organizations such as Thousand Oaks Art Association, California Artists League, IAA/USA and others, and having sat on the Board of Women Painters West, The Fine Arts Club of Pasadena, and currently Collage Artists of America.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Most of my art mentors were found while taking classes, workshops and exhibiting in galleries. One of my first mentors was my father. Others have been career art associates and friends.
One of the most important things I learned as an emerging artist is connecting with artists you trust for feedback when you’re stuck. Trusting your own instincts and sticking to your own artistic integrity through the process is vital, however. A small group of us regularly got together for critique sessions. They were tremendously helpful for us all. COVID shut that down, and working in isolation was tough, but we found that virtual communication works well, too.
Belonging to and being on the Board of art organizations and entering shows has kept me centered and moving forward. Participating and sharing my artwork on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other art-related sites I’ve found to be very satisfying as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.susannebelcherart.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/susannebelcherart/ https://instagram.com/susannebelcherphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanne.belcher/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannebelcher/
- Other: https://www.gdcagallery.com/susanne-belcher
