Susan Comerford

I was born in Oregon, where my early years were spent in a remote area of Smith River, outside Drain. My father and his partner founded and ran Ball Lumber Co. They built houses for the sawmill workers along the one-mile plank road to the mill. I grew up in a close community surrounded by the wilds of nature. It was a great childhood. These early years instilled in me a love of nature and the landscape that has never lessened.

My formal study of art began at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I worked at that time in a sign shop painting pictorials for billboards. After returning to Oregon in 1970, I attended Umpqua Community College (UCC) while doing commercial art for a print shop. I then studied at the University of Oregon and taught classes at UCC in Continuing Education. After obtaining a Master’s Degree in Fine Art, I taught transfer courses in Printmaking for three more years before resigning to pursue the life of a professional artist.

As an artist, my philosophy of art has evolved over the years into a strong desire to paint landscapes that are honest and true to the Spirit of the place depicted. If there is beauty, I want to show it. If there is a quiet power, as in a mountain, that is my goal; I want to express the Soul and Spirit of the scene.

I have come to this place in my work through experimentation with many media and methods of expression. I have concluded that representational work is the most honest way for me to approach art. I believe also that if one’s work is to last through time it must possess integrity of purpose. My purpose is to show what my world is like, in my place and my time, without influence from current fad art of the moment. All too often this type of art needs long verbal explanations to be appreciated or understood and soon will be forgotten. I strive to do meaningful work that is treasured and passed down from generation to generation.