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Susan Contreras
- About Susan Contreras
- (Born 1952, Mexican American) "Susan Contreras was born in Mexico City into a family with a rich heritage in the arts. At the age of five she moved to California with her family. Her mother, Mary Armstrong, was an artist. She gave Susan many opportunities to create in her studio fostering Susan's interest in art.
Contreras received a Bachelor of Photographic Arts from Brooks Institute of Photography, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College of Creative Studies and a Master of Fine Arts both from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Attendance at a workshop with Nathan Oliveira convinced her to pursue a full-time career as an artist. Since 1982, Contreras and her deceased husband, artist Elias Rivera, lived and painted in Santa Fe, NM.
In 1995, a transformation in her practice occurred, Contreras began painting masked figures. Susan attributes much of her success to a long association with Parks Gallery in Taos, NM as they promoted and encouraged her to embrace the unpredictability of masks. Masks remain the most recognizable feature of her artwork.
Contreras’ work is included in national publications and major collections including: The University of Oklahoma, The Fred Jones Museum of Art in Norman, OK, The Bennett Collection of Women Realists, The Kessler Collection, The Museum of Fine Arts Santa Fe, The National Hispanic Cultural Center, and Albuquerque Museum Of Fine Art.
In 2021 Susan was awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in New Mexico. Georgia O’Keefe was an earlier recipient of this prestigious award." taken from the Bennett Collection of Women Realists' website
Savvy Price $450.00
Gallery Price $950.00
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| About the Artist | (Born 1952, Mexican American) "Susan Contreras was born in Mexico City into a family with a rich heritage in the arts. At the age of five she moved to California with her family. Her mother, Mary Armstrong, was an artist. She gave Susan many opportunities to create in her studio fostering Susan's interest in art. Contreras received a Bachelor of Photographic Arts from Brooks Institute of Photography, a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College of Creative Studies and a Master of Fine Arts both from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Attendance at a workshop with Nathan Oliveira convinced her to pursue a full-time career as an artist. Since 1982, Contreras and her deceased husband, artist Elias Rivera, lived and painted in Santa Fe, NM. In 1995, a transformation in her practice occurred, Contreras began painting masked figures. Susan attributes much of her success to a long association with Parks Gallery in Taos, NM as they promoted and encouraged her to embrace the unpredictability of masks. Masks remain the most recognizable feature of her artwork. Contreras’ work is included in national publications and major collections including: The University of Oklahoma, The Fred Jones Museum of Art in Norman, OK, The Bennett Collection of Women Realists, The Kessler Collection, The Museum of Fine Arts Santa Fe, The National Hispanic Cultural Center, and Albuquerque Museum Of Fine Art. In 2021 Susan was awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in New Mexico. Georgia O’Keefe was an earlier recipient of this prestigious award." taken from the Bennett Collection of Women Realists' website |
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| Culture | Latin American, Women Artists |
| Style | Whimsical |
| Medium | Monoprint |
| Edition | 1/1 |
| Plate size | 16" height X 16" width |
| Frame | Archival window mat, regular glass, blond wood molding |
| Frame size | 25 7/8" height X 25" width |
| Signed | "Susan Contreras" in graphite at viewer's lower right margin |
| Date of creation | 2001 |
| Condition | Excellent, as appeared framed, glazed |
| Provenance | Jo Re, originally acquired from the Hahn Ross Gallery in Santa Fe |
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Just received the painting today - WOW! Really outstanding, and the finest packaging for the price I've yet unwrapped!
Don & Brenda P. in California