Susan Harrison-Tustain

Career Highlights to Date

Original oil painting on 24 carat gold leaf and palladium leaf on poplar wood panel. Featuring girl playing her tin whistle - sometimes called a pennywhistle. The tiny roots and filaments carry her music down through the earth to the world below her. The kingfisher carries a gift of ivy vine entwined with golden music and music symbols - a gift to the young woman who plays her music to nature. Secondary focus is brought to the kingfisher's golden eggs by the flow of the ivy vine. The golden eggs lay nestled in the clay earth bank. The painting style is a fusion of realism, surrealism, symbolism and impressionism.

Born in Masterton, New Zealand: 1956
Encouraged by Mother to draw and paint from age 4: 1960
Became full-time artist: 1991
Joint exhibitions with other artists: 1991, 1992, 2004
Teaching Workshops in Hawaii, Maine, Europe, Oregon, New Zealand & Australia: 1992 to 2023
Solo Exhibitions: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2017
New Zealand Gardener magazine: 12 painted cover images by Susan + several articles: 1992 to 1999
Winner – inaugural New Zealand Gardener Art Award judged by artist Shone McFarlane: 1994
Asked by prestigious USA art book publisher North Light Books, Cincinnati, Ohio to write and illustrate book Glorious Garden Flowers in Watercolor by Susan Harrison-Tustain. Released 1999. Over 60,000 copies sold world-wide. Chinese edition also released.
International Artist magazine articles by Susan: 1999, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2015
Australian Artist magazine articles by Susan: 1999, 2001, 2007,
Susan featured in North Light Books best-of-watercolor series: Splash 6, Splash 7 & Splash 8: 2000 to 2004
Asked to submit painting to illustrate story on TVNZ TV show Kev Can Do: 2000
Deco magazine (Taiwan) – cover image and feature article about Susan: 2002
Finalist in The Artist’s Magazine (USA) 21st annual art competition: 2004
Porcelain Decorator magazine (Australia) – cover image and feature article about Susan: 2004
Watercolor Magic magazine (USA) – interview article with Susan: 2005
The Artist magazine (USA) – article by Susan: 2005
Susan included in book New Zealand’s Favourite Artists edited by Denis Robinson: 2006
Susan included as a featured artist in book A Celebration of Light by Jane Freeman (publisher: North Light Books, Cincinnati, USA): 2007
Susan included in book New Zealand In Watercolour by Denis Robinson: 2008
Susan included in book The Power of Us – New Zealanders Who Dare to Dream by Sir Ray Avery, Cameron Bennett and Adrian Malloch: 2012
The Art of Watercolour magazine (France) – 8 page feature article about Susan 2014
Inspired by the works of Gustav Klimt, using gold leaf, Susan researched the best archival materials and began painting in oil on 24k gold leaf, silver leaf and palladium leaf: 2015
Susan featured artist in episode of Australian TV series Put Some Colour in Your Life, screened on networks in Australia, New Zealand, USA and on Virgin Airways worldwide: 2015 (Series 10). Watch the episode on YouTube by clicking HERE

Instructional Art DVD’s and Video Downloads

Click on any of the DVD images below to find more in-depth information on the contents of each of the DVDs and Video Downloads.

Susan Harrison-Tustain

Career Highlights to Date

Born in Masterton, New Zealand: 1956

Encouraged by Mother to draw and paint from age 4: 1960

Became full-time artist: 1991

Joint exhibitions with other artists: 1991, 1992, 2004

Teaching Workshops in Hawaii, Maine, Europe, Oregon, New Zealand & Australia: 1992 to 2023

Solo Exhibitions: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2017

New Zealand Gardener magazine: 12 painted cover images by Susan + several articles: 1992 to 1999

Winner – inaugural New Zealand Gardener Art Award judged by artist Shone McFarlane: 1994

Asked by prestigious USA art book publisher North Light Books, Cincinnati, Ohio to write and illustrate book Glorious Garden Flowers in Watercolor by Susan Harrison-Tustain. Released 1999. Over 60,000 copies sold world-wide. Chinese edition also released.

International Artist magazine articles by Susan: 1999, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2015

Australian Artist magazine articles by Susan: 1999, 2001, 2007,

Susan featured in North Light Books best-of-watercolor series: Splash 6, Splash 7 & Splash 8: 2000 to 2004

Asked to submit painting to illustrate story on TVNZ TV show Kev Can Do: 2000

Deco magazine (Taiwan) – cover image and feature article about Susan: 2002

Finalist in The Artist’s Magazine (USA) 21st annual art competition: 2004

Porcelain Decorator magazine (Australia) – cover image and feature article about Susan: 2004

Watercolor Magic magazine (USA) – interview article with Susan: 2005

The Artist magazine (USA) – article by Susan: 2005

Susan included in book New Zealand’s Favourite Artists edited by Denis Robinson: 2006

Susan included as a featured artist in book A Celebration of Light by Jane Freeman (publisher: North Light Books, Cincinnati, USA): 2007

Susan included in book New Zealand In Watercolour by Denis Robinson: 2008

Susan included in book The Power of Us – New Zealanders Who Dare to Dream by Sir Ray Avery, Cameron Bennett and Adrian Malloch: 2012

The Art of Watercolour magazine (France) – 8 page feature article about Susan 2014

Susan featured artist in episode of Australian TV series Put Some Colour in Your Life, screened on networks in Australia, New Zealand, USA and on Virgin Airways worldwide: 2015 (Series 10). Watch the episode on YouTube by clicking HERE

Instructional Art DVD’s and Video Downloads

DVD: Watercolor Masterclass Volume One: “Painting Life-Like Leaves and Vibrant Greens” – for all skill levels

One-on-One Watercolor Workshops with Susan Harrison-Tustain – for all skill levels

Painting Watercolor My Way with Susan Harrison-Tustain – for all skill levels

Watercolor Portrait Workshop with Susan Harrison-Tustain – for all skill levels

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