Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Wickstrand.
Susan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been a full time Artist for over 30 years. I have a degree in fine art from USC, and ran an art gallery right out of college up in LA. I’ve been fortunate enough to make a living full time from my artwork since my early 20’s. I’ve also been very grateful to see my artworks grace the walls of major public collections, private collector’s homes, T.V. shows like ABC’s Modern Family, MTV Real World, Parenthood, and on apparel brands like Rip Curl, footwear Sanuk and triathlete kits for Betty Designs, skateboards, Album covers, iPhone cases, surfboards, travel bags etc. I don’t believe in being a starving artist. Artists are worker bees, there’s always more to create and learn.
With Social Media today and online websites to sell your work from there’s really no excuse to be a “starving artist”, that’s for whiners (sorry, not sorry) instead people should focus on being a THRIVING ARTIST. That’s where it gets interesting. Also Artists should be very open to feedback, and welcome hearing from collector’s what speaks to them and why. Some of my best ideas came from clients that I respect and that get me and the work. My work is about living life to the fullest, being outside and enjoying things. I fully realize that there’s negativity in the world, just turn on the news for 2 minutes.
However, I purposely choose to create art that is about those golden moments of time where we may have saved up money to go on this amazing trip with loved ones and to travel. Or of a moment in time where you got that perfect wave you were always wanting to ride. I also believe in having positive Mantras into the Artworks combined with nature. My Favorite artwork for this is “Just Love” and “Breathe”. My current most favorite artwork is always my newest creation. We are busy building out my new Painting studio so now that our daughter is getting older I can’t wait to get back to my first love, painting.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been an exciting and fun road. Yes, challenges are built into anything that you desire quality for. But I think my Business entrepreneur background minor from USC helped me greatly. More Artists should know how to do an excel spreadsheet and more Universities should require all creatives to have a business background.
Please tell us about Susan Wickstrand Fine Art.
I’ve been a full-time artist for quite some time now and I started out mostly doing finely tuned finished oil landscape and seascape paintings. Nature is always a great subject matter for me, and especially anything related to the ocean. I think my Swedish/Scandinavian heritage has played a part in my love of the Sea. I also think growing up in La Jolla at WindanSea beach, watching some of the best surfers do their thing now plays a part in my collages.
I had a lot of fun back in the day working with a record company on the artwork for their album covers. This got me early into the square format that took over when I started doing hand-made collages (pre-Instagram square loving format). I especially love collaging female surfers doing their thing and incorporating travel or nature too with the images. Once the hand-cut collages are complete I paint on top of them in India Inks or oil and then add a coat of molten wax (called encaustic) to the top final layer to seal and preserve all the images.
I think I’m most proud of my brand for having staying power, always growing, and always willing to embrace technology and to learn. It’s so important today to have adaptability.
A few years ago we added Apparel to my “Orchids & Oceans” company with my artworks on them. Our trucker hats sell like crazy and it’s fun to photos pop up on social media of so many different people rocking the hats on their travels around the globe! This is really fun! I think my process of how I create the artworks sets me apart. There’s no photoshop heavy anything, it’s kinda old school, all hand-made, and in this fast-paced device heavy world, I love that. Creating Artwork slows down time for me, and it is certainly my happy place. The Process is what I love most.
Now that I’m and LLC and incorporated and branded. It’s time to share the knowledge I’ve acquired with others. I want to begin teaching Art online and on my new YouTube channel were developing now. After fighting off breast cancer a couple of years ago, I think this might be the thing I’m most proud of and it’s truly changed me. I want to have a voice now to educate others with the various skill sets I’ve learned as a woman running a business and being creative. I want to have a legacy that my daughter can look up and see Momma online teaching her craft, sharing with others.
In the end, it’s really about giving back to others and teaching the next generation of creatives. Then also on the horizon is authoring and illustrating a book that I’m very excited about. New projects keep me young, invigorated and engaged with life!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Not a thing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/susanwickstrand
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @swickstrand
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtistSusanWickstrand
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanwickstrand
Image Credit:
Jaysea DeVoe, Josie Prendergast, Belinda Baggs, Kevin Roche
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
