Who? Susan Carden Flicker: Bio
My first memory of myself drawing on an easel was in Kindergarten. I took art classes in grammar school and continued taking them from high school to college. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration from Paier College of Art, I was employed as a graphic designer with the former Ames Department Stores for 16 years. When Ames folded, I returned to painting full time and now show my art in 3 art galleries - Strawbridge Art League and Gallery, Melbourne; Art Gallery of Viera, Viera; and the Connecticut River Artisans in Essex, CT.
Memberships:
Essex Art Association (Elected Artist), CT
Lyme Art Association (Associate Artist), CT
Art Gallery of Viera, FL
Brevard Cultural Alliance, FL
Brevard Watercolor Society, FL
Strawbridge Art League, FL
Florida Watercolor Society, FL
What medium do you prefer and why?
I prefer watercolor and acrylics. Watercolor has the ability to be spontaneous and I can get vibrant and wild or moody with colors. I like acrylics as well for their vibrancy of colors and they both dry faster than oils.
What inspires or motivates you to create your art and what does your art mean to you?
I am doubly hearing impaired since birth, and because of that, I am visually more attuned to my surroundings. I like to paint or draw my impressions of what I see and feel into my landscapes and seascapes. I also have a very fond memory of a painting by Maxfield Parrish hanging in my grandmother's home which fascinated and impressed me at a young age. Later, I felt inspired by Norman Rockwell and Aubrey Beardsley.
I often take my journal/sketchbook and camera on my travels to draw and paint my impressions of the scene unfolding before me. From there, larger paintings can evolve.
What does my art mean to me? It allows me to express my feelings and emotions to the viewer, whereas I stumble over my words due to my disability.
What makes your art unique?
I can paint from very tiny (2"x2") to larger works of art. I work on a minuscule scale by creating landscapes, flora, and fauna on miniature canvas paintings which are displayed on miniature easels in all 3 of my galleries. Many people have told me that my art looks like photographs because they have so much detail.
My fondness for animals, domestic and wild, allows me to paint their personalities into their portraits to the pet owner's delight.
As an avid birdwatcher, the birds that visit my little pond give me joy and inspiration to paint with my soul.
Be sure to stop by the Strawbridge Art League and Gallery at 819-2 East Strawbridge Avenue, Melbourne, Florida to see more of Susan's work.
