Pat Howard/Columbus, OH - My primary interest is oil painting, and most often the subject matter is a landscape. I particularly like to select scenes from places to which I’ve traveled, so in that sense my work is personal, but I also like to discover that which hopefully has interest to other viewers as well. However, anything that examines the effect of daylight and shadow is my favorite study. I prefer to paint on primed canvas texture board, and to work in as much of an alla prima style as possible. I try to focus on shapes and avoid blending. The immediacy of the wet paint gives my favorite works a freshness and hopefully a sense of happiness, what’s good, or what’s beautiful in the world.

Susan Sommerfeld/Columbus, OH - My interaction with the world is primarily visual and through words...the sound of spoken words and the silent sound of words read on a page. These generate a particular feeling which inspires me to create, gives me the satisfaction that a piece is good, and tells me when something is complete. I discovered painting after a fulfilling career in investment management...I do not have any sort of arts degree or formal art schooling. I sought out the training I needed (and continue to desire) in workshops by excellent local artists. I create oil paintings, collages, and graphite drawings from life. I make pictures of many subjects but I am most drawn to human skin and form. My very first works were faces and self portraits...many, many self portraits. While objectively these old works are not good paintings, they still speak to me. Looking at them brings back the feelings as strongly now as when I painted them 10 years ago. I am still growing and learning and experimenting which is what inspires me to keep creating.