Sue Smith Fine Art Paintings from the Oregon Outback

 Sue Favinger Smith is a versatile painter who works in oil. Her paintings range from realism to abstract, and are inspired by the landscape, but each painting evolves through a balance between recognition and mystery, color and light, blending the visual/emotional experience to invite contemplation.

"I came late to the idea that I could paint.  I started working in multiple directions because there was so much to learn and explore, and I wanted to catch up with artists who had been working for years.  Soon it became natural for me to take an idea and explore it in multiple styles, trying to work out what it was I was really trying to communicate.

I am continually prying open that window between what I perceive visually and what I can imagine.  The idea of the Grail Search and Celtic mythology - venturing into an unknown land, a timeless dimension in search of the prize most difficult to find - intrigues me.  In that respect, while the landscape has always been the inspirational foundation, my work isn't exclusively about the topography: it's about being "alone" but not "lonely," about venturing into an unexplored space and discovering what might be there.  It's about courage and not being afraid to take risks."

Sue began her career at the age of 50, returning to school to obtain a degree in art and earning the Distinguished Student - Department of Art award from Oregon State University - Cascades.   The pliability of her painted surfaces, combined with passion and academic training, have led Sue toward her distinctive style, carried on through the addition of figurative and still life to her body of work. She has participated in national and regional exhibitions, solo and three-person shows, and is a juried member of several professional organizations, including the prestigious National Association of Women Artists. Her work is in private collections across the country.