Inspiration Boost : Suzie Samuel

Can you introduce yourself in a few words? Who are you, what do you do, and what is your background?

Hello, I am an animal artist painter. I have been painting for over 34 years, and I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. I believe I was born with a pencil in my hand! At the age of 19, I started taking painting classes with renowned artists. Later on, I wanted to push my technique further and learn more, so I attended the School of Fine Arts: Renaissance mission. There, I learned a great deal about drawing and painting from the Grand Masters. I have created many portraits and still life paintings. I am always very open to learning new techniques and experimenting with different mediums, including dry pastel, which was taught to me by leading pastel artists. Currently, I paint the animal world using acrylics, Airbrush, and brushes. My horse paintings have been part of the traveling art gallery of the grand-scale show Cavalia Odysseo.

When did you start drawing, and what led you to pursue Airbrushing and realistic representation of animals?

I've been drawing for as long as I can remember! I recall that as a young teenager, I always had a sketchpad and charcoal with me. The fascination with Airbrushing started during my teenage years while I was traveling in the United States. It was a popular technique used for live painting on t-shirts. I could spend hours just admiring artists using this tool! I knew that someday I would try it too. About fifteen years ago, I began searching for artists who could teach me this technique. I attended several training sessions with different Airbrush painters. Despite the complexity of this tool, it was the one that captured my heart, and it continues to bring me so much passion and joy when I create my paintings.

On my canvases, animals are my sole subjects. They also play a significant role in my life, as I am the owner of several, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. Representing them as if they were alive and infusing soul into my artwork brings me immense pleasure. I particularly enjoy creating a 3-dimensional effect.

We absolutely love your visual universe! Could you tell us more about your main sources of inspiration and the subjects you particularly enjoy illustrating?

The effect of calm and peace is what I aim to share in my paintings. Creating an atmosphere of serenity with animals, who are experts at transmitting such feelings. Sometimes, my animals are accompanied by blue tits, which I particularly adore, and butterflies.

Can you tell us a little more about your creative process? How do you go about creating your artworks?

At the very beginning, I choose an animal that I want to portray. I conduct research, either using my own photos or those taken by professional photographers to whom I request and pay for exclusive rights. I enjoy collaborating with them because they have a knack for capturing the emotions of animals, which is crucial for me. I then add my creative touch by imbuing the artwork with the ambiance and emotions I wish to convey.

Name three artists who have had a real impact on your work and why?

The first is Robert Bateman; he has always fascinated me with his extraordinary animal artworks. He skillfully represents wild animals and their natural surroundings with a lot of emotion. He is deeply committed to the protection and conservation of wildlife and nature.

The second is Christophe Drochon, whose paintings display breathtaking detail! What touches me the most when admiring his work is the soul he infuses into the animals, as well as the use of light and composition.

The third, in my opinion, is the master of Airbrush! Dru Blair, who excels in mastering this tool! His hyper-realistic paintings always leave me speechless; they look like photographs!

What is the best advice you have received as an artist, or the most important thing you have learned, that you wish you had known at the very beginning of your career?

To paint for oneself above all else! Create what pleases us before seeking to please others. When we put all our love and passion into our creations, that's what will be reflected and naturally touch the eyes and hearts of those who look at them.

Do you have any future projects that you would like to share with us?

I always have several creations waiting in a file on my tablet. It all depends on the emotion of the moment that I want to share. Recently, I have been offering limited and numbered reproductions, called "Art prints," of my paintings, all of which are personally signed. With this, I aim to make my art more accessible to a larger audience, as all my original paintings are acquired by collectors.

New release ! 

For the new range of Lalita's Art Shop puzzles illustrated by Canadian artists and illustrators, Suzie presents a collection that reflects her style! Click here.

To know everything and not miss anything about the work of our animal artist painter:

Website : https://suziesamuel.ca/