How Did I Wind Up Here?
Susan at work.
I credit my love of nature to my mother who took me exploring woods and stream, ocean and beach, pointing out the beauty and intricacies of the natural world. She taught me not only how to observe nature but also how to paint and draw. Traditional instruction followed in the Fine Arts program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. I've been a scientific illustrator since 1980, at first working for archaeologists and later for natural scientists. My work has taken me to Belize, Mexico, Turkey, Italy, Virginia, Pennsylvania and finally to Florida -- to my home near Gainesville, outside of Archer.
The Why and How of It
When I look closely at nature I often feel a sense of adventure, as if I were taking a trip to a foreign country or just down some road or path I've never traveled before. There's no telling what I will see and I'm sometimes surprised by what appears before me in that unfamiliar place. Each creature or plant reveals itself under closer inspection, unfolding ever more interesting aspects of itself . I learn even more sometimes just by observing from a slightly different angle or by changing my focus. Whatever I don't know right now is my terra incognita, or "unknown territory," to be explored and perhaps later to be shared.
A Few Publications of My Art
- "Inside Smithsonian Research" (Autumn 2004)
- "A Guide to Landscaping with Florida Native Plants" by Gil Nelson (November 2003)
- "Science" (July 4, 2003)
- "TIME" (August 5, 2002)
- "Explore" (Spring 1999)
- "Losing Asia" (1996)
- "The Bulletin" of the Florida Museum of Natural History (various years)
- "The Proceedings" of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (various years)
How to Contact Me
- Email:
- Phone:
- 352.495.8723
- Mail:
- SUSAN TRAMMELL
- 15311 SW 107TH ST
- ARCHER FL 32618-4311