SUSANY ARTS

I was born, and spent the first 10 years of my life in northeastern Ohio.  My parents at this point decided they had enough of Ohio, and moved my Brother, Sister and myself to Southern California.  Life went from scenery of snow, maple trees and steel mills to the Pacific Ocean and Palm trees.

High school in the late 60’s was a time of hippies and Woodstock.  For me, it was art.  I knew all along that I would go to Art School.  I did not have to move from California to go to college, because Art Center was right there.

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One day my parents asked if I would like to join them on a trip to the racetrack.  I had never been. The moment I stepped into Santa Anita….I fell in love.  The nudes we drew in school now turned into nude horse flesh.  I would sneak out of the back curtain of my Perspective classes to go to the races. My perspective till this day is still not great. To make money during school, I painted outdoor billboards of albums for a record company in Hollywood.  Most of them were displayed at Tower Records on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.  After graduation, my first job was as an art director in the record industry. After a few years of corporate life, I decided it was not for me.  I decided to start painting what I loved….the horses.

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I had my first show at Del Mar in 1983.  I sold some paintings.  It was encouraging. I met a woman who was working for Fasig Tipton at that time.  I moved to Kentucky in 1985.  Shortly after, I met my husband, Lee Horton.  We have two beautiful children, Dustin and Leeanne.  My career blossomed in Kentucky.  I did three Kentucky Derby posters, contracts with Brown Forman for art for the Derby.  Many galleries throughout the country sold my prints and paintings. There were many commissions from race tracks, as well as many commissions from private collectors.  During this time, my family took yearly trips to Saratoga. The summer of racing was so beautiful, that it lured us to move there and start a gallery.

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Saratoga is like going back in time 100 years.  It is a beautiful little Victorian town, with some of the best racing in the world in the Summer.  It has remained my base ever since.  During a visit to Belmont Park, I met a man from St. Lucia who raised horses. He asked me to visit.  I ended up staying 8 years on and off.  The island changed me as much as Santa Anita did. It was the spiritual growing as a person, as well as my art.

Today, I spend my time at my lake house in Saratoga, as well as an off the grid cabin in The Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky.  I have had 4 racehorses, of which 3 have won….and thanks to Leeanne,  I have a Grandson named Tobias.

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I love what I do. I hope you enjoy my work.