Susanné Rose Maestas

     I've been drawing ever since I could remember. Art has always been my escape and relaxation. I love experimenting with different crafts, art mediums and styles. I also paint murals. I started with painting my bedroom door and moved on to painting for businesses, like the wall in front of the Toledo Post office.

     My favorite art style is realism with pen and colored pencil. I like those mediums the most because they are challenging. I use to throw away paper after paper of mistakes when I was little, until one day my dad said that "a true artist works with their mistakes, and sometimes the mistake is what people love most about the art piece." That changed my mindset and I kept practicing with pen and enjoying the challenge of working with the mistakes. It helped me to grow and progress in my style.

     I'm also known for painting on clothes and shoes. This is also inspired by my dad. He had a jacket and pants that he drew all over when he was young. He also drew the Cat in the Hat on my kindergarten backpack for the first day of school. I was thrilled and I eventually got my own jacket and drew on it. Ever since then I've had fun painting on clothing. I have even won 1st and 2nd place in the Battle of the CowlArtz student art contest for two pairs of my shoes. It's my way of presenting who I am without having to say a word.

     My biggest inspiration in realism was my grandfather, Rick Peters, who was a retired art professor. He did amazing realistic acrylic paintings and I'll never forget the smell of drying acrylic paint, sandalwood and Old Spice in his studio. I hope to one day have my own art studio and be part of the ARTrails group as I become more a part of the community.

Gallery 505 is located at 205 Cowlitz Street in downtown Toledo, Washington, 98591.

Contact us at (360) 864-2789 or by e-mail at sales@artgallery505.com.

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