Susan Woolgar – Friday Night Guest – September 22, 2023

(Submitted by Taline Kavoukian)

SUSAN WOOLGAR is based in Calgary, Alberta. Upon graduating from the Alberta College of Art in 1977 (Diploma of Applied Arts), Susan began by working and freelancing for various advertising firms in Calgary, but soon realized she wanted to focus on creating her own art. She   does not consider herself a plein air artist, but she is inspired by and rooted in landscape. She notes some of her major influences as Gustaf Klimt, Elizabeth Cummings, Vincent Van Gogh, Joan Mitchell and Richard Diebenkorn. Her work might be described as abstract, expressive mark-making, using structural and organic line work.

Susan provided a demonstration for the Don Valley Art Club on September 22. She painted from a photograph and explained her process, beginning with pastel stick drawing and acrylic pen, then sealing the drawing with a clear gesso tinted with a transparent oxide. She uses principles of design, with small/medium/large shapes that have variation as well as repetition. Her colour palette consists of limited complementary colours, using one half of the colour wheel. Susan shared examples of her work, and was most generous with her advice for more successful painting. She uses many kinds of tools for painting besides the brush. Susan will be offering a Zoom workshop for the Don Valley Art Club over four weeks (evenings), beginning October 12. Thank-you, Susan, for a wonderfully informative talk and demonstration.