Not everyone has been as fortunate as I to have spent their formative years on a farm and attending a one room schoolhouse. Because of the rural setting, animals were foremost in my art. This obsession started before grade one, as wallpaper would attest to in the farmhouse. The height of my decorations indicated I was vertically challenged and I guess that is why my parents didn’t notice for a long time. And then one day it became apparent that I needed paper!

At school, our beleaguered teacher tried to have art once a month. We were all given a piece of paper and allowed to do as we wish. Upon selling the farm we moved to Goderich. Art did not exist in high school as the principle was a math and science man. So I and many others were in left field.

Since those days I have taken night courses, sculpture at Central Tech (Toronto), introduction to watercolour (Breightaupt Centre, Kitchener), Chinese inkbrush painting (Dayton, Ohio), carving (Eldon Humphrey), painting junkets (Devona Paquette, Virginia) and an oil painting course (in which I used watercolour) with Milt Kobayashi (Arizona). In some ways, not having had years of formal art training has held me back. But on the other hand, it has made me read, invent, and become highly independent in my own vision of art.

I am represented by the Southampton Art Gallery & Shop. I also welcome commissions for paintings or carvings.

Susan EnzensbergerKincardine, Ontario