Lehman's Art Festival

It has been a busy couple of weeks but looking forward to this Saturday because it is the second annual Local Artisan's Festival at Lehman's. We will have a fiber artist, blacksmith, a landscape painter, me painting murals and a woman who makes wonderful painted gourd birdhouses. The festival is from 10:00- 2:00 July 11th. You can find me in the buggy barn working on my murals!

I got word today that the painting above (Belgians Working in the Field, oils) in the title of this blog will be published in the Ohio Magazine Aug issue. They are writing a story about First Fridays in the arts district of Canton. That is the area of my art studio and I participate in these events so it will be fun to see what they write up.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sue Steiner

Fiber Art my way

White Horse Studio, Sue Steiner




I am back at Lehman's this week to add to the ewe and twin lambs I am painting on the walls of the Buggy Barn. I will be in the store from 10-2:00 pm. I suspect I will finish the momma sheep and be ready to rough in the babies. As always this is a fun project. I get to combine my interest art/animals and my experience farming. Plus I get to meet some very nice people in the process. I'll post an update after my mural painting session on Friday. :)



For those of you in the area I am also adding new work to my art studio in Canton (pictured above on my first day). I participate in the Canton First Fridays every month. My studio is open 6 days a week during the regular gallery hours of Second April Art Gallerie. If you are in the Canton area stop by! I stock nottecards, prints and original artwork featuring farm/animal themes as well as florals and pet portraits. Lots of horses too of course!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sue Steiner

equine and animal artist
custom pet portraits in oils

Inspiration on the Farm

It is said that artists get their inspiration from what is around them. To be able to see the world thru an artist's eyes is one of my greatest pleasures. Since I live on a small hobby farm in a small rural community I gather my inspiration from the farm fields, the animals, the changing of the seasons.

Yesterday I took a walk and saw my Amish neighbor's family milk cow resting comfortably in a patch of shade. I scolded my dogs for trying to rouse her but she wisely turned them a blind eye. She knew she had a good spot!

I've painted many farm animals over the last few years. I will share a few with you here today. I would not be surprised if my neighbor's cow becomes a painting in the future- minus flies since I can have artistic license!

I will have some farm animal art for sale at Lehman's Local Artisan Festival Sat. July 11th. Stay tuned for more details or you are welcome to e-mail me at artbysue@hotmail.com or visit my web site at http://www.suesteiner.com/ to see photos from last years event.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sue Steiner

equine and animal artist

pet portraits

Farm Machinery as Art

This is rusty farm machinery as seen thru an artists eyes!

Every year in my little town of Kidron, Ohio there is a farm machinery sale. I know to some of you that may not seem like a big deal but it IS in Kidron. People come from all over for this early spring sale to have the chance to either sell or bid on used farm machinery. The whole little town is in gridlock and all a buzz as people line up to load and unload the machinery. Some come by buggy and some come by truck, car or on foot.

A couple years ago I went with my camera to just look. When we had our big farm my husband would participate in this sale every year, either buying or selling. I was never really much interested. With my camera though it became a completely different experience. I began by enjoying the shadows. Then I looked for color-- oxidizing painted metal comes in amazing colors as I quickly found out. The gears, the geometric shapes, the colors, the textures, the light and shadows... oh what a feast for the eyes!!!

I did get some puzzled looks from the amish farmers looking at me as I stooped and contorted myself to get the right angles... they are used to us English doing odd things though! :)

To see more rural themed art go to http://www.suesteiner.com

thanks for stopping by!

Hobby Farms Home Magazine

Hobby Farms has been a favorite magazine for me for a number of years. They introduced an off shoot Hobby Farms Home a couple years ago that is just as nicely done.

I was thrilled when I got asked to be interviewed for Hobby Farms Home magazine back in January. I did a phone interview and a photographer came out and spent the day with me on my farm, in my studio and down at the murals at Lehman's. It was very nice and a lot of fun for me. I got to talk about my horses, our old farm, my art and what brought me to painting. I honestly would of never guessed I could paint even 7 years ago. I like to tell people when they see my work and tell me 'I could never do that'. I let them know I didn't think I could either until I tried!

