Suzanne Hull Crosthwait

San Ramon, CA

 wcbyshc@aol.com

  (scroll down to see upcoming shows)

Milestones

1954               Born in Gainesville, TX;  childhood in Houston, TX

1972               Denton, TX;  Dallas, TX;  Studio City, CA;  Canoga Park, CA

1980               Dallas, TX;  Houston, TX

1988               Glendale, CA;  Oak Park, CA

1997               Tiburon, CA;  Mill Valley, CA

2003               San Ramon, CA

Education

1976               BFA in Drawing and Painting; University of North Texas, Denton, TX

                        At a time when most art majors were painting in acrylics, I was fascinated by wet-on-wet

1999               Julie Cohen Watercolor Reflections course; College of Marin, Kentfield, CA

                        watercolors and was the first at UNT to receive the majority of my painting credits in

                        watercolor.

1999-2000     Nancy Johnson Watercolor courses; College of Marin, Kentfield, CA

2000               Julie Cohen Large Format Watercolors Workshop; College of Marin, Kentfield, CA

2002               Greeting Card Business, College of Marin, Kentfield, CA

2005               Birgit O'Conner-Atmospheric Landscapes Workshop, Mendocino Art Center, Mendocino, CA

2006               Mel Stabin 5-day Watercolor Workshop, Art in the Mountains, Bend, OR

Teaching

2001               Beginning Watercolor, Artisans, Mill Valley, CA

Juried Shows

2/2000            ‘SF Across the Bay’ (painted by candlelight); Night Vision show, Artisans, Mill Valley, CA

1/2002            ‘Hearts on Fire’ & ‘Yellow Freesia’; Miniature Masterpieces show, Artisans

6/2002            ‘Iceberg & Cecile Roses’ (Merit Award), Blossoms show, Artisans

9/2002            ‘Mt. Tam’, Scenes of Mill Valley show, Artisans

11/2002          ‘Heirloom Tomatoes and Sunflowers’ & ‘Eggplant from the Vine’; Bon Appetite show,

                         Artisans, Mill Valley, CA

9/2003            'Red Sunflowers & Pears', 'Winter Whites,' & 'Donna's Daffodils'; Fall Show, CWA Gallery,

                         Blackhawk, CA

4/2006             'Two Iris' (1st place-water media) & 'Red Tulips & Promises of Spring' (Honorable Mention), ADAS

                         -Gala Spring Art Show, Danville Fine Arts Gallery, Danville, CA

10/2006            'Two Iris', California Watercolor Association, 38th Annual National Show, Academy of Art Univeristy,

                         San Francisco, CA

4/2008              'Coral Tulips' and 'Copenhagen & Yellow Roses', ADAS-Spring Art Show, Pioneer Art Gallery,

                         524 Hartz Ave., Danville, CA                         

Solo Shows

3/2001            Featured Artist; Vernal Equinox show, Artisans Gallery, Mill Valley, CA

Group Exhibitions & Festivals

1999-2003          Artisans, Mill Valley, CA

5/2002            Marin Open Studios Gallery/Marin Arts Council, Corte Madera, CA

9/2000-02      Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival, Artisans Booth, Mill Valley, CA

10/2004          Art in the Park; Danville, CA

9/2005            Open Studio, San Ramon, CA

9/2005            San Ramon Art Walk & Wine Festival, San Ramon, CA

6/2001-08      Marin Art Festival at the Lagoon, San Rafael, CA

8/2004-08      Art in the Garden; Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden, Fort Bragg, CA 

6/6/2008        Open Studio Gala:  Danville Community Center   www.adas4art.org/openstudios.htm

6/7-28/2008  Lindsay Dirkx Brown Art Gallery, 'Red Tulips & Cranberries' and 'Benjamin & Birthday

                       Tulips', San Ramon Community Center.    

6/7&8/2008   Open Studios of the San Ramon Valley, San Ramon Community Center.                  

10/11/2008   ArtWalk 2008, Livermore, CA  www.tvag.org

6/20&21/2009 Marin Art Festival at the Lagoon, San Rafael, CA    www.MarinArtFestival.com

8/8/2009          Art in the Garden; Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden, Fort Bragg, CA

 Memberships

1999-2003          Artisans, Mill Valley, CA – Exhibiting Member

2002               Artisans, President, Board of Directors (Board Member 2000-2003)

1999-2002     Marin Arts Council, San Rafael, CA – Member

2000-2001     Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival Committee – Member

2006-2007     Arts & Craft Cooperative Inc (ACCI Gallery), Berkeley, CA – Member

2001-present California Watercolor Association – Member

2008               Livermore Art Association – Member

2008               Alamo Danville Artists Society (ADAS) – Member

Statement

Clean, vibrant color is an expression of emotion and self that I seek to transfer from brush to paper.  I take the comment that my paintings are "happy" as a compliment—as I strive to find the joy in life, and happiness in simple pleasures.  Inspired by the purity of the natural shapes of vibrant flowers and luscious fruit, I enjoy the time spent drawing as much as the painting.  My paintings take advantage of the impulsive qualities unique to watercolor, as I contrast dry control with uncontrolled wetness in confined spaces—using a brilliant palette of colors.

As a third generation artist, appreciation of beauty and artistic expression has been a part of my entire life.  Although I graduated with a BFA in Drawing and Painting in 1976, it would be 23 years before I picked up another paint brush—except to paint my walls.  However, when my daughter left for college, I returned to art to fill the void and rediscovered it was a very fulfilling passion.

My artist mother has been my mentor and champion since I was old enough to hold a paint brush and today is the only person whose critique I take to heart.  My art is truly a family undertaking as my father makes my archival prints (Digitalworks13) and spends endless, patient hours on the computer to achieve the truest colors possible for my archival prints.