We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Susan Abbott a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Susan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

The first person to buy a painting from me was my sister. It was of a flower and it went perfectly with a color scheme she had in mind for her new home. She has been so supportive of my arts journey every step of the way ever since she saw what I was up to.

Susan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am what’s called a “late bloomer” in the arts and writing worlds. I had fits and starts exploring my creativity while in college but had always earned a living as support staff in the health care and government sectors. When I was laid off from a hospice chaplain job in 2009 at the age of 58, it hit me that I was now free to do my real job, which was to use my creative gifts to make art and poetry, and share them with the world. I pulled out that storage bin from under the bed, the bin with the sketchbooks, paints and brushes and set about doing what I love – watercolors. My favorite subjects at the time were flowers, Northern Lights, water, the female form, and outbursts of joy. Mostly it was playing with the pigments and water that fascinated me. I experimented a lot with the twists and turns of water flow and the blending (or not) of color. Some of these experiments I made into prints and blank greeting cards for sale. I sold at local art shows and venues as well as at a local farmer’s market. Eventually my cards and prints made it into local shops and galleries. Since moving to Joshua Tree in 2010, I have painted some local nature and landscape scenes, things that always go over well with tourists as well as locals. Subject-wise I’ve also become more pre-occupied with re-imagining creation and the myths and stories we have been spoon-fed that do not serve the ends of love, peace, justice or freedom. Time to switch up the narrative. Getting into this meditative Dreamtime creation space when I make art, helps me remember who I am.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of this creative journey for me are the conversations and relationships the work encourages and engages. Watching the mind-bending and the smiles, the aha moments, and the questions that can happen while people take the work in and imagine along with you your particular vision.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Educate for peace, joy, cooperation, emotional intelligence and historical truth.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @smtabbott
• Facebook: Susan Abbott Watercolors
• Other: @smtabbott on Instagram

Image Credits

Francine Kaplan (artist photo)
Susan Abbott (Art photos)