https://www.1artistwest.net/blog daily 0.75 2017-08-03 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/8/3/activist-art-and-its-meaning monthly 0.5 2017-08-03 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/8/2/an-art-journey-to-remember monthly 0.5 2017-08-03 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/31/the-importance-of-artist-sketches monthly 0.5 2017-08-01 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/28/a-change-of-hear-getting-to-know-paul-klee-and-his-work monthly 0.5 2017-07-28 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/26/the-trouble-with-making-art-long-distance monthly 0.5 2017-07-27 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/26/have-you-ever-had-a-bad-reaction-to-your-art-work monthly 0.5 2017-07-27 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/21/knowing-when-a-work-is-complete monthly 0.5 2017-07-21 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/19/what-inhibits-art-work monthly 0.5 2017-07-19 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/17/an-artist-vulnerability-in-their-work monthly 0.5 2017-07-17 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/14/female-head-by-picasso monthly 0.5 2017-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1500066185547-QNT50UKUMLHIT0IE24VO/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Female Head by Picasso https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/12/alexander-calder-art-in-motion monthly 0.5 2017-07-12 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/10/movement-and-visual-culture-am-dr-emily-newman monthly 0.5 2017-07-10 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/7/jean-shin-artist-website monthly 0.5 2017-07-07 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/5/the-value-of-social-media-in-art monthly 0.5 2017-07-05 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/7/5/the-pros-and-cons-of-artists-working-together-in-studio monthly 0.5 2017-07-05 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/30/the-importance-of-artists-routinely-visiting-an-art-gallery monthly 0.5 2017-06-30 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/28/pablo-picassos-identity-and-work monthly 0.5 2017-06-29 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/26/agngxmtcjbc94g79kke46hozsndzyc monthly 0.5 2017-06-26 https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/21/frieda-kahlo monthly 0.5 2017-06-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1498099303813-W0R6HV9MMZTAJPJR65DK/what-the-water-gave-me-1938.jpg Blog - Frieda Kahlo https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/15/olympic-posters-as-art monthly 0.5 2017-06-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1497546556573-KGLYQUT4QQJ1D3GXEFCV/image-asset.png Blog - Olympic Posters as Art https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/15/satirical-writing-dessert-for-the-soul monthly 0.5 2017-06-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1497544892153-KUTQHLDDGDTJ6M5R8ON4/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Satirical Writing: Dessert for the Soul https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/12/mary-cassatt-where-art-moves-minds monthly 0.5 2017-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1497320468345-7EE3ACIPA7B8AG40LQSU/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Mary Cassatt: Where art moves minds https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/9/can-anyone-throw-paint-around-and-call-it-art monthly 0.5 2017-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1497052906248-PNTB3P02IZ50RTKY4LC4/image-asset.jpeg Blog - Can Anyone Throw Paint Around and Call It Art? https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/7/lessons-from-leonardo monthly 0.5 2017-06-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1496893106538-C8MV0PYSRRKJHN93M4NM/Leonardo%27s+Sketchbook+PDF.jpg Blog - Lessons from Leonardo https://www.1artistwest.net/blog/2017/6/5/art-in-retrospect-by-susan-west monthly 0.5 2017-06-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1496717759498-59K87ZHSWCHB5CVJ50JG/BLUE+DANCERS.jpg Blog - BLUE DANCERs by edgar degas Degas Blue Dancers hung in a dimly lit alcove in Musee d Orsay in Paris in 2005. . It was bathed in soft light and hung safely behind glass. To see the pastel in person brought insight that previous photographs of the art work had not. The soft blue pastel rested on the rough toothed paper much like chalk on a sidewalk. At a distance, the viewer might conclude that the brown hue in the shadows of the work was also achieved with pastels. However, taking a closer glance one