Today's forced seclusion and wake up call to stay healthy has once again granted me the luxury of time to ponder what really matters. The clarity that our seclusion affords is a gift and it motivates me to renew my pledge to truly appreciate, exalt, protect and preserve the beauty of nature through my art in every way I can.

This is why I paint.

Susan was recently invited to participate in the Art in Embassies (AIE) program and her work will be displayed at the US Ambassadorial Residence in New Zealand. AIE, formalized by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, uses the visual arts to achieve the US State Department’s goals of promoting public diplomacy through cross-cultural dialogue. AIE has over 20,000 participants globally, including artists, curators, galleries, museums, private collectors, and universities.