WELCOME TO MY ART SHOWING, (CLICK ANY PICTURE FOR A LARGER VIEW) I was born in Odessa, Texas and lived all of my childhood in El Paso, Texas. Doodling with my dad before pre-school helped me to not hardly be able to wait until art was offered in the the 7th grade. I took art 7th thru 12th grade just because I loved it. In 1968 my tempera/watercolor called 'Mexican Still Life' hung at the San Antonio HEMISPHERE with a blue ribbon. My parents sent off for a correspondence study in commercial art to encourage me. I helped at the annual school carnivals by drawing people's faces to make money for the Art Dept. I helped teacher's with posters and some work on stage props designs. I was awarded 'Who's Who in Art for Ysleta High School of 1971'. I always wanted to be a children's book illustrator but my parents said 'There is plenty of starving artist so go to business school and do this on the side'. I entered business classes at UTEP.
I was able to take oil painting classes from a local portrait/floral artist named FLORENCE HAYGOODE. She encouraged me to submit the portrait I did of my best friend in High School---(Robin Smith) and it hung in the 'El Paso Museum of Art' for a short time. Then I took oil painting from a landscape colorist named CARRILLO GONZALEZ from Mexico.
Marriage, raising children and church projects kept me from returning to my true joys of art for a long while. I thank Jesus for this gift because it has got me through some really hard times! As the kids began to grow up I decided I wanted myself to return to the world of art and being around creative people in art, music and drama. I reluctantly enrolled in San Antonio Community College to get a 'Illustration Design' diploma. I was so happy there and learned so much about all kinds of art. I enjoyed Ceramics and found that I have a love for Digital Photography. I began to go on enjoyable outings and bring back experiences on camera to make my canvas projects with. I loved learning of abstract painting using texturings and glazings. Color theory changed my life in the way I saw how colors effect your emotions and the outcome. I plan to continue on in my fine art education at UTSA soon.
Susan McNeil joined Pixels.com Licensing on May 27th, 2012.
