Susan Edwards FRSA
Both my parents were painters, my father was ship’s artist and photographer on HMS Exeter circumnavigating South America, and recording the battle during the Graff Spee conflict in the Battle of the River Plate. My mother while in Bletchley Park drew portraits of fellow Wrens while billeted at Woburn Abbey and went to art school in Poole in Dorset. We three were always painting. Here’s her sketch of me at 7- ‘The little Artist’. So I was always going to go to art school and I’ve always earned my living by my brush!
Following my Graphics Degree at Leeds College of Art, I worked as in-house Graphic Designer for a London Publisher, then as a Graphic Designer, in the Civil Service, Westminster.
Marriage and a family followed a move to Newcastle and I joined The Charlotte Press, Artist’s Printmakers in Newcastle, editioning stone and plate lithographs and etchings, and subsequently, I was invited to teach lithography and life drawing on BA and Foundation courses at Northumbria University.
Finding myself solely responsible for my 3 small children, I took a Post Graduate Secondary school teaching degree.
While teaching Fashion and pattern drafting A level I applied to the BBC for the students to appear on the Clothes Show, and we had a whole programme devoted to the students' work. They were never the same again!
As well as teaching full time, I maintained a studio for a decade, The Billiard Room Studio, within a stately home, for my own work painting portraits on commission, exhibiting within Northumberland and painting and writing articles, for 6 years as a regular contributor for The Northumbria County Magazine.
Remarried to a vicar in the Cotswolds, while taking on the role of vicar's wife, I took an MA in Fine Art in 2016 at Gloucester University to stimulate new directions in my practice as a professional artist.
For the last 2 decades, I've had a whale of a time travelling the globe on cruise ships as Artist in residence, so I've not only taught thousands of people how to paint, I've now amassed hundreds of sketches which I intend to publish with tales of traveller's adventures.
Following my Graphics Degree at Leeds College of Art, I worked as in-house Graphic Designer for a London Publisher, then as a Graphic Designer, in the Civil Service, Westminster.
Marriage and a family followed a move to Newcastle and I joined The Charlotte Press, Artist’s Printmakers in Newcastle, editioning stone and plate lithographs and etchings, and subsequently, I was invited to teach lithography and life drawing on BA and Foundation courses at Northumbria University.
Finding myself solely responsible for my 3 small children, I took a Post Graduate Secondary school teaching degree.
While teaching Fashion and pattern drafting A level I applied to the BBC for the students to appear on the Clothes Show, and we had a whole programme devoted to the students' work. They were never the same again!
As well as teaching full time, I maintained a studio for a decade, The Billiard Room Studio, within a stately home, for my own work painting portraits on commission, exhibiting within Northumberland and painting and writing articles, for 6 years as a regular contributor for The Northumbria County Magazine.
Remarried to a vicar in the Cotswolds, while taking on the role of vicar's wife, I took an MA in Fine Art in 2016 at Gloucester University to stimulate new directions in my practice as a professional artist.
For the last 2 decades, I've had a whale of a time travelling the globe on cruise ships as Artist in residence, so I've not only taught thousands of people how to paint, I've now amassed hundreds of sketches which I intend to publish with tales of traveller's adventures.