Sue Archer became involved with watercolors in 1980 after a 15 year career in Physical Education and coaching. When she moved to Florida in 1979, she had the time and opportunity to take up watercolor painting as a hobby. The hobby has now become a new full time career. Archer enjoys meeting the people buying her work, so instead of showing through galleries, she sells her original watercolors at outdoor juried shows in Florida. She also teaches painting privately, is a mentor to Women of Watercolor, spends 6 weeks a year teaching watercolor workshops and juries Florida and national shows. Archer's award-winning paintings are exhibited in national, regional, and state competitions and hang in numerous corporate and private collections throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and South America.

In 1993, Sue Archer had the honor of being selected to do the Coconut Grove Art Festival Poster. Since Archer began exhibiting her work in 1985, she has won over 150 state and national awards. Archer belongs to Watercolor USA Honor Society, Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Honor Society, and is a signature member, of the Florida Watercolor Society, Southern Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, National Watercolor Society and American Watercolor Society. In 1991-1992, Archer received a Florida State Individual Artist Fellowship grant for painting.

Sue Archer has one watercolor DVD workshop with Creative Catalyst Productions, Commanding Color.

SUE ARCHER'S ARTIST STATEMENT

As a painter, I am strongly influenced by the natural environments of South Florida, where I live. The intense light, the intricate patterns and, textures that are indigenous to these regions have been the focus of my work for 25 years.

My aim is to make my viewers more aware of the wonderful patterns occurring in the natural environment and use compositional ideas and techniques to meld with the subject matter. The use of a close-up viewpoint, with its inherent abstract qualities, helps me fulfill my objectives. The strong light and shadow patterns provide the contrast and excitement I want. I combine my enjoyment of the intricate process of drawing with the wet on wet approach to watercolors. Most of my work is representational with a strong emphasis on depicting light thru color and design. Close-up and unusual view-points add an element of abstraction to the imagery whether the subject is fruit, foliage, architecture or the figure. By simplifying a subject's light and shadow patterns, I accentuate the dynamic interplay of positive and negative shapes.

As a person, I love challenges; in art, my challenge is in the solving of the organizational, design, and compositional problems that you encounter in each painting. The challenge is in the complexity; the joy is in seeing the finished work. I do my paintings from photographic reference that I gather on trips or when I am running errands; and from still-lifes that I always set up in sunny, outdoor light. Detailed drawings are then done the size of the painting and major shapes are transferred to the paper. The painting process is wet-on-wet washes (applied in layers), with an emphasis on textural elements, value and color. I am a planner, and this is my key for success. I use 100% Arches 300 lb. rag watercolor paper. The pigments I use have the highest lightfast ratings and are professional grade, transparent, tube watercolor pigments from a variety of manufacturers. I do not stretch my rag paper, which allows me to design and paint right out to the deckled edge; and this allows me to use “float” mounting when I frame.

1964 B.S. University of Michigan Physical Education.

1975 M.A. University of Conn. Clothing, Textiles & Design.

1980’s studied drawing, design and color theory with Jim Houser and Rueban Hale (P. B. Community College).

SUE ARCHER NWS AWS TWSA FWS * award B.S. (best in show)

FLORIDA OUTDOOR JURIED EXHIBITIONS (partial list since ‘03)

Winter Park Autumn Art Festival, Rollins 06* 07* 08* 09

Disney Festival of the Masters 07*(1st) ‘08 09* 10*

Halifax, Daytona Beach 04*05*06*07*

Space Coast, Cocoa Beach 06*

Palm Beach Gardens (Arti-Gras) 04 06* 07*08 09 10

Under The Oaks, Vero, Fl 03*(B.S.),04*05*06* 07* 08* 09* 10*

Gasparilla 06 07 Mainsail, St. Petersburg 03* 04 05* 06 07*08* 09* 10*

Naples International 03 04* 05 06* 07 08*(B.S.) 09 10

INDOOR EXHIBITIONS (partial list)

American Watercolor Society ( 93 95 99 00 04 09

Florida Watercolor Society 85* 86 87 88* 91 93*94*’01 ‘04*(B.S.) 05*06*07* 08* 10

Transparent Watercolor Society of America 05 07 08* 10

Adirondacks Nat'l Exh. of American Watercolors 89 91

Watercolor USA (Missouri) 92 *95 98

Watercolor USA Honor Soc. Exchange Exhib, Tokyo, Japan ‘10

Watercolor USA Honor Soc. Exhibit 93 97

National Watercolor Society (Calif) 87 89 94* 95*96

Rocky Mountain Watercolor Society (Colo) 88 89* 94* 95*97*98 02 04

Southern Watercolor Society 86 87* 88 89 07*

Lighthouse Gallery, Instructor exhibit ‘10

Women of Watercolor Exhibits :

MacArthur Beach State Park Fl 06

Governor’s Club, West Palm, Fl. 07

South Palm Beach town center, Fl 08

Lake Worth Art League, Fl 09

Celebration if the Arts, Tequesta, Fl. 85* 86 87 89*(B.S.) 90* 91*

Palm Beach Watercolor Society 85 87**(B.S.)

Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, Fl. Master Workshop Faculty Exhibit 01 02 04 06 09 20/20

Exhibit 06 Featured Artist, Tequesta Gallery 86

Floral Interpretations, Vero Beach, Fl. 87 Southeastern Watercolorists, Deland, Fl. 87 89 91*

Catherine Lorrilard Wolfe, N.Y. 87*

Florida Competitive, Vero, Fl. 88

Louisianna Watercolor Society 88

Norton Artist Guild Fl. 88**(1st)*(1st) 89*** 90***(B.S.) 91**(B.S.)92 93*

San Diago Watercolor Society 88* 89

Houston National Watercolor Society 89

Art in Public Places(solo), P.B.G. Fl. 89 93

Springfield Art League Nat'l Exhib., Mass. 89 V.B.A.C. Members' Juried Exhib., Vero., FL. 89

Kentucky Aqueous 89

Watercolor West (Calif) 90

One woman show, Lighthouse Gallery, 91 93

Three Teacher Show, " " Tequesta, Fl. 95

Northwood Institute, West Palm Beach., Fl. 91 (4 person show)

Florida State Fellowship Travelling Exhib. 91-92

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts Faculty Exh. (Tenn) 4 95 96 97 99 05 07 09

Arrowmont Travelling Exhibition /Perm Collection 96 97’99 ‘04

National Association of Women Artists -Fl 95* 96 97

Exhibition of Contempory Amer. Paintings Four Arts, Palm Beach, Fl 98*

Comerica Bank, 2 person show 96’98

Miami Univ. Of Ohio Faculty Exhib. 98 99

Marco Island Art League Gallery, Fl.( 3 person) 02

Coconut Grove Gallery, Coc. Grove, Fl 03

One Woman Show Lost Tree Gallery, P.B.G., Fl 04

Houston Challenge of Champions Nat’l Exhibit 03