Susan Lyon grew up in Oak Park, Illinois. Her initial interest in art was sparked by a PBS television show on Georgia O’Keefe, that inspired her to take weekend art classes. Lyon studied art at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and was an active participant in Chicago’s Palette and Chisel Club. It is there she first began exhibiting and selling her work. She entered the Oil Painters of America. Susan draws inspiration from painters of the Guilded age such as Anders Zorn, Joaquin Sorolla and John Singer Sargent. She also is passionate about artists like Philip Malavin from Russia and contemporary masters Richard Schmid and Nancy Guzik. Lyon’s technique is to paint wet on wet to start and then wet on dry for her finishing touches. “My style is realistic with as much impressionistic color as possible. I like to combine wide brushes for sweeping strokes in the background with small, soft brushes for subtle details in my center of interest. One of my greatest passions is drawing, I hope to show collectors that works on paper is a wonderful addition to a serious collection.”
Susan lives in a rural area of North Carolina with her husband, artist Scott Burdick, whom she met at the Palette and Chisel Art Club in Chicago. She and her husband travel widely “The excitement of traveling, seeing so many new sights and people, plus incredible works in museums; combined with the challenge of painting on the spot make me a travel addict! Even before I go on a trip I’m planning the one after.”
Susan works equally in Oil and Pastel/charcoal and Mixed Media.
Honors and Awards
1992 First Place in the Gold Medal Show – Palette and Chisel, Chicago
1993 First Place in the Gold Medal Show – Palette and Chisel, Chicago
1998 Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena, Montana – Honorable Mention
2001 Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena, Montana – Honorable Mention
2003 Honorable Mention for Figurative – International Artist Magazine
2004 Second Prize for Figurative – International Artist Magazine
2004 Montgomery frame award – Masters of the American West, LA
2007 Salon Show Greenhouse Gallery – Honorable mention
2008 CreateBetterpaintings.com – Honorable mention
2008 First place Portrait Society of America competition
2016 Donald Teague, Works on Paper award – Prix de West, Oklahoma City
2019 Gold Medal – Oil Painters of America National Show
2020 Finalist in the Portrait Society of America Gold Medal show
