Reviewer: Mark De Wolf-Ott
Venue: Anderson Enrichment Center
Susie McColgan, an accomplished artist, is a Saginaw native. Her show entitled: Nature’s Inspirations: New Works by Susie McColgan will be on display through January 30, 2020. This exhibition features a series of nature inspired acrylics and watercolor paintings, on display at the Andersen Enrichment Center, 120 Ezra Rust, across from Ojibway Island in Saginaw. Exhibit hours are 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
McColgan began exploring her artistic skills at a young age. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts & Graphic Design from the University of Michigan. Her career began in advertising; holding positions at agencies in Saginaw, Flint, and Detroit. Portraitures, large scale works, and murals have remained her first love. Her portrait work projects a photographic realism of her subject as well as capturing the subject’s essence. Susie’s diverse styles and mediums include using a single or multiple image or by enhancing backgrounds, lighting and more.
Susie’s work is reminiscent of a garden painting by Eduard Munch or a floral composition by Georgia O’Keefe but with her own photographic twist. There is even a stag Patronus portrait for the Harry Potter fans. Her client list includes many famous businesses such as Ben and Jerry’s, General Motors International, and Ann Arbor’s Mott and area hospitals. More of her work can be seen at Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital on the 3rd floor in Saginaw.
She has original works in many area collections and has exhibited for numerous shows and competitions throughout the mid-Michigan area. Susie has won various prizes reflecting her talent.
Her paintings are for sale at the Enrichment Center, on Esty, or at her gallery at 4882 Gratiot Road in Saginaw. She also designs and sells a series of hand painted dolls called “Soozie-doozie” with couture clothing.
Art @ the Andersen is a project established by the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission to give area artists the opportunity to showcase their work and present to the community the abundant creativity in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Paintings, prints and more are on display and are available for purchase. Art @ the Andersen is made possible with a grant from the C.K. Eddy Family Memorial Fund and supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information call the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission at 989-759-1363.