Suzanne Blaney is a multi-award winning artist, with a long list of patrons. She has judged major exhibitions (such as the well-known Catalina Art Exhibition) and lectured on her favorite medium, pastel.
She is also an author, having written two books in the art category plus two novels. A fifth book on art is currently underway.
Raised among art and books, Blaney chose first the art route, beginning study at the Fredden Goldberg Academy of San Francisco. She later attended the California College of Arts and Crafts and continued study at workshops with nationally prominent artists. Her medium became almost exclusively pastel after becoming a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of the West Coast. She served on their Board of Directors for thirteen years as both President and Newsletter Editor, which gave the inspiration for the Little Book About Pastel.
“Small but comprehensive … definitely to be recommended,” wrote Clair Paisner of the Pastel Society.
In addition to Blaney’s work, it includes the teachings and paintings of five other Master Pastelists: Marbo Barnard, Bob Gerbracht, Waif Mullins, Duane Wakeham and Anita Wolff.
As a Fellow of the 250-year-old Royal Society of the Arts headquartered in London under the patronage of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, she had the privilege in 2004 of being invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace and presented to HRH Prince Phillip, President of the Society. Apparently a fledgling pastelist, he was aware of the author’s book, and has a copy in his personal library.
Anita Wolff selected Blaney to write her biography, which includes her early life, teaching, philosophies and 40 vivid color illustrations. Adventure in Color – the Impressionism of Anita Wolff won Honorable Mention at the 2012 San Francisco Book Festival.
In Blaney’s first contemporary novel, Somewhere the Road Turns, a young woman struggles against dictates of a wealthy grandmother until revelations of family secrets change her life forever, as well as each character in the book. “…innovative story lines … readers don’t want the book to end …” wrote reviewer and Editor Suzy McMinn.
The heroine of a second novel, So the River Flows, studies fashion design in Paris, despite the growing political turbulence of Hitler’s Nazi party. Parisians scoff, until the blitzkrieg roars through Europe and into Northern France. She has married a young Frenchman who is called to war – will she ever see him again? She makes a harrowing escape to America, and her life evolves in unexpected directions that carry her to the heights of radio’s “Golden Era.”
Blaney is currently working on a third art book: Impressionism – the Inspiration and Evolution.”