Susan Gallacher

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Susan Gallacher developed an early interest in art, entering Vern Bullough’s landscape painting class in seventh grade. Encouraged by Vern to pursue oil painting, she has made a lifelong study and occupation of painting in both oil and watercolor. As an art student at the University of Utah, Susan’s skills expanded under professors Paul H. Davis and Ed Maryon. In the 1970s she began her career as an art teacher with positions in the Granite and Sandy school districts as well as private instruction. In 1984 she established King’s Cottage Gallery and Art School where she continues to direct and teach. Other prominent Utah artists also teach at King’s Cottage. Susan has had many one-woman art exhibits and been accepted in more than seventy-five juried shows, receiving numerous awards. She has also served as an art juror for several exhibits. Many of her paintings are in private collections throughout the United States and England. Currently she is represented by Southam Gallery and King’s Cottage. Susan’s painting philosophy is deeply influenced by the “plein air” attitude that artists should paint any subject, whether a landscape, still life, or figure, directly rather than from photographs. She observes, “When I paint, the weather, the light, the fragrance in the air, my mood, all add to the spirit of the day and the essence of the painting experience. These elements become part of the painting itself and one can only have that fullness when painting from life.” Recently Susan turned her attention to painting the camps of homeless people living along the Jordan River south of the LDS Jordan temple. Her paintings depict the ironic juxtaposition of the monumental, shining temple looming above groups of ramshackle huts and tents occupied by transients who prefer this environment to the unfriendly hardness of inner city. Just as eloquently, Susan’s new paintings of Sanpete County capture the character of the Mormon pioneer rural landscape.