Meet New Artist Susan Stemple Kubes | Artist Living with Degenerative Osteoarthritis
“Art carries me away to another place where pain takes a back seat to creativity.” — Susan Stemple Kubes
Lifelong Florida resident Susan Stemple Kubes has been driven to create art her entire life. Her father always encouraged Susan’s drawing and taught her to observe the world in a thoughtful, careful way. Eventually, Susan opened her own studio. Not only would she create her own work there, but she invited artists and beginners into her studio to teach them about art and painting. Susan elaborates, “This became one of the biggest joys of my art career, helping others learn to create.”
New ArtLifting artist Susan Kubes sits down with ArtLifting’s Creative Director Elliott Taylor to discuss Susan’s art background and creative process.
1. What experiences have influenced your art and creative process?
As a child, my father and mother encouraged and praised my efforts at drawing. My Dad taught me to look closely at birds, flowers, and insects in our yard. I taught myself to draw and paint, then, and throughout my life. As an adult, I learned from books, TV artists, and a few teachers. Eventually, around 12 years ago, I opened a studio and began experimenting with various media and techniques. I was asked to teach by so many, I became a teacher of art at my own studio. This became one of the biggest joys of my art career, helping others learn to create. I always encourage others to find their own creative styles and not to copy others. All of my paintings come straight from me, I begin with color and follow the flow of the fluid media that I use. As the composition develops, I keep what I like and make changes in areas that are discordant to me, following simple rules of composition, balance, contrasting shapes and colors. Usually, when I like the final result, others will, too.
2. How has creativity helped you overcome the challenges that you have faced in your life?
Basically, I can usually “paint myself happy”. For many years, I have been dealing with worsening Degenerative Osteoarthritis, causing chronic debilitating pain in my joints and spine. I can only stand a few minutes. I use a Rollator Walker when going out somewhere, and a cane in the house. I can pick up and put things away or fold clothing 5 minutes at a time, with a 15 minute rest before I can get up and start again. I have long had a disability parking tag on our car, but am no longer able to drive. I have several sleeping disorders, and the pain adds another difficulty. This all leads to depression, frustration, and anxiety. Except when painting. When I am painting, or planning a painting, I honestly can ignore the pain for awhile. The happiness of creating helps me immensely to keep going and gives me a feeling of fulfillment, of being competent and useful again.
3. Tell us an interesting anecdote about yourself.
For many years I was not comfortable calling myself an artist. A new emporium gallery in Tampa’s Hyde Park opened and I rented a wall with a friend. After the Grand Opening night, the owner congratulated me because I had sold more individual pieces than anyone else, but not the highest sales. I was surprised, and elated. On the way home, I thought, “Maybe I am an artist.” That was such a validating experience, it really gave me a lot of confidence.
4. What drives you to make art?
I think driven is the correct word. I’ve always wanted to paint, even though I was satisfied with my life. When I’m not painting, I’m thinking about painting; noticing the color of the sky, the shape of clouds, the colors of a foamy wave washing on the shore. I feel that if a person has a strong need to create, it is what they were meant to do. I love that painting has made me more observant. I think some people don’t notice lovely details of nature. I want to bring those out, make them obvious.
5. Tell us about your style? Has it changed over time?
Yes, my style has changed, depending partly on the medium. I learned to paint realistic Florida scenes in oil or acrylic, selling them in beach galleries and art shows. When I was no longer able to do outdoor shows, we did indoor shows. When that got too difficult, I started working in inks, pen and ink drawings, alcohol inks, fluid acrylics, and encaustic wax. Those mediums lent themselves to abstraction, and I fell in love with the inks and the techniques I invented to manipulate them. At the time, there was no one else doing this, so I experimented… and it was such a challenge. They say watercolor is a series of controlled accidents. But alcohol ink has a life of its own, sometimes you have to follow it, even to the point of “changing horses in midstream”, so to speak.
6. What have you learned about yourself while making art?
I’ve learned to have fun and not get all uptight about it. To stay healthy, I need to keep as active as I am able. I have learned to trust my own instincts about right and wrong, and also about my art. I have also learned to let go of hurts. Anger hurts self, and no one should be given the power to rouse my anger.
7. What do you love about art?
Art carries me away to another place where pain takes a back seat to creativity. Art has brought me new friends and new opportunities… under the auspices of Arts4All.
In my head there is a strong connection between art and music. I love to listen to music as I paint. To start a new painting, I listen to music until I see the colors in my mind, and start with that.
9. What are your favorite materials? Do you feel particularly connected to a certain material? Why?
Alcohol inks are my favorites now, just because they are so bright and fluid, moving and mixing in different ways. I used to say it was boring to watch paint dry, but these inks do surprising things on their own, so the best plans can turn into something quite different. It’s important to have an open mind, and look at these “happy accidents” as a gift.
10. What inspires you to make art? Does your inspiration come from personal experiences, imagination, other artists, etc?
There are many artists I admire, but I have no desire to follow their path. My own path is a bit rocky and crooked, but clearly the most joyful for me. My life experiences and memories are a source of inspiration, and I have a very vivid imagination. Occasionally, when waking up in the morning, in that relaxed state between asleep and awake, I see a series of images, one after another, like billboards you pass on a highway. If I see one that inspires me, I jump up and do a quick sketch on computer paper with colored markers so I won’t forget it.
11. How do you feel when people appreciate and compliment your artwork?
I feel great that people want my art, and find it beautiful or interesting. It always feels great to be complimented. As an artist I still need that validation, to know that others see value in my work. I’m not just an artist in my own mind, you know? And I love when they get into a discussion about an abstract. What they think it represents, what it mean; I want the viewer to become involved, not just an observer.
12. What are your most important accomplishments?
I am really proud of my long happy marriage, but it is mostly due to the love, patience, and support of my wonderful husband, Tom Kubes. I have terrific children and grandchildren, and recently a great grandchild. But none of that is solely an accomplishment I managed alone. I think I’m most proud of my work on space shuttle, and I am amazed at the minor successes I’ve had as an artist. Again, none of it was accomplished alone. I have a musician friend that is like a sister to me. She likes to say “ If you see a turtle on a fencepost, you can be sure it didn’t get there alone.”
13. What are your dreams for the future?
Dreams for the future? I hope to stay on this planet awhile longer. Aside from that, and unexpectedly, this is my dream come true. It gives me purpose and encouragement, a reason to paint again.
14. How do you anticipate ArtLifting will impact your life?
This is an opportunity I never expected at this stage of my life. Here I am, I can hardly move at all and totally unable to market my work, though I do get some help from Arts4All. My home is small, but ArtLifting’s helps with marketing and would give me a reason to paint again which makes me happy.
Susan Stemple Kubes’s current collection with ArtLifting may be found here.
