Sue Averell was born in Ohio in 1957. Her family soon moved to Southern California where she grew up.  As a child, Sue spent much of her time drawing; she knew early on that she was going to be an artist.

Her first drawing lessons were given by her father, an educator and artist.  In grammar school her next big influence was a retired Disney animator, who taught her to draw objects in perspective.  Sue continued to study art throughout high school and was encouraged by both her family and instructors to pursue her talents.

After studying at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, Sue worked for several years in the printing industry.

In 2002 Sue began working full time in her painting studio creating works for gallery shows, studio events, and the Celebration of Fine Art, an annual 3-month fine art show in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In addition, Sue is commissioned each year by corporate and individual clients to create paintings that meet their needs.

Artist’s Statement

Painting is more than just a creative discipline, it is my vocation. Even as a child I looked at the world with the eyes of an artist, trying to figure out how to capture what I saw onto paper.  My style has evolved through the years, but it stands today as a process of escaping the confines of optical reality.

It is my intent to enable the viewer to feel the energy I put forth in the creation of my works through the use of expressive paint and color application.  All of my paintings are made by applying thick, juicy layers of paint; often wet into wet allowing the color on top to almost melt into the layer below.

Rather than painting photographic reality I work to create my own unique reality; a reality seen through my eyes.  I leave ambiguities in the finished painting so that the viewer is able to participate in the finish of the piece and see something new each time they visit the image.