What makes your studio environment linked to the land which you depict?
I keep an array of natural elements in my studio, from pieces of driftwood I’ve picked up by the lake, stones gathered from the Maritimes, woven baskets and a few potted plants. I have sunbeams shining in the afternoon and several trees just outside my window, a refreshing connection to the outdoors.
"Toulo and Matis" 24" x 36" Acrylic and Charcoal on Canvas
Where is your go to site for inspiration? Why do you NEED to paint it?
My inspiration usually comes from something which has caught my eye, or something I’ve read and it sticks in my head. It may be a small thing which begins to grow in my imagination until I have created a picture in my mind of what I want to express and what story I want to tell.
When you are out scouting for inspiration, what sounds resonate with you until you get to the easel?
I don’t scout for inspiration; it usually just finds me.
When creating in the studio, what music do you listen to? Is it always the same?
I have a Spotify playlist that has a variety of artists from jazz to folk to reggae to classical. For me as I paint, music feeds my other senses enhancing creativity and offering an overall sense of well-being. Good music helps me to relax, to be centered and focused.
"Adrift in an Ocean of Silence" 24" x 36" Acrylic and Charcoal on Canvas
Go to song to start the day?
Sting & Shaggy’s ‘Just one Lifetime’, then the whole album. I recently discovered a song called Quarantined With You, by Lawrence, which is so current to today.
Do you have any phrases or words written in your studio? What are they and why are they there?
A great question...I have several quotes that I find inspirational and are pinned to my bulletin board. If I become fussy or stuck, I use these as a reminder of what I’m actually doing and why.
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” --Henry Ward Beecher
“Creativity is a combination of discipline and a child-like spirit.”--Scott Adams
“Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” --Albert Einstein
“Art is not what you see but what you make others see” --Edgar Degas
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” --Pablo Picasso
"The Butte" 24" x 36" Acrylic on Canvas
BIOGRAPHY
Sue Archibald graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Guelph, specializing in painting, drawing and printmaking. Her studies continued with Grant McEwen School of Design in Alberta, The Toronto School of Art, Haliburton School of Fine Arts, and an ongoing association with Etobicoke Art Group, The Neilson Park Creative Centre and Visual Arts Mississauga. Sue was an Established Artist finalist for the 2018 & 2019 Marty Awards, and won the Established Artist of the Year 2019 - Community Excellence Award. Sue has recently been invited to become a member of the Ontario Society of Artists
Sue continues to show and sell her paintings across the country. Her works can be found in private collections including Edward Day Gallery, The Leon family, and national & international collections in New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Texas, California, Ireland, and the U.K.