Holladay watercolor artist Susan McFarlane uniquely blends her interests and talents in theater, graphic design, watercolor pouring, Zentangle, art museum studies, and arts education into a rich artistic expression with highly spontaneous and unpredictable elements that often encapsulate a hidden surprise.

McFarlane comments on her website, “I am inspired by moments that give me peace and serenity. Especially those times when I have been stopped in my day by a play of colors, a blend of textures, or a juxtaposition of natural forms. Watercolor is my preferred medium because I enjoy the movement of pigments in the water and how that mirrors the movement of color through air.” 

The Holladay Arts Council has selected McFarlane as the Holladay Artist of the Month for February 2025, an acknowledgment of her artistic talent and master skills as an abstract realism watercolor artist. Her artwork highlights the technique of watercolor pouring, creating a layered translucent wash with unexpected patterns and colors.

McFarlane grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, where art was a solid anchor in her life. McFarlane’s mother always told her she was the happiest when she had crayons and a piece of paper in hand. 

“When I was very little, I left my crayons on the sidewalk in the hot sun,” McFarlane recalled. “When I returned to get them, I discovered that they had melted into the sidewalk. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.”

As McFarlane grew, her passion for artistic expression never wavered. She earned a B.S. in Design from Brigham Young University, a post Baccalaureate Certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and a Museum Studies Master’s Degree from Harvard Extension and was recently certified as a Zentangle teacher. 

After receiving a degree in design, McFarlane worked in graphic design for 10 years for a small print company. She then married and moved to Eugene, Oregon, where she worked for an ad agency. Experiencing three years of rainy weather in Oregon was enough for the couple, who eventually moved to northern Virginia. McFarlane met a woman who coordinated art shows for local coffee shops. It took about a year before McFarlane had her own solo coffee shop art show.

“I decided to do the unifying theme of watercolor for my first show in northern Virginia, McFarlane said. “Before the art was even on the wall, one of the patrons started sifting through my art, and he asked how much it would cost to purchase the entire show. He was an art collector from Korea. He purchased 16 of the 20-painting show. He asked to see additional artwork at my house, where he bought additional paintings right off the wall.”

With a move to Massachusetts, McFarlane joined a couple of art associations and began to learn how to show her artwork, win awards and teach art.

A workshop sponsored by the New England Watercolor Society and taught by master artist Kathleen Conover fundamentally transformed McFarlane's approach to watercolor painting. Blending her existing techniques with those she learned in the workshop, resulted in her entrance into a juried national exhibition.

Teaching and sharing watercolor techniques through workshops and art demonstrations has been rewarding for McFarlane. She says it’s wonderful to see the joy and excitement students experience when “playing in the water” while experimenting with texture and learning traditional and new approaches to painting. She sees the same joy in students learning the method of Zentangle as they create new pieces “one stroke at a time.”

“In 2019, I certified as a Zentangle teacher,” McFarlane said. “It is a relaxing eight-step meditative practice. The art method is sometimes confused with doodling, but Zentangle is intentional. It is a freehand drawing with purpose.”

Currently, McFarlane is teaching two Zentangle classes and one pet portrait class in the Lifelong Learning program at the University of Utah. In the summer, she will be teaching watercolor classes.

“Playing in the water, my inner child comes out,” McFarlane said. “I tell my art students not to take me or themselves too seriously. We’re trying to get back to the joy art brought us as kids. If you don’t have fun creating art, the person viewing your art won't experience that fun either.”

According to McFarlane, there is a business and personal side to art, and they have to be balanced. The bar of success continually evolves with small steps. Initially, it was sufficient that she made money through teaching and selling art to pay for her art supplies. The next milestone was becoming recognized as an artist by winning national and local awards and selling her art in local shows.  

“I’m successful if I’m creating art that makes me happy,” McFarlane said. “If I can take my art to a show and people smile and walk away with a better day, that’s a success. I have a painting of a goldfish, and it always gets kids laughing and giggling. Art brings people together. It has been an anchor my entire life.”

To learn more about McFarlane’s art visit her website: mcfarlanearts.com/about.

To nominate a Holladay resident for Artist of the Month, visit www.holladayarts.org/suggest-an-artist. λ