ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a self-taught life-long painter. One of my earliest memories is that of sitting next to my grandmother.  She was sharing my plastic flip-top palette of "paint-by-number" paints and magically beautiful cottages and flowers blossomed on pieces of scrap paper in front of her. Throughout my school years, I enjoyed painting during vacations, but never thought of art as a possible career, although my family has always given me encouragement and “collected” my work. I enjoy painting detailed scenes of life today. Special events and happy occasions with people we love are important images that I like to document in paint. I generally use water-based paints, acrylic and gouache, and I like the “toughness” of painting on Masonite board. Before a painting is begun, it already exists in my mind. Then, like a 1000 piece puzzle, parts of the painting are separated and sorted into “piles” of colors. Details are then added, the more the better. As a painting nears completion, my family and friends are asked “What does this painting need?” or “Is this painting finished?” My youngest children provide me with the best heart-felt critiques and thoughts. It is my hope that my paintings bring joy to those who view them, realizing that the “good days” are here, now and today.  Today we are making precious memories.

BIOGRAPHY
An Iowan since 1972, Suzanne B. Aunan is a self-taught artist who has enjoyed painting as far back as she can remember. Born in New York City, she enjoyed childhood on a dairy farm in Orange County, NY and graduated from high school in Glen Ridge, NJ. Suzanne attended the University of Iowa, majoring in Medical Technology and later graduated from the Physician Assistant Program.  She worked as a P.A. at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Hematology Oncology and the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, then as a full-time mother of four.  Now with all four children in school, she is enjoying a career as an artist. Suzanne paints detailed compositions using acrylic, gouache and watercolors, sometimes adding pencil or ink pen.  She created her first limited edition lithograph “The Last Ride In” in October 2000, and since then has added other lithographs and museum-quality Giclee prints of her work.  Her work has been purchased by collectors world-wide.  Suzanne maintains an award-winning website www.sbaunan.com where samples of her work and art show schedule can be found.  Suzanne B. Aunan lives with her husband and four children in Iowa City, Iowa.
 

AWARDS - HONORS - INVITATIONS:

-Art Business News  March 2007  New Editions

-MegaPress Agency   Tokyo, Japan

-Invitation to "Biennale Internazionale Dell'Arte Contemporanea," Florence, Italy 2007

-"Hey YAH!"  University of Iowa's Year of the Arts & Humanities "The Daily Palette" August 16, 2006

-Honorable Mention   Hooverfest President's Best Art Show 2006  Hoover Presidential Library

-Honorable Mention   Hooverfest President's Best Art Show 2005  Hoover Presidential Library

-"Hey YAH!"  University of Iowa's Year of the Arts & Humanities "The Daily Palette" October 4, 2005

-University of Iowa Alumni Association 2005

-Iowa City Public Library Purchase Award "Art to Go" 2005

-"The Iowan" Magazine, Jan.-Feb 2004
-University of Iowa Fine Arts 2004 Calendar
-University of Iowa Alumni Association 2004
-Invitation to "Biennale Internazionale Dell'Arte Contemporanea," Florence, Italy 2005
-University of Iowa Alumni Association Reunion 2004
-"Hey YAH!"  University of Iowa's Year of the Arts & Humanities "The Daily Palette" September 2. 2004
-People's Choice Winner   Hooverfest President's Best Art Show 2004  Hoover Presidential Library

-Iowa Arts Festival 2003 commemorative poster licensee
-University of Iowa Alumni Association 2003
-Des Moines Arts Festival Gallery
-Cahoon Museum of American Art, Cape Cod, Cotuit, Massachusetts 2003
   "Modern Primitives: Simple Art in a Complex Age"  A Survey of 20th-Century Primitive Art in America
-Fourth Place, The President's Best 2003,  Herbert Hoover Presidential Library & Museum
-Invitation to "Biennale Internazionale Dell'Arte Contemporanea," Florence, Italy 2003
-University of Iowa Alumni Association Reunion 2003

-One-artist show, the Old Post Office Art Gallery 2002, Iowa City, Iowa
-University of Iowa Alumni Association 2002
-Best of Show, The Second Annual President's Best 2002,  Herbert Hoover Presidential Library & Museum
-Purchase Awards: Two Rivers Art Expo 2002 (Farm Bureau Financial Group Award and Rich and Jane Hein Award)  Des Moines, Iowa
-Purchase Award: Waterloo Center for the Arts 2002, Waterloo, Iowa

-Cahoon Museum of American Art, Cape Cod, Massachusetts 2001
-University of Iowa Alumni Association 2001
-University of Iowa Alumni Association Reunion 2001

-"ATT's Cool Website of the Week" October 6, 1999