Yesterday when I got my mail from the mailbox the issue that my story appears in was in the mail box. It took me a little bit before I could read the article or look at the photos. I was so excited to see the article was so nicely done and the photos came out well. My dogs and horses made it into the magazine too! :) It is on the newstands now. Here is a link to the web site. It is titled 'The Horse Painter' which of course made me happy too-- my very favorite subject to paint!

I am finalizing some plans for the Local Artisan Art Festival at Lehman's for the second Saturday in July. Stay tuned for some more info. You can see pics from last years events here:

thanks for stopping by!

Sue Steiner

equine and animal artist

My Version of 'Fiber Art'

This colt mural in the Buggy Barn at Lehman's was finished a couple weeks ago..... now on to the sheep and lambs.

Work in Progress Farm Animal Mural

I got to play today....uhhhh... I mean work in the Buggy Barn. The best thing about being an artist is that the work feels like play! In fact painting the wool on this sheep was a whole lot like scribbling... gosh.. this sounds like I am regressing! LOL! Maybe that is why the murals and art in general have an appeal to all ages. Art has a way of bringing people together.

I've been in the Buggy Barn now off and on for 2 years. My favorite part of doing the demos is meeting the people that pop into Lehman's. I met someone today named Bob who is also an artist. Such a kind man! He even gave me a hug! It is always touching when someone enjoys what I am doing. Thank you Bob! I left our meeting feeling inspired and I think Bob did too.
I often meet people while doing the in store demos who like to draw or paint. I love hearing about what they do. Its natural that artists inspire each other. Not everyone in the buggy barn hugs me though. :) Bob lives in an assisted living community and was spending the day at Lehman's along with a tour group. He talked about how his artwork helped him thru a difficult time when he lost his wife. I agreed that art has wonderful healing properties. We talked a little about technique and I enjoyed being able to share with him my process.



This is a busy time for me. Many of you know I live in the Kidron area just minutes from Lehman's. I have a home studio and on June 5th I will be having a Grand Opening of my new art studio in Canton named White Horse Studio. You can read about how I came up with that name here. White Horse Studio is located in Second April, a beautiful gallery in the arts district of Canton. My studio is open during the regular business hours of the gallery so stop in some time, or better yet come by the Grand Opening from 6-10:00 pm on June 5th. I'm offering a special incentive on commissioned pet portraits for those who stop in. I am calling it an 'upgrade' coupon. If you commission me for a horse or pet portrait you can use this coupon to bump up to the next larger size portrait at no extra charge. If you are out of town the offer still applies to my interent commissions. During the months of May and June just mention the coupon and it will apply for you too.



The Grand Opening will coincide with Canton's First Friday. I am thrilled with the timing of all of this also because the Budweiser Clydesdales will be at this First Friday. As an animal and equine artist I could not be happier. I love those horses!! They are beautiful. I am planning on doing a painting of them to during that First Friday. Lots to do but, oh its fun.

Thanks for stopping by!
Sue Steiner
equine and animal artist
pet portraits

Mural Painting Update - Sheep

I had fun in the buggy barn at Lehman's today meeting people from all over the United States. I even got to meet some people visiting from Germany. I will be posting an entry on Lehman's blog a photo of them as they used the murals for a backdrop to their photos. Its fun when I see people really enjoying what I am doing. I am beginning to see some of the same people over again too since I've been in there now off and on for the past two years.

Today I got started on the sheep. My plan is to paint a ewe with her twin lambs. I added a barn kitty in an open spot and will likely add another. I don't think you can have just one barn cat! :) What you see here is the rough sketch and blocking in stage.

If you will be coming to the Kidron area I have a calendar on this blog that lets you know when I will be painting the murals. I am spending my time between my home studio in the Kidron/Dalton area, my new studio in Canton and many Fridays painting at the murals.

To see more of my art please visit http://www.suesteiner.com or stop by my art studio at Second April Art Gallerie, Suite #207

White Horse Studio

324 Cleveland Ave. NW

Canton, Ohio 44702