Susan Harrison-Tustain

Born 1956 in Masterton, New Zealand. Parents from England. Now married to Richard & live in Tauranga, New Zealand.

I was encouraged to paint at an early age by my Mum and was particularly inspired by Rembrandt. My choice of subjects and the romantic realism of my painting style reflect a belief in the power of beauty to enrich our lives and enhance our positive emotional responses. I'm no Pollyanna though and recognise the reality of the depressing problems confronting the world. Nevertheless I see my painting as a small contribution to counterbalancing these. I want viewers of my art to feel uplifted and seek to achieve this by highlighting such delights as the lusciousness of a newly opened rose, the relaxing and re-energising power of day-dreams or the mellowing and calming effect of time-worn books and a glass of fine wine.

Initially I painted in oils, but after my switch to watercolours my career as a professional artist really began. Mostly self-taught, I absorbed information about watercolour from any and every source and combined what I learned with my own abilities. Without the constraints imposed by formal training I have developed my own skill and techniques, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved ...

Exhibitions:

* Exhibiting professionally for 12 years
* New Zealand Galleries for the first three years
* Independent exhibitions for 9 years - 2 day exhibitions every 3 to 4 years
* Queues for up to 10 hours prior to exhibitions opening and up to 5,000 people visit during each exhibition
* Original paintings sell for up to $NZ45,000
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