Susan von Gries is an international artist. She has lived in El Salvador, Brazil, Venezuela, Belgium, and The Netherlands, and traveled in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Near East. During her more than 20 years of expatriate residence, the last 15 in Belgium and The Netherlands, she experienced, assimilated, and pursued her passion for art. Susan has exhibited in Brussels and The Hague. Her work, including sculpture, is in private collections in Europe and North America. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin. Artist Statement: There is a musical nature to my paintings. For me, brushing paint onto a canvas is akin to an orchestra conductor shaping beautiful music with exuberance when conducting. My father was a musician, and I recall music always playing in our home. Music is the vehicle that transports me to a place in my subconscious where I paint intuitively and spontaneously, interpreting my feelings through color and gesture. I approach painting by laying down gestured lyrical lines to shape the composition. I often overlap colors and work with glazes and collages, adding layers and texture. Line, bold colors, and texture are primary elements of my work because of their ability to express joy, rhythm, agitation, and tension. I hope that the intimate association I feel with music is transmitted to the viewer in my paintings.