We were lucky to catch up with Suz Stovall recently and have shared our conversation below.
Suz, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
I knew early on that I wanted to be an artists. Young people are not always nurtured to fulfill their artistic dreams. I have made it a project to inspire young creatives. As well as their parents to allow them to pursue their creativity. Creativity is part of many careers other than art.
At every street art festival, I find ONE. there is always just one, young artist that walks into my booth. I wait patiently for them, watching talking, then knowing they are THE one. I let them pick out one unframed 10X10 original. I get thank you emails and cards with their drawings. I feel so good to have influenced their creativity with hopes they will go and pursue creativity in what ever occupation they choose. I notice parents who caution their children to not get too close or touch. I tell them I want them to touch. I want them to talk to me about what they see. Quite often parents are in awe of what comes out of their kids mouths.
Suz, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I love to paint ! I knew at age 2 I would be an artist. My 2nd grade teacher told my Mother I would never be an artists because I refused to color inside the lines. I still don’t ! LOL“
I have done a lot of reflecting on this art journey that I have been on since childhood. I was always a colorist.. Having fun with color, always painting from a joyful heart. Now, I realize that I am painting in a different way. My work has evolved. There is more of my presence and spirituality in the work. I am working more from a personal space. Painting more what I feel, not what I see. There are parts of me in the work, my thoughts, emotions, and passion.
Painting is my passion, to trust the process, finding peace is understanding the joy of discovery- beautiful little gifts. Being open to that. I embrace the freedom to change courses many times along the way, knowing each and every choice will be an important part of the finished painting. By letting go of desired outcomes, I open myself to a world where anything is possible and there are no mistakes only gifts.
It is the process not the product that inspires me.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative?
The most rewarding thing to me is when someone connects with my work. The highest compliment is when they take one home and live with it everyday.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I paint abstracts. Many people just don’t understand them or relate to them. I have tried to help them understand. I tell them I have to follow all the basic rules I have been taught all the way through college.
I pay attention to values, composition, color choices. I don’t just slap paint around. There is purpose and meaning in each piece. In a recent solo exhibition I researched musical terms. I then painted what I thought they would look like. So many musical terms relate to other things. Rhythm is found in music but also in art. Many terms overlap. It was an interesting project. I was rewarded by the fact people could see what I was conveying. I love it when someone says, you know I never liked abstracts, but I like these.
Contact Info:
- Email: suzstovallart@gmail.com
- Instagram: suzstovallart
- Facebook: Susie Stovall
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYIHOlvicGk&t=574s
- Other: Flutist Joesph Liberti playing his original composition, “Wednesday Blue” about my painting”Espressivo” https://videopress.com/v/LQA3RYl4