biography

Susan was raised and schooled in upstate New York, Syracuse University, BFA.  She found herself and her art flourishing in the West Olympic town of Forks where she lived for thirty years. 

Susan was known as an advocate of future artists and the promotion of the West Olympic area as a viable location for artists to live, create and present their work.   

Her driving force in this rural area as an instructor, lecturer and judge of artistic endeavors was instrumental in the founding of West Olympic Council for the Arts, an arts advocacy organization, and Olympic West Artreck, a self guided tour of galleries and studios.

Through WOCA Shaw has chaired Rainfest, an annual celebration of creativity, been a juror and exclusive curator of "Art on the Hill", an annual art installation at the Olympic Natural Resources Center and been instrumental in the development of Rainforest Arts Center.

Susan was author of the Arts Alive column in the Forks Forum.  In 1995 Susan was nominated for Tourism Promoter of the Year and in 1996 Rainforest Soroptimist presented her with the Women Making a Difference Award.

After dividing her time between the "west end" and the North Olympic Peninsula area for several years Susan and her husband Mike have completed a house and barn fix-up on ten acres in Sequim. 

"The move from the rainforest to a desert area has not been an easy transition for me, but as the settling in process happens I am enthralled with the light, the uniqueness of the land shapes and the horizon line that appears everywhere here!"   

Susan is now concentrating exclusively on the fulfillment of her personal goals of peace, love and laughter which would naturally include artistic achievement.

Susan's work can be found in collections throughout US and Europe.

Mora
42 x 48
acrylic
$1200

Hole in the Wall
26 x 26
acrylic
$1000

Genesis
48 x 48
acrylic
$1200

1964, BFA Syracuse University, 1974 Graduate Work
1974/75, Syracuse Public Schools, art instructor
1975, moved to the Olympic Peninsula
1979/02, Private art instructor, adults &children, drawing & painting
1979/96, Participated in workshops given by noted national & international artists
1979/04, Participated in Olympic Peninsula, national & international juried shows
1993/94, Peninsula College, West End, art instructor seniors classes


Shows and awards:
1982, Sequim Arts, Best in Show
1983, Port Angeles Arts in Action, 1^st;; Ocean Shores Arts, 1^st
1984, Selected to show in the 44^th Annual Northwest W/C Society and invited to exhibit the traveling show to the Fed. of Canadian Artists Gallery, British Columbia
1986, Selected to show in the 46^th Annual NWWS Exhibition, Bellevue, WA
1986, Selected to show in the 28^th Annual Puget Sound Exhibition, Frye Art Museum.
1994, Forks 4^th of July Art Show, Best in Show, Seattle, WA
1994, Sequim Arts, 1^st
1995, Selected to show in the NWWS 55^th Annual Exhibition, Kirkland, WA
1996, Selected to show at the West Olympic Council for the Arts 1^st Annual "Art on the Hill" installation at the U of WA's Olympic Natural Resources Center, Forks,WA
1999, Blue Moon Art Installation, Rainforest Arts Center, Forks, WA
2000, Selected to show at the WOCA 5^th Annual "Art on the Hill", ONRC, Forks, WA
2001, Selected to show in the NWWS 61^st Annual Open Exhibition, Bellevue, WA
2004, Selected to show in the American W/C Society's 137^th Annual Int. Exhibition, NYC
2004, Selected to show in the NWWS 64^th Annual Open Exhibition, Seattle,WA


Solo Shows include:
1982 & 83, The Gallery, Port Angeles, WA
1983, Childhood's End Gallery, Olympia, WA
1984, Rotunda Gallery, Ballard, WA
1994, Clallam County Historical Soc., Chamberlin Gallery, Port Angeles, WA
1995, Seafirst Bank Lobby Show, Forks, WA
1995, Northlight Gallery, Port Angeles, WA
1996, featured artist, Gallery Marjuli, Ocean Shores, WA'
1996, Capitale Restaurant, Olympia, WA
1999, West Wind Gallery, Forks, WA
2000, Bruskin Gallery, Port Townsend


Group Shows include;
1995, Strait Art, Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA
2000, Bruskin Gallery, Port Townsend, WA

Midnight at Johnson Creek
42 x 42
acrylic
$1200

Quillayute Mouth
40 x 80
acrylic
$900

All original, printed and electronic images are protected by US copyright law                                                                                                                           ©2009 susan gansert shaw