About Susan
I have been painting for 15 years and have studied under four very talented artists. They are Aline Ordman, Carole Watanabe, Suzanne Edminster and Susan Stover. I mostly paint with oil but work in acrylic and encaustic mediums and styles from realism to the abstract and impressionism.
© 2023 | Susan Bradford Painting | All images on this website are owned by Susan Bradford
The Mustard
A couple of weeks ago we plein air painted on the corner of Occidental Road and Sanford Road here in Sebastopol, CA. The mustard fields were in full bloom and here is my interpretation of them and this beautiful farm at the top of the hill with mountains in the background. My palette for this painting is Cobalt blue, Cadmium yellow light, Napthol red and Titanium White. I use Gamblin oil paints. It was a spectacular warm day here in March.
Winter in Vermont
We had to paint a winter painting for my AWS art group here in Sebastopol. Well winter in Sonoma County is to me not really winter so painted this from a photo I took forty years ago in Corinth, Vermont of my 97 acre farm. The photo was taken in March as we had winter from November through April up on that hill. My palette is cobalt blue, cadmium yellow light, cadmium red light and titanium white. I lived in Vermont for forty five years. It is beautiful there but there are six months of winter. Its great if you like to ski.
Martinis with my Granddaughter
Last fall I went with my daughter to Arcata, CA where my granddaughter is attending Humboldt State University to celebrate my birthday. Here we are at an outdoor cafe having a martini. I painted this from a photo and my palette is Cadmium red light, Cobalt Blue, Cadmium Yellow Light and Titanium White.
Glass and Cherries
This plein air still life was painted the Friday before Christmas on a beautiful sunny day here in Sebastopol. It consists of lots of pieces of hand blown glass as well as a wine glass and a glass bowl of cherries. My palette is Cobalt Blue, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Yellow Light and Titanium White. I use Gamblin oil paint. This painting is all about value and shadow.
A Christmas Story
This is a recent plein air still life. It has a beautiful pottery vase with white poinsettia, a snowman by Gloria Elliot, a beautiful hand blown glass canister from my relatives in Sweden and a red glass Christmas tree ornament. My palette is Cobalt blue, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Yellow Light and Titanium White. I use Gamblin oil paint.
The Artists House
Last Fridays plein air painting was an actual plein air painting of my artist friend Patricia and her husbands house here in Sebastopol. This is where I paint on Friday every week weather permitting. My palette for this painting is Colbalt Blue, Cadmium red light, Cadmium yellow light and Titanium White. I use Gamblin Oil Paint.
My Fall Display
My latest plein air still life is my fall display which includes a Roseville Futura Vase, pumpkins, fruit, hydrangeas from my yard and a scarecrow. My palette for this painting is Cadmium yellow light, Cadmium Red light, Cobalt Blue and Titanium White. I use Gamblin Oil paints and I mix all the colors.
Daisies, Pottery and Pumpkins
Here is the latest plein air still life that we did on Friday. It includes a Roseville Futura Vase (Black Flame) with gerbera daisies, 2 little pumpkins and a tea pot by potter Stephen Fabrico. My palette is phthalo blue, cadmium red light, cadmium yellow light and titanium white. I use Gamblin paint. We missed a few weeks due to the fires, heat and smoke here in Sonoma County.
More Sunflowers
This was a plein air still life that we did about three weeks ago. It is sunflowers in a Natalie Blake vase who is a Vermont potter. I had her work in my gallery in Bradford, Vermont. My pallete is Phthalo blue, Cadmium yellow light, Cadmium red light and Titanium white. I use Gamblin paint.
Young Heifers in Vermont
A recent painting from a photo I took years ago in Newbury, Vermont of young heifers in a field in front of a house in the woods. My palette is Titanium white, Cadmium Red light, Cobalt blue and Cadmium yellow light. I use Gamblin paint.