ABOUT SUZIE BAKER
Representational, painterly, impressionistic, and inspiring—these are all perfect ways to describe Suzie Greer Baker’s paintings. Whether she’s painting a lush landscape on location, creating an evocative still life in the studio, or completing a commissioned portrait, Suzie paints with a loose, alla prima technique that is always evolving as she experiments with new approaches.
Background
“I first landed on my preference for direct painting in college,” she recalls. “Although we explored many styles, I can point to one assignment that had a profound effect on me. My professor, Peter Jones, arranged two still lifes of simple flower cuttings in glass jars.
Once our palettes were loaded and brushes were ready, we had 30 minutes to finish each painting, one right after the other. I didn’t have time to overthink, I just painted. The result was a revelation of free and expressive mark-making that I strive for even to this day.”
One of Suzie’s favorite childhood recollections of making art involved her own very creative idea to make brown crayon shavings with a pair of safety scissors and glue them to a drawing of an owl. “I’m sure my teacher thought I was making a big mess,” she laughs, adding playfully, “and I’ve been making messes ever since.”
Her high school art teacher, Ken Tracy, and several college painting professors encouraged her passion for painting, yet Suzie’s pragmatic side led her to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising and Fine Arts from Louisiana Tech University.
Following her degree program, she worked as an ad agency Art Director before trading in her Pantone swatches for a brush and palette in 2008. The change was prompted by a move to the Middle East to pursue the next phase in her husband’s career, which created an opportunity for Suzie to devote herself full time to “the things that matter most,” including her fine art.
Honing her craft in those early days as a professional involved several workshops and an ongoing study of the great masters, past and present. “The best teachers are like great counselors,” she notes. “They don’t do it for you—they help you to do it for yourself.”
Recognition
Suzie has gained national acclaim, earning a stellar reputation for her versatility as both a plein-air landscape artist as well as a studio painter of still lifes, figurative works, and portraits. Find her notable achievements here.
Her award-winning paintings have been featured in such publications as Plein Air Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, Western Art and Architecture, and Southwest Art. Also known as a generous and uplifting teacher, Suzie teaches workshops at home and abroad and through instructional videos.
This artist also believes in giving back to the community of artists, and she is proud to serve as a Board Member with the Oil Painters of America since 2014, including serving as President from 2020-2022. “Serving on the board with OPA is and will be a highlight of my career, primarily because of the opportunity it gives me to serve my fellow artists,” she says. “Being on the path of a working artist is a calling. I find helping others on their path a very satisfying pursuit.”
Motivation
The motivation behind all of this activity is Suzie’s overarching goal to continuously improve her abilities as an artist—to express her response to the world around her in ever more fascinating and innovative ways.
“I hope I will be painting until I’m an old woman,” she says. “I think in this life you can only be truly good at one thing or maybe a handful of things. The idea that I might have decades more to paint and explore my own personal creative direction is a compelling notion.”
Personal Notes
On a personal note, Suzie adds, “I love to travel and meet new people, which makes me well suited for the somewhat itinerant life of a plein-air painter.” But when she’s not on the road painting, or teaching, Suzie makes her home in Shenandoah, Texas.
Painting in Alta, Wyoming with view of Grand Teton - 2024