Susen Falk-Kiez
Born and raised in Calgary, Susen grew up dividing most weekends and holidays between the family farm and the mountains, while she enjoyed summers with family in Europe. This gave her ample inspiration with which to fill the sketchbooks she always carried with her. An only child, Suse developed a rich imagination which she expressed through writing short stories, poetry, music, and by sketching.
Working extensively in acrylics Suse is best known for her whimsical animals, and her celebrated landscapes with their vivid, dramatic skies, all brought to life with contrasting and harmonious colors, rich textures, and bold compositions. Often messy, sometimes simplistic and stripped down, occasionally sentimental; Suse’s paintings are like life itself.
Susen’s work has been showcased at The Apik Art Gallery, Poor David’s Galleria, on Gallea, Only Local, and Rachel Notley’s Art from the Unknown. Susen is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists as well as a curated member of RAWartists. Her work enhances spaces throughout North America, Europe, and East Asia.
When she’s not in her art studio, you’re most likely to find Susen hiking with her two giant dogs, working in her gardens,, or enjoying a game of cards with her family.
“I am first & foremost a storyteller,
and I invite you to join me on this visual journey.”
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Inspired by everything I see, hear, and experience. I paint the world from my personal perspective rather than objective reality. Attempting to depict the very essence of my subjects, I aspire to introduce viewers to a fresh and unique way of seeing the world.
My painting style is strongly influenced by Post-Impressionist and Abstract art concepts. The pieces I create are intended to be a conduit for people to affirm their core essence. When viewing and analyzing my paintings, people talk about them with images of their own, which reflect their personal experiences. Each brushstroke takes on a singular meaning that is true and significant exclusively for each individual viewer.
I delight in exploring subtle and rich textures, transparent, translucent, and vibrant colours, and the incorporation of various media in order to evoke long forgotten memories and a visceral response from the viewer. As the creator of a painting, I have the imperative to turn my subjects into a very personal expression.
Being self-taught gives me no parameters on what is correct, acceptable, or erroneous. Art is all about pushing boundaries, discarding any notion of a comfort zone, embracing vulnerability, and relinquishing conventional confines. I have never believed there is any right or wrong in art.
Born and raised in Calgary, Susen grew up dividing most weekends and holidays between the family farm and the mountains, while she enjoyed summers with family in Europe. This gave her ample inspiration with which to fill the sketchbooks she always carried with her. An only child, Suse developed a rich imagination which she expressed through writing short stories, poetry, music, and by sketching.
Working extensively in acrylics Suse is best known for her whimsical animals, and her celebrated landscapes with their vivid, dramatic skies, all brought to life with contrasting and harmonious colors, rich textures, and bold compositions. Often messy, sometimes simplistic and stripped down, occasionally sentimental; Suse’s paintings are like life itself.
Susen’s work has been showcased at The Apik Art Gallery, Poor David’s Galleria, on Gallea, Only Local, and Rachel Notley’s Art from the Unknown. Susen is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists as well as a curated member of RAWartists. Her work enhances spaces throughout North America, Europe, and East Asia.
When she’s not in her art studio, you’re most likely to find Susen hiking with her two giant dogs, working in her gardens,, or enjoying a game of cards with her family.
“I am first & foremost a storyteller,
and I invite you to join me on this visual journey.”
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Inspired by everything I see, hear, and experience. I paint the world from my personal perspective rather than objective reality. Attempting to depict the very essence of my subjects, I aspire to introduce viewers to a fresh and unique way of seeing the world.
My painting style is strongly influenced by Post-Impressionist and Abstract art concepts. The pieces I create are intended to be a conduit for people to affirm their core essence. When viewing and analyzing my paintings, people talk about them with images of their own, which reflect their personal experiences. Each brushstroke takes on a singular meaning that is true and significant exclusively for each individual viewer.
I delight in exploring subtle and rich textures, transparent, translucent, and vibrant colours, and the incorporation of various media in order to evoke long forgotten memories and a visceral response from the viewer. As the creator of a painting, I have the imperative to turn my subjects into a very personal expression.
Being self-taught gives me no parameters on what is correct, acceptable, or erroneous. Art is all about pushing boundaries, discarding any notion of a comfort zone, embracing vulnerability, and relinquishing conventional confines. I have never believed there is any right or wrong in art.
$345.00
Acrylic on canvas.
20x16"
What says “Alberta” more than a pump-jack? I love painting sunrises and sunsets and thought a lone pump-jack in silhouette against a prairie sunset was a great way to pay homage to out province.
$345.00
Acrylic on canvas.
20x16"
This Alberta Grizzly is cooling off in the Bow River.
$345.00
Acrylic on canvas.
16x20"
I wanted the challenge of painting texture without using any medium. It was much more labour intensive than I had anticipated, but I believe I met my objective.
$345.00
Acrylic on canvas.
20x16"
Le Velô Rouge is inspired by my own, red bicycle and Paris.
$345.00
Acrylic on canvas.
20x16"
Swift foxes are North America’s smallest canid species. They are about the size of a housecat and weigh up to three kilograms. In Canada, swift foxes are now found in only a small area of prairie grasslands in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. More than 80 per cent of Canada’s native prairie grasslands have been lost, and they are continuing to disappear. The protection of these grasslands is critical to the survival of the swift fox and other species that depend on this habitat. I wanted to raise awareness of these beautiful animals.
$357.00
Acrylic on canvas.
24x20"
One of my favourite animals to paint are bears. Bradley is one of our Alberta Grizzly bears.
$83.00
Acrylic on canvas.
9x9"
I love painting pet portraits. This is Bear the Bernese.
$83.00
Acrylic on canvas.
9x9"
I love painting pets. This is Lucky the Lab.
$792.00
Acrylic on canvas.
40x30"
Calgary is famous for its Chinook winds. Chinook winds, or “snow eaters” are föhn winds, where the Canadian meet the Rocky Mountain range. There are quite a few famous folk tales and legends associated with the Chinook winds. One common thread in some native legends is that the warm air blows on the ridges to warn or send a message to people.
This painting depicts the Chinook winds blowing over the downtown Calgary skyline.
$325.00
Acrylic on canvas.
20x16"
The Okotoks Erratic, better known as The Big Rock, is a 16,500-tonne boulder that lies on the otherwise flat, relatively featureless, surface of the Southern Alberta Prairies, just outside of Okotoks. It is part of the 930-kilometre-long Foothills Erratics Train. Having lived in Okotoks for over a decade, I often visited this rock and enjoyed climbing it.
$828.00
Acrylic, various textural mediums, and gold leaf on canvas.
24x48"
Apertures was inspired by shape, colour, and textures, all of which I love.
$624.00
Acrylic on canvas.
24x36"
Secret Ethos is about growth, change, and transformation. Just as the butterfly goes through a metamorphosis, so too do we.