Susan J. Harris, Artist Bio

Susan was born in Bristol, Virginia, in 1952, and has since lived her entire life in Virginia and North Carolina.  In 1971, following graduation, she packed her bags and headed south to start a new phase of her life and career.  Susan worked in the corporate world in Greensboro, NC, during which time she met her husband of 34 years.  In 1978 they moved to Jamestown, NC, where they resided for 30 years to raise and home-educate their two now-grown children.

She has had eight years of art education, three of which were under the private instruction of professional artist the late Frances Kendall.  Frances, above all, was instrumental in instilling Susan with not only a willingness, but a lifelong desire to experiment with various mediums, textures, and methods.  Susan added to her art education by taking classes at Guilford Technical Community College in stained glass design and construction and pottery, as well as being self-taught in several other mediums.

Over the years Susan has produced pen and ink drawings, charcoal and pencil sketches, oil and acrylic paintings, pottery and sculpture, as well as the design and construction of stained glass windows.  Although she especially enjoys working with pottery, sculpture and stained glass, her current preference is painting with acrylic on canvas. 

Her work is often best described as contemporary abstract mixed media. She begins with color and texture, applying layer upon layer, taking the initial inspiration in an ever-evolving direction.  Each piece becomes an exploration of identity, capturing mood, layers of emotions and the subconscious with an intentional purpose to evoke the viewer’s own interpretation.  Art is, to her, an individual expression of the inner self.

Susan is currently based out of the Greater Piedmont area of North Carolina, alongside her husband, John, and close to their two grown children.  She has exhibited in juried shows and various galleries throughout the state, and her fine art is in private collections throughout the US and Canada.