Art Tour International honors Susan McCollough

Art Tour International honors Susan McCollough
Gulf Shores artist selected “Artist of the Year 2017”
Gulf Shores resident and internationally acclaimed artist Susan N. McCollough was recently named “Artist of the Year” in Florence, Italy. Her painting, “New York New York,” was selected for the front cover of Art Tour International Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art 2017 art book, which will be released on June 20. The highly respected magazine has a circulation of more than two million readers in more than 200 countries. It can be purchased at Barnes & Nobles locally.
McCollough owns a gallery in Gulf Shores, where she also has a studio where she creates most of her works. It is located , located in the McCollough Institute in Craft Farms (350 Cypress Bend Dr., 251-967-7613).
The following profile by Viviana Puello, Editor-in-Chief of Art Tour International Magazine, is included in a 5-page spread about McColough inside the June issue.
“The magnificent work on the cover of this publication is what we consider the representation of contemporary expressionistic art with a unique and personal approach by the hands of master artist Susan N. McCollough. It doesn’t take long for the viewer to be captivated by McCollough’s color-filled compositions that give the impression of three-dimensional works for their rich texture and unexpected changes of directions. The audience is drawn by a visual symphony to uncover deeper meanings “between the lines” and forms of her vibrant paintings.
“Using color as a natural communicator in her pieces and the emphasized symbol of expression, Susan McCollough brings forth an exciting journey to her audience with imagery filled with freedom of movement and spontaneity. With a carefully orchestrated use of color, McCollough creates her paintings on over-sized canvases with the use of acrylic, oil and mixed media, allowing her pallet to spread across the canvas, bursting with energy and fluidity. She accomplishes this by keeping her palette to two or three saturated tones, contrasted with areas of solid, deep black and primary colors in the background. She explores color, line, texture, and patterns with a powerful ability, and creates juxtapositions for maximum impact. Her abstract works may be interpreted as depictions of human figures, cityscapes, or imaginary objects that create a very engaging narrative.
“The consistency of her bold color use carries into each creation, however, the essence and play with texture changes each time, showcasing the emotional investment of her art. Both abstract and linear forms take place in exhibiting the world she portrays. Her fondness of life and its conceptual complexities is what gives her audience the intimate experience of seeing her works as she openly expresses the joy in living possibility within each stroke.’’
Originally from the Bronx, New York, McCollough lived in Dothan from the age of six until she graduated from high school. She received a bachelor of science degree in speech and art from the University of Alabama and continued study with accomplished artists, including Professor Gary Sussman at the Art Students League of New York, Vytlacil Campus, for sculpture and Sonia De Franceschi at the Accademia D’Arte in Florence. She has produced many paintings and exhibited in over ten solo exhibitions.
Her works are held in gallery collections in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, New York, California, Virginia, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and Arkansas.
McCollough has served on the Arts Committee of the United States Sports Academy for over ten years and is now artist Emeritus and serves on the Board of Trustees. She is also a member of the Women’s Art World organization.
During her creative process, the artist envisions her paintings and designs; once she is convinced of which direction to go, she is ready to place the first brush stroke and let her creativity flow.
“Before I paint a new canvas, many times, I will envision painting it as I fall asleep and I work it out in my head until I know the direction I will take the next morning,’’ she said about her creative process. “Sometimes I do not wait until the next morning. I find it all a labor of love, fun and exciting with every brush stroke I take.”
Freedom of expression and spontaneity are some of the highlights of McCollough’s works. She goes beyond boundaries, infusing her works with unique visual energy, creating art of aesthetic appeal and profound emotion while inviting the viewer to an intimate dialog.
McCollough has shown her works internationally and received numerous awards. She is highly collected and has been since the early-stages of her career. She has sold almost every painting she has created throughout the years, a large part of it created by commission. Her new creations are rapidly acquired and highly anticipated. She has also received the ATIM Masters Award for her work “Between the Lines” during a May ceremony in Florence, Italy.
For more info, visit susannmccolloughart.media.