Dream Big... Live Like You Mean It... and Chase Wildhair Schemes!

Come experience the whimsical watercolors of artist, Susan K. Edwards. As the “Minister of Humor Therapy,” I hope my art will inspire you, delight you and my greeting cards will make you laugh. Please come to visit me in my gallery if you are in the area. I would love to meet you!

I'm a versatile artist who works primarily in transparent watercolor... although I will also do portraits in oil. I have a loose "painterly" style (see portfolio for examples). I specialize in portraits of people, homes, business locations and pets, but have a large portfolio of original art available also.

I try to capture the essence of my subject in the finished painting. Although I use photos, I will interview you to get a better idea of what make a house a home, a building special, or the passion of the person or pet I am painting.

My goal is for tears and/or squeals (of joy)! Although I must admit that when a client bursts into tears when I first present the painting, it can be a tense moment for me until I can determine that the tears are because I have touched that place in their heart that I intended to touch. I once got tears, squeals, and jumping (all while clutching the painting to their chest...) which I felt was the Holy Grail of satisfaction. While I might not get all three each time, I will continue to try.

Guarantee:

• My work is 100% guaranteed.

• You must be satisfied, or I will make it right. Period.

Quality:

• I use professional grade paints, acid-free materials and archival papers. I stretch my watercolor paper to insure it lays flat and smooth. It's a small thing, but it really helps in framing.

References Upon Request

• Member of the Portrait Society of America

• Paducah Area Painters Alliance (PAPA)

My past lives:

I recently escaped corporate America after making a living there for 30 years, most recently as a full-time graphic designer and writer. I'm an entrepreneur at heart and had a successful marketing firm for almost 10 years. I provided marketing expertise, copy writing, graphic arts and high-end desktop publishing services to my clients.

I've written two novels, The Gift, and a yet-to-be-published romance, Surrender. I have illustrated a book, "You Pay More Attention to the Dog, Than to Me" by Bernard Lewis. Many of my building portraits have been used in ads, websites and collateral materials. I also do corporate illustrations, cartoons and digital art.

The Real Story!

In February of 2003, I, Susan K. Edwards, an artist and writer, announced the launch of Wildhair Studios and the release of my new line of whimsical watercolor ready-to-frame cartoon prints and note-cards. As a marketing consultant who had been making a living in corporate America as full-time graphic artist and writer, I was unable to find another major client after my last contract ended.

“Like most people in a job search, I discovered jobs paying what I needed to earn were almost non-existent. As panic began to set in, I did the only thing I knew to do… turn to my faith and asked for guidance.” Edwards admits she was a little baffled when the answer came back to “paint an angel.” “I have played at watercolors for years, but never at a level I felt was anything more than a fun hobby. My first stab at painting an angel was pretty hilarious.”

Two weeks later, my attempts had become a series of whimsical 5” x 7” watercolor cartoons that had my wild-haired character asking questions of a shooting star (my representation of the angel). Admittedly a bit irreverent, I dubbed the line “It’s a Reasonable Question” series and explained my art is committed to “reality checks, humor therapy and asking the really important questions of the Universe.”

When asked why I left corporate America to become a cartoonist, I said, “I figured if circumstances were making a joke out of my life, it must be God suggesting I go out and make people laugh.”

When I showed the prototypes to several friends and retail stores to get their opinion, the response was immediately positive. After a family conference, I wrote the business plan, located suppliers and sent the artwork off to the printer. I named her new business, Wildhair Studios, after my penchant to constantly chase some new “wild-hair scheme.”

Wildhair Studios launched in February 2003, and features my whimsical watercolors and inspirational artwork. My art gallery, Wildhair Studios, is located at 201 Broadway, in the heart of historic downtown Paducah, Kentucky.