Susan Drennan
Artist Statement
Susan Drennan is an artist living and working on the north shore of Boston. She has been painting for over 40 years and is currently completing a BFA with a concentration in painting at Montserrat College of Art. Working mainly in oil paint, her work varies in scale, with her most recent being 4 feet by 5 feet. Other mediums she works in include pastel and watercolor. She recently included ceramic sculpture in her practice. With her love of color and use of light and shadow, she portrays landscapes, portraits, and close-up depictions of the natural world in an impressionistic or realistic way. Each of these subjects inspire her for their beauty and significance of light and shadow.
There are so many beautiful or interesting subjects to paint. Some scenes may seem mundane or even ugly, but Susan presents a new way of seeing the beauty in them.
Susan has won first place for professional watercolor and first place for an oil portrait at the Danvers Art Association. She has won the Richeson Award at the North Shore Arts Association in Gloucester, Massachusetts for an oil portrait which is in the permanent collection of the Free Library in Gloucester, MA. Her work is on display at the Western Avenue Studios and Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, Ma. at studio 221.
Bio
Susan E. Drennan was born in Winthrop, Ma. and grew up in Lynn, Ma. where her parents and four siblings resided. Encouraged by her grandmother, an art collector, Susan has been drawing and painting from a young age.
While attending High school, she was chosen to attend the Massachusetts College of Art for a six-week class of her choosing.
After attending New England School of Art in Boston, Susan was hired to work in the art department of the Lynn General Electric Company as a graphic artist. Later, she worked as a Senior Technical Illustrator in the same company, receiving an award for the first computer generated aircraft engine repair manual. She continued there for 15 years. She has also worked as a sculptor in clay relief and as a caricature artist for local companies. As President of the Danvers Art Assoc., she partnered with the Historical Society to save the Williams School building, procuring said building to house the Danvers’ Art Association.
Susan continues to elevate her understanding of processes in the art field, having studied with many local artists, such as Phil Perkins, David Curtis, Betty Lou Schlemm, Jack Jones, Paul George, Ron Straka, Jean Sbarra Jones, and many others, as well as Camille Przewodek from California. She has taken art classes from New England School of Art and Design, Mass. College of Art, Gordon College, and is now a full time student at Montserrat College of Art. pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts for painting with a minor in Curatorial Studies,
Susan works in watercolor, acrylic, pastel, and oil, and often supports various ministries, with her artwork, in service for Christ.
