Susan Turley

About Susan Turley

Susan Turley is a Pacific Northwest artist based in Olympia, Washington, known for her atmospheric landscapes that seamlessly blend impressionism and abstraction. Her work explores light as a tangible presence rather than mere illumination, capturing the ethereal beauty and moods of the region's skies, waterways, and forests. By engaging viewers in a dialogue with nature, her paintings form a bridge between human experience and the natural world, offering moments of introspection and spiritual renewal.

Primarily self-taught, Susan's artistic journey is marked by continuous learning and professional growth. She has refined her craft through programs such as Art2Life with Nick Wilton, Find Your Joy with Louise Fletcher, Artway with Louise Knowles, and the Professional Artist Association. Using professional-grade acrylics, she constructs her paintings through multiple layers of glazing, dry brushing, palette knife work, and intuitive mark-making to create depth, atmosphere, and luminous light. This layered approach allows her to evoke emotional landscapes that resonate with personal and collective memory.

Before dedicating herself fully to art, Susan's career in social work, chaplaincy, and education shaped her worldview, bringing a deep sensitivity to hope, resilience, and the many emotional landscapes of human experience. These experiences imbue her work with a narrative quality, inviting viewers to reflect upon their own stories and connections to the landscapes she creates. Her goal is to develop a lasting body of work that builds meaningful relationships with collectors and galleries while fostering dialogue between art and observer.

Susan received Third Place in the 2025 Juried Exhibition of the Olympia Art League. As she continues to develop her practice, Susan remains committed to expanding her relationships with galleries and collectors and deepening her exploration of light and atmosphere. Through her paintings, Susan invites viewers to pause, reflect, and discover their own stories within each piece, inspiring a renewed sense of wonder in the natural world.