Artist Susan Kurnit’s pet portraits, landscapes and still life paintings will be on display this month at the Gratia Gillespie Art Gallery at Atria Darien for the month of August.
A reception for Kurnit will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 8 at the gallery.
— an announcement from Atria Darien
Here’s Kurnit’s description of her career and work:
I graduated college with a B.A. in cultural anthropology and my intent was to stay an additional semester and study art, but life threw me a curve.
Works by Susan Kurnit
I was offered a fabulous job first as a magazine editor at Mademoiselle and then as Fashion Director of Seventeen Magazine for a total of 10 years.
Following that I became visual display director and merchandise manager for Unique Clothing Warehouse, a counter-culture emporium in Greenwich Village, for another three years.
I left Manhattan for Chappaqua, New York, and I met a very gifted artist, Terry Robbins, who held classes in her studio. While others in the class were doing Georgia O’Keefe style flowers, I was painting lions and chimpanzees from photos that appeared in National Geographic.
Works by Susan Kurnit
Recently I have been studying with Althea Ericsson, a well-known portrait artist, and Steve Parton, who has studios in Manhattan and Westport. Steve also teaches at Silvermine School in New Canaan.
Works by Susan Kurnit
My work has been shown in four shows at the Wilton Library, as well as “Art to the Avenue” in Greenwich, “Artwalk” in Ridgefield and most recently in “Art to the Stores” in New Canaan.
I am currently a member of the New Canaan Art Guild and have shown in their fundraiser, “Art for the Animals,” which ran the entire month of June in the Art Barn in Waveny Park.
I live in Wilton and have two lovable labs who are my inspiration each day. I am an advocate for animal rights, both domesticated and in the wild.
Please visit my website: www.pettraitsbysusan.com or email me atsmkurnit@gmail.com for information regarding commissioning a portrait.