"A Susquehanna Valley Afternoon

(from Sam Lewis Park)"

Oil

11" X 14"

2022

ARTIST BIO

Susan has been involved in art throughout her life, whether drawing, painting, working in clay or teaching and counseling through art. Her formal training includes a dual Bachelors degree in fine arts and psychology with art therapy concentration and Masters degree in education, with continued studies in landscape painting, illustration, and design. She is inspired by nature, particularly the colors and shapes in the landscape and the emotional response to the environment. Therefore, she often paints en plein air, striving to portray the "feel of the day", sifting through the layers of natural color and the play of light. Susan enjoys and sees benefit in engaging in a variety of media, but has mainly been working in oil. In the studio, she frequently uses plein air, pen, ink, watercolor or colored pencil sketches to create larger oil paintings. Her studio work also includes still life, human and animal portraiture. Susan has studied landscape painting abroad, including Italy and Ireland, and painted across the USA, gaining inspiration from her travels. She has exhibited in Pennsylvania, New York City and the US east coast in many juried shows and has won awards regionally, including two Best of Show awards, awards for Plein air/Impressionism and for her works in clay. She recently added book illustration to her art endeavors, for the childrens' book, "Goodbye Yellow House". Her work is in private and corporate collections. Through her work, she hopes to share a blend of appreciation for the natural world and the wonder of the human spirit.

Website: www.sbenignilandis.com

Instagram: @sunsanbenignilandisart