Artwork | Marin Open Studios

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

Merlot Vine 1

Merlot Vine 1 is part of A Grapevine’s Persona, a digital art series, which focuses on the world of wine, vines, grapevines and grapes.

This brightly colored composition is based off Merlot grapevines photographed from a wine tasing experience at White Oak Vineyard & Winery located in the Alexander Valley-Russian River Valley in Geyserville, CA. Inside the silhouetted vine you can see over 150 laters of photographs of grapes, vines, and leaves.

A Grapevine’s Persona series is dedicated to my husband who loves and introduced me to wines and going wine tasting. As we travel around vineyards I always have my camera or iPhone close at hand, literally. I shoot anything and everything to find a composition. Yet I mostly concentrate my work on nature. The most wonderful thing about working with nature as your subject matter is that it is ever changing. Artist Robert Bateman states it best, “Everything in nature has its own personality.” You can never capture or see the same composition twice. There are always little nuances of change. When you take photographs or observe nature and wildlife they almost never stay in that “perfect” composition you envision. Therefore you have to do a lot of improvisation and creativity to get the composition you desire.

My process for creating A Grapevine’s Persona – Digital Art Series is similar to the way I create my Persona: A Figurative Digital Art Series only instead of using drawing, paintings, or watercolors as a basis I am using photography.

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

Bison | Buffalo 1

Yellowstone National Park & Grand Tetons National Park | Nature’s Persona | Photography

I was thrilled during the summer of 2006 and 2011 to travel to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons once again to this time observe these magnificent creatures for inspiration of a new series of work. Through the medium of photography and drawing I have tried to capture the essence of the bison spirit by focusing on their lines, patterns, textures, forms, colors, and shapes. My hope is to find a unique perspective of these powerful creatures for they represent the past, present, and future.

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

The Porcher-Simonds House 1 | Charleston, South Carolina

The Porcher-Simonds House 1
Charleston, South Carolina | Photography

Charleston, South Carolina is where my husband and I love to travel most. It was the main destination for our honeymoon to look at the amazing Antebellum architecture, learn about our country’s history, and experience southern charm.

The Porcher-Simonds House is my favorite building in Charleston located at 29 East Battery Street. I love this particular photography because I waited to get this shot as the horse drawn Old South Carriage Company passed by the home. We have a large metal print of this picture in our master bedroom.

“The Porcher-Simonds House is a historic home in downtown Charleston, SC. The name should be pronounced as “Porshay”, and with a long “I” as “Seye-monds”. The hyphenated name for the house combines the surname of the man who had it built in 1856, Francis Porcher, and the owner who remodeled it in the 1890’s, John Simonds. The house was subdivided into 3 condominiums in 1982.”

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

Blue Morpho Butterfly

Blue Morpho Butterfly
Key West Butterfly Center, Florida | Nature’s Persona | Photography

Butterflies are delicate, elegant, little fragile creatures. I always imaging them like dancers in the air, as they fly around. This Blue Morpho Butterfly was amazing. I am so glad to have been able to capture him with his wings spread open absorbing the energy of the light. The vibrant blue color was remarkable. Most of the time I see these butterflies with their wings in a closed position, brown and black patterns that camouflage so on tree trunks, but to capture the vibrant blue was such a treat.

Morpho peleides Kollar, the blue morpho butterfly, also known as the peleides blue morpho or common blue morpho, is a brightly colored butterfly abundant in tropical environments in Central and South America. They can be seen flying in open areas such as paths, trails, forest edges, and rivers, and avoiding dense forest. The blue morpho is among the largest butterflies in the world, with wings spanning from five to eight inches. The underside of the morpho’s wings, on the other hand, is a dull brown color with many eyespots, providing camouflage against predators such as birds and insects when its wings are closed. This butterfly is often featured in museums and zoos having butterfly houses or butterfly rainforests in the United States.

The blue morpho is among the largest butterflies in the world, with wings spanning from five to eight inches. … The underside of the morpho’s wings on the other hand, is a dull brown color with many eyespots, providing camouflage against predators such as birds and insects when its wings are closed.

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

Jellies 1

Jellies 1
Monterey Bay Aquarium | Nature’s Persona | Photography

Jellies have always held a special place in my heart. They move so delicately in the water like a dancer, but their tentacles can be very deadly. So their dance is a balance of elegance and danger, Sea Nettle, like the one pictured here, is one of my favorite jelly species.

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

Jellies 2

Jellies 2
Monterey Bay Aquarium | Nature’s Persona | Photography

Jellies have always held a special place in my heart. They move so delicately in the water like a dancer, but their tentacles can be very deadly. So their dance is a balance of elegance and danger.

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

The Light Shines in the Darkness | Bon Tempe Lake | Marin County

The Light Shines in the Darkness
Bon Tempe Lake | Sunnyside Trail | Marin County | Nature’s Persona | Photography 2021

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5

Exploring nature is one of the things I like best. That and taking pictures of nature. I get to slowdown and enjoy God’s beauty on this world. As the sun was setting the light changed to this amazing golden light that also silhouetted the trees on the hillside. It was all so beautiful.

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

Music’s Persona 1 | Cello | Photography

Music’s Persona 1
Cello | Photography

Music has always been a part of my life. From church to theater to school. I have always loved singing, but I did you know I played some instruments along the way?

I took piano lessons when I was in grammar school, played the violin in fourth grade, and then from fifth grade through high school I played the cello. Though I loved playing my instruments, I was not the best at them. So I have taken my love for my instruments and have created artwork with them in my photography series titled Music’s Persona.

Music’s Persona were taken with traditional black and white photography in college at Dominican University of California. I took the photographs with my film Canon camera, developed the film myself, and then took them into the darkroom where I had fun. Sometimes I even layered multiple negative shots into one compositions. See even in the darkroom I was layering.

Anyway I hope you liked a little background story about me and my love of music.

Susan Searway-Fertig published in January 9, 2024

Movement

Movement
Drawing | Oilstick on Paper | 38″ x 50″

Movement is an original oilstick on paper drawing measuring 38″ x 50″. It is framed in a beautiful black 4″ bevel frame with plexiglass.

My drawings series began in college at Dominican University of California. The usage of color, movement, and spontaneity are my main focus in these works along with being one with the medium, oilstick on paper. I also usually incorporate a figure or figures within the each of my abstract compositions. I hope you enjoy this colorful series. Originals are also available for purchase.