would notice that the artist had allowed the brown pastel paper to show thru and represent itself as one of the colors in the work. Did the artist see the finished piece before he began? He must have. Otherwise , how would he have known where to strategically place the blue pastel? Each stroke of the varied shades blue also seemed premeditated. The light blue brought the feeling of light on the ballerinas costumes, while the darker blues provided a value for folds in the netting. The neon turqouise seemed to float above the rough textured surface. It moved the viewers eyes back and forth between the soft powder of the pastels and the dark textured surface of the paper, It was much like a blue cloud hovering over a dark barren landscape. The contrast was captivating, Degas use of complementary color was also a visual treat. The red orange hair of the dancers balanced beautifully with the light blue and turqouise in the ballerinas tutu's. The dancers skin tones read as a multi colored palette up close but melded seamlessly into a creamy conclusion at a distance, The ballerinas filled the page, They were stunning. They were a group of performers. But feeling so close to them in this piece, one soon saw they were individual women. Degas was known for his compassion for them and their lot in life. Perhaps that is the deeper message here. https://www.1artistwest.net/work-avenue daily 1.0 2025-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492550176012-G5799J6X3F2G3GWRTQGV/5+Process+necklace.JPG Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492537248420-R2SK1GC4HDM8KTLLB25X/Sculpture+II+Clay+heads+2016.jpg Work - My Students Portrait Sculpture Work I teach Sculpture II and AP 3D. I introduced my students to a building method where the head is formed from the skeleton up. It has been very succesful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492552957434-37KPDBEL21G473QZY8FG/Sculpture+Alrered+Metal+Dragon.JPG Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492536155975-K25BX17SFY0CI87UEVRG/Susans+Enamel+Necklace.jpg Work - Flower Necklace Enamel on copper floral necklace made by hand sawing copper and kiln firing layers of liquid enamel. Flower sizes approx 2" x2" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492556189276-YMG8QZRC5ZFHQPW9ZYQM/IMG_0989.JPG Work - Plaster Cast Hands My hands were cast by placing them in a bucket of Alginate, removing them when the Alginate set and then pouring in plaster. I wanted a post where I was holding a pencil to reflect my artistic bent. I not only cast my hands but also assisted in casting all the hands of those who were namesakes of schools in my district. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492716402692-8YHFT8H5Q2667O9ZC8B7/Neon+Portrait+Sterphanie+Rodriquez.JPG Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492785910246-WRD9G9OYWTLLQIQ3J7SX/Lace+Bowl.JPG Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492555654841-VXA92UB41490SUNJ8VTB/Home+Place+Watercolor.JPG Work - The Home Place When I first started taking my watercolor seriously I became interested in old houses that were left to rot. Who were the people who lived there? What happened to them? Why did they abandon the house? I still remember exploring this house with it's beautiful beaded molding over the doors and the long rough hewn table with benches on each side. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492620959010-VTW76RUPL2EYQV77TR1W/Susan+and+Kinetics+in+a+Can+B%26W.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1493048719057-MGGXZ2XV5ZH1UX9FSSLA/TAEA+Susan+II.jpg Work - 3D Process in the Classroom I spoke to teachers from all over Texas about the 3D processes used in my classroom, how to replace expensive sculpture materials with affordable substitutions, and what the future is for 3D work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1528085873954-R06WCR4QL4H0YUJTHL8W/IMG_0666.JPG Work - Deja Vu “Deja Vu” consists of over one thousand dyed perfumed flowers, in reality tampons, that fill a wall. The installation represents a woman’s strength and resiliency. When handed a situation ,such as menstruation, women approach their personal lives and careers as if they are limitless. They take something disgusting and making it beautiful. My work celebrates women’s resiliency in facing challenging roles and their freedom to embrace or reject roles, which ultimately define their Identity. https://www.1artistwest.net/about daily 0.75 2017-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f4ff9d893fc07c27b4547a/1492559707917-5XOUNMFBLVHXZQ8Y2QQY/Resume+photo+black+and+white.jpg Artist Bio