34 S. State Street
Dover, DE 19901

302-678-3450
ssj@wesley.edu

Artist Statement

Painting has always been part of my life-observing the world around me continues to provide inspiration for my watercolors, including natural scenery and architecture.

About the Artist

Susan S. Johnston moved to Dover, Delaware from Iowa in the spring of 2008 when her husband became President of  Wesley College after serving six years at Iowa Wesleyan College, in Mt. Pleasant , Iowa. Her activities in the arts besides producing her own paintings over the last 30 years have included teaching art for 15 years in the public schools in Ohio and West Virginia and, also, illustrating for a national publication, HousePlant Magazine, 1992-94.  Through downtown historic preservation programs she has promoted community and business opportunities for artists in Elkins and Wheeling, West Virginia.

Her watercolors have been accepted in regional and national shows where she has garnered numerous awards.  Her work is in public and private collections in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri and West Virginia.  In the fall of 2009 she was accepted as a signature member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society. Also since arriving in Delaware her work received the "Best of Show" at the Delaware Watercolor Society Annual  state show in Lewes 2009. She also received merit awards at the DWS Fall Show in Wilmington and  the summer Juried Show at Rehobeth Beach.  Spring, 2010 her painting was  accepted at the Baltimore Watercolor Society Mid-Atlantic Regional Showat the Strathmore Mansion, Rockville, Maryland.

She is a past state President of the West Virginia Watercolor Society where her emphasis was providing grass roots opportunities for artists to learn and develop as well as to exhibit works in their own communities. While in Iowa she had works accepted at "the  President's Best" at the Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch and also, at the "Rural Lands Celebration" at Drake Law School in Des Moines.

Solo exhibitions have been presented  in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Missouri  and West Virginia. Some of the shows  include West Virginia Wesleyan College, Ameriflora 1992, Columbus, Ohio, Ohio University Eastern, St. Clairsville, Ohio, Davis and Elkins College, Bethany College, California State College, California, Pennsylvania, and Tamarack, West Virginia's  State  Gallery, Beckley, West Virginia.  In November, 2007 she presented a show at Culver-Stockton College, Canton, Missouri.

Since 2000, Susan Johnston has been an organizer and artist for an international organization, "Journees de Peintures." Art Groups from England, France, Switzerland, Belgium and the United States come together once a year in a different country for a week of painting "en plein air" and fellowship. Last year the group painted in Garret County, Maryland and in 2010, Manchester, England and, 2011, Switzerland.