Susan was born in Terre Haute, Indiana and moved with her family when she was 3-years old. She grew up in the San Fernando Valley with a younger sister and numerous pets, including dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, lizards, horned toads, fish, frogs and anything else they could convince their father to let them keep. They found an ally in their mother who was an animal lover herself.

Without formal art school training, Susan began her art career while as a stay-at-home mother. She painted while her children napped and sold her work at sidewalk art shows and took commissioned orders. Now she can be seen in many art galleries nationally and licenses her work for many different products, including books, calendars, puzzles, needlepoint, and stationery.

She is known for her charming scenes—painted in soft, warm colors—that evoke feelings of peace, harmony, and romance. “I create life as I would like it to be,” she explains. Her work has attracted the attention of many notable collectors and celebrities like Andre Agassi, Jane Seymour, and Priscilla Presley.