My ART 'Then and Now'

I am organizing photos of my art to create a Portfolio.

It's amazing even to myself to see how my Art has evolved over the years. 

                (1984)                                     (2008)

The chicken on the left I painted way back when I first 

learned how to do decorative painting beginning in 1972.  This is a chicken cookbook holder. The design is from Jo Sonja Jansen. 
I Loved and still Love Jo Sonja's whimiscal designs. 

 This is a neat story about how I came to own this chicken cookbook holder again.

I worked for a gal named Brenda McKinney, of Marquez,Tx.

We painted up a gazillion products and her husband would go selling to shops all over Texas. I was making really good money doing that, but it got to be really tiring, and boring-painting in mass production style. I was living in Iola, Texas at that time. This chicken cookbook holder got sold to a shop somewhere in Texas. Years later while living in Brenham,Tx (and presently), I rented a studio behind a Beauty Salon in Brenham. One of the hair dressers name was Sharon Gross (rhymes with Boss).  Sharon was one of the nicest friendliest people I have ever met. She was adored by so many folks in Brenham. She treated every customer like they were family. She genuinely Cared! Sharon and I could converse between the walls of the beauty salon and the studio because the walls only went up so far, not all the way to the ceiling. Sharon built the wall herself, with a little help from Me and my Hubbs. She knew how to do it, but needed some muscle to help out. There was nothing that girl would not tackle. Sharon would bring her hair customers over for a tour of my studio while 

their hair was in stages of treatment.  I got to know Sharon from all the stories she told clients (I could not help but Overhear)! 

Sharon was needing to move from her current living quarters and she was doing it alone. We had a pickup truck, so we went out to help her get the last load of big stuff she could not move in her car.  She was all in a frenzie because she had lost her car keys.

I went out to the car to look for the keys, as I looked into the back seat, I saw this painted Chicken that looked very familiar.

I said to myself..hmm..I know that chicken! My name was the signature on that chicken! 'Susan Gressett 1984'.

I went back and showed the chicken to Sharon and I said to her

'Guess Who painted this chicken'! Me! We both CACKLED OUT LOUD!

Bless Sharon's Huge Sweet Heart, she had a terrible disease called Alcoholism,  that took her away 

from us Christmas day, 2007. 

My brother Jake died that same year so it was a sad year for us.

Well, after Sharon passed on, her children cleaned out her house

and I often wondered what happened to all the stuff she had, maybe they kept it or what if they just got rid of it. I wanted to talk to them and ask if they were going to keep the chicken or get rid of it, but I didn't know how to get in touch with them.

One day some friends were painting with me and we went to the local Mission store to see if we could find stuff to paint on.

What do you think I found sitting on the shelf for $5.00!

I think Sharon was watching over me and knew how I Loved her and missed her and wished I had the chicken again. I do believe Sharon made that happen for me. So I have the chicken cookbook holder and Her name is 'Sharon'. She is always with me.

" Sharon,My Guardian Chicken".

The Sunshine Cafe Rooster was a Custom order for client. 

The difference in the style of my painting has really changed

over the years. It's been a fun journey.

Check out Portfolio album if you'd like to see more of

my work and fun.

See my Newly revised Portfolio album:

ART PORTFOLIO OF SUSAN DOWNEY WYMOLA