Susan Lyon is an American painter who grew up in Oak Park, Illinois.
Susan Lyon at a glance
- Nationality: American
- Born: Oak Park, Illinois
- Education: American Academy of Art, Chicago
- Based in: Rural North Carolina
- Medium: Oil, pastel and charcoal
- Style: Realistic, with as much impressionistic color as possible
- Technique: Wet-on-wet first, then wet-on-dry for the finishing touches
- Website: susanlyon.com
“My style is realistic with as much impressionistic color as possible. I like to combine wide brushes for sweeping strokes in the background with small, soft brushes for subtle details in my center of interest.”
Susan Lyon’s initial interest in art was sparked by a PBS television show on Georgia O’Keeffe, which inspired her to take weekend art classes, and she later studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and was an active participant in Chicago’s Palette and Chisel Club.
Susan Lyon draws inspiration from painters of the Guilded age such as Anders Zorn, Joaquin Sorolla and John Singer Sargent, and she is as passionate about artists like Philip Malavin from Russia and contemporary masters Richard Schmid and Nancy Guzik.
Susan Lyon’s technique is to paint wet on wet to start and then wet on dry for her finishing touches, and her goal is to combine wide brushes for sweeping strokes in the background with small, soft brushes for subtle details in her center of interest, and she hopes to show collectors that works on paper is a wonderful addition to a serious collection.
Susan Lyon lives in a rural area of North Carolina with her husband, artist Scott Burdick, whom she met at the Palette and Chisel Art Club in Chicago, and she and her husband travel widely, driven by the excitement of seeing new sights and people, as well as incredible works in museums, combined with the challenge of painting on the spot.
- Born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois.
- Studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago.
- She was inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe as a young artist.
- Her influences include Zorn, Sorolla, and Sargent.
- Lives in North Carolina with her husband Scott Burdick.
Susan Lyon works equally in oil and pastel, charcoal, and mixed media, and her style is realistic with as much impressionistic color as possible, and she often says that even before she goes on a trip she is planning the one after, reflecting her deep passion for travel and art.
Art Category Fact: The Gilded Age was a period in American history from the 1870s to the early 1900s, characterized by rapid economic growth and a flourishing of the arts, and it gave rise to prominent American painters such as John Singer Sargent, James McNeill Whistler, and Mary Cassatt, who were influenced by European art and helped establish American art on the international stage.
“I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart.” — Vincent van Gogh
You can see more of Susan Lyon’s paintings on her official website, susanlyon.com.