Susan Angwin is an established West Australian Artist who is in her heaven working out of a bush block art studio in the Porongerups, bathed by the tranquility around her which opens up her create energy. The ocean of this South Coast is also a subject greatly explored by Susan and expressed in her abstract style that she is well recognised for.

Exhibiting and selling successfully since 1999, Susan also runs workshops and enjoys passing on her artistic knowledge. In the below Q&A Susan Angwin opens up a little bit more about herself.

Enjoy Getting To Know … Susan Angwin

When did you first feel the desire to be artistic and realise you had talent?

From my earliest memory as a child

Where did you learn your art?

I was always encouraged to use my imagination by my father. He later arranged for me to attend art school.

What inspires you most?

The magic of design

What message are you sending to the viewer of your art?

The joy of seeing the world around you in your own unique way.

Describe your studio…

A cabin set at the foot of the mountain (Porongurps) on 50 acres of pristine bushland. Secluded, and ideal for being present to the creative process.

Describe your typical day of creating art…

After lingering for some time ( days.. hours.. ) in the source of inspiration I put into place the essential ingredients to begin the journey and then surrender.

What mediums do you use and why?

All mediums, but recently I mostly use oil on canvas or the other extreme of watercolour and ink.

What are you working on now?

A series of watercolour paintings exploring my experience of an aboriginal cultural tour of the Stirling Ranges

What are your recent career achievements you feel proud of?

I continue to share my knowledge with others in group classes ( as I have done for the past 16 years). To inspire others in their creative journey is a privledge.

What do you love most about what you do?

The act of painting itself.

Where can you see yourself in 10 years time?

Enjoying the journey and the challenges it brings me. My art is a reflection of my personal and spiritual growth therefore I hope I will continue to grow in “all ways”.

Artist Biography

Susan Angwin is well respected in the art industry as an Artist, Art Teacher, and previously a Gallery owner and curator. After working for many years in her studio in the Perth hills with a backdrop of bush, hills and river, Susan relocated to a coastal location to feed off the colour and movement in the ocean. The natural environment is a constant source of inspiration for her abstract expressionism paintings. Having explored representational painting in the past, Susan now draws from her wealth of knowledge and allows her painting process to come from more of a spiritual and emotional place.

Established artist Susan Angwin moved permanently to the south coast in June of 2013 to take up residence in the magic of Little Grove, set among the beautiful trees of the Torndirrup National Park and looking across the harbour toward the city of Albany.

Originally from Sydney, Susan moved west in 1984, living and working in Roleystone, in the hills of Perth. Her studio idyllically located along the Canning River. Whilst busy running Maxwell’s Fine Art Gallery, Susan would make her way south as often as possible to soak up the inspiring coastline and old growth forests.

Now, living the dream, settling into the local art community of the southern region, including a studio at the Vancouver Art Centre for the first two years where she also teaches.

A Solo exhibition last July at the centre followed a shared exhibition during the Art trail last October. Recently,

Susan moved her studio to the magnificent region of the Porongurups. Nestled into the hillside, a secluded, peaceful place for creative work to emerge. Constantly inspired by the magic of the world around her Susan works in all mediums in a range of techniques exploring and surrendering to the creative process. Her artwork can be found in many private and public collections, both nationally and internationally with a regular supply of new work in WA galleries both in Perth and Margaret River.

Curriculum Vitae

Date of Birth: 24th March 1947, Sydney – New South Wales – Australia

Art Education

1964 Full Time – Fine Art Studies – North Sydney Fine Art College
Education in – Painting – Sculpture – Life Drawing – Illustration Calligraphy – Design – Art History

1989 – 1994 Part Time – Fine Art Studies – Forrestfield – Midland Tafe
Diploma of Art and Design- specialising in Painting – Drawing -Design Art History

1999 – 2008- Curator and Owner – Maxwell’s Fine Art Gallery
Cnr Brookton Hwy & Soldiers Rd Roleystone W.A. The Gallery exhibited both Susan’s work and that of other established Artists.
2009 -2011 Artist in residence at Aurora Natural Health Centre, 2 Mount Street Roleystone. Western Australia.
Exhibiting her work at the Gallery on a regular basis and teaching painting and drawing in all mediums in the attached studio.

Travel

1998 – Susan spent 5 months traveling in Europe, painting ,drawing and absorbing the Great Masters. The Netherlands -England -France -Italy – Germany.
2008 – Spent 2 months based in France (Lyon). Visiting Switzerland, Spain, Brittany, and the hartes Alpes on the Italian border. Time spent drawing, painting and photographing, creating an exhibition on return

Exhibitions

1999 – 99,2000,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08, Maxwells Fine Art Gallery Monthly – Solo or Shared
1999 – 99,2000,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,10,11 Private School Annual Exhibitions Hale – St Hilda – Mazenod – Guilford
1999 – 99,2000,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,10,11 District – Council – Exhibitions Minnawarra – Stirling – Northam – New Norcia Le Salle
1999 – 99,2000,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,-09,10,11 Charity Exhibitions – Donations Cancer Foundation – Save Ningaloo – Starlight Foundation Wilderness Society – Make a Wish Foundation – St. Christopher Anglican Church – Telethon
2008 until 2011. Aurora Natural Health Centre. Continuous, revolving exhibition.
August 2012 Kalamunda Fine Art Gallery, Shared exhibition with Artist Maureen den Haan. Ceramics and paintings.

Represented

Susan’s work is represented in both public and private collections in Western Australia, Eastern Australia, England, Europe, Singapore and Ireland.
Locally at Jah Roc Gallery, Margaret River
Vancouver Art Centre, Albany

Art Related Employment

1998,99,2000,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08, – Responsible for co-coordinating a new exhibition at the Gallery every four weeks. This includes communicating with the artists, choosing suitable work, arranging advertising and promotional material, designing and hanging the exhibition, ticketing and preparing artists Profiles, office duties including book keeping and accounts.
2009 -2011 Artist in residence at Aurora Natural Health Centre, 2 Mount Street Roleystone. Western Australia. Exhibiting her work at the Gallery on a regular basis. Teaching remained a central part of Susan’s focus, maintaining four classes a week, with eight students per class.
Teaching all painting mediums – Watercolour – Oil – Pastel – Acrylic Drawing techniques, including Life Drawing – Four classes a week.