“Anything under the sun is beautiful if you have the vision–it is the seeing of the thing that makes it so.” — Charles Hawthorne
Sue Foell has a passion for oil painting which is fueled by the excitement she feels while trying to capture the life of her subject on canvas. Her convincing sense of light and dark, confident brushstrokes, strong drawing skills, and use of rich color give a special strength to her paintings. After working as a graphic artist for 14 years, Sue studied for four years with portrait artist, William J. Kalwick Jr., while living in Houston, TX, which left her with a lasting love for portrait and figurative painting. She also studied still life painting with Bruce Williamson and Qiang Huang, and landscape painting with Roger Dale Brown. She now ranks plein air painting as one of the most enjoyable experiences there is for a painter. Due to her husband’s recent job change, the family now resides in Durham, NC where Sue looks forward to the next chapter in her painting career. The thrill and fascination she finds in painting the beauty all around us is something she says will never grow old.
In the past several years, Sue has received numerous awards at various local and national shows. She has had paintings accepted into the Salon International 2007 through 2013 Juried Exhibitions; the Oil Painters of America’s 2016, 2015, 2009, 2007 National Juried Exhibitions; and the Oil Painters of America’s 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2008, and 2007 Eastern Regional Exhibitions. In 2017, Sue achieved OPA Signature Membership Status for her outstanding accomplishments in representational oil painting.
Sue’s work hangs in private collections throughout the country and in the following galleries: Edward Dare Gallery in Charleston, SC; Vision Gallery in Atlantic Beach, NC; ArtSource Fine Art Gallery in Raleigh, NC; Sherwoods Gallery in Houston, TX; Ambleside Gallery in Greensboro, NC; and Roux & Cyr Gallery in Portland, ME.
Recent Awards:
OPA Signature Membership Status Award – 2017
Fifth Place – Portrait Society of America, 2015 Members Only Competition, Commissioned Portrait Category
SunTrust Bank Award – Memphis Germantown Art League National Show 2015
Figurative Award of Excellence – Oil Painters of America 2015 National Juried Exhibition, St. Augustine, FL
Honorable Mention – Salon International 2013 Show, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, TX
Jury’s Top 60 Award – Salon International 2013 Show, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, TX
Second Place – Memphis Germantown Art league National Show 2011
Best of Show – Memphis Germantown Art League Spring Show 2009
Two Honorable Mentions – Salon International 2009 Show, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, TX
Second Place – Memphis Germantown Art League Autumn Show 2008
People’s Choice & Judge’s Special Recognition – Memphis Germantown Art League Spring Show 2008
Jury’s Top 50 Award – Salon International 2007 Show, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, TX
Best of Show & Third Place – Memphis Germantown Art League Autumn Show 2007
Second Place – Memphis Germantown Art League Spring Show 2007
First Place – Lone Star Art Guild 2006 Convention
First & Third Place – Northwest Art League, Spring 2006
Third Place – Lone Star Art Guild 2005 Convention
Second Place – Northwest Art League, Spring 2005
Best of Show & First Place – Northwest Art League, Fall 2004
Best of Show & 2 Honorable Mentions – Houston Civic Art Assoc., Fall 2004
First Place, Second Place – Lone Star Art Guild 2004 Convention
Second Place – Northwest Art League, Spring 2004
Affiliations:
Oil Painters of America, Signature Member (www.oilpaintersofamerica.com)
Portrait Society of America (www.portraitsociety.org)