My mother has been a motivation, inspiration and even a frustration as she prodded me to explore the world and build my talents. This coming year brings so many changes and yet one thing remains the same: my love and admiration for her. I decided what better way to show it than to interview her – to learn about her as a stranger might and than to share that knowledge with others. Susan Adler George, my mother, uses art with both children and adults to assuage fears, lessen anxiety and promote self-confidence and self-fulfillment.
Jessi: “Why Art – I mean when did you start making art?”
Susan: “I grew up in Arnold – just outside of Annapolis, when Ritchie Highway wasn’t even a highway. We didn’t have all the technology of today. My imagination was inexhaustible. I began drawing and making cards for neighbors at nine years old. I remember being chosen to do a display case at ten for school - it won an award. Art & I were very close. I lived in the country, surrounded by hills of mud. I began sculpting when I was eight. I would sit for hours and mold things and then bake them in the sun. My mother gave up on dressing me in ‘girly things' because I was always covered in mud; my only friends were my pets and art. I could escape through art. Any challenge I felt I couldn’t meet; well, I could meet through Art. I have now been teaching drawing, painting, sculpting, mask making and crafts for over twenty-years and don't plan to ever stop -even when I age and am confined to a wheel chair!”
Jessi: “Did you ever use art with your children?”
Susan: “Of course– all the time. I raised two magnificent daughters – now both grown. One loved dance and music. The other girl who struggled with developmental challenges showed a strong interest in drawing. I often used masks and puppetry along with other educational methods to help nurture her. Behind a mask or puppet, you can be anyone. I've witnessed that children who have been identified with low IQ's improve significantly when involved in art activities. Both daughters are thriving members of the community now. One lives in Baltimore City, and the other in San Diego, CA.”
Jessi: “I talked with a few of your students. One adult said, ‘I am less anxious, feel more creative and I am laughing more!’ Can you tell me about this?”
Susan: “Well laughing is crucial to everyone’s health and happiness. Art can be serious, informative and intense. But it can also be just good-old plain fun. It is a great stress-buster.”
Susan Adler George paints, sculpts and is a published writer. Her works have been exhibited at galleries and museums regionally and is in private collections throughout the states as well as in Ireland. Her canvases are usually dominated with bold color and influenced by an infatuation with quirky spatial possibilities.
To learn more about her workshops, visit: http://www.susanadlergeorge.com
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