Susan Jespersen, born in Central Florida, has lived in Jefferson, North Carolina, due her love of the beautiful mountains with their change of seasons. During her management career and years of teaching, she longed to pick up the paint brush and began working with professional painter Georgia Abood, Stuart, Florida, on oil medium. She explored floral, landscape, and portrait motifs, prior to serious study of abstract approaches.
Susan researched many contemporary artists, but found that she was most influenced by Zao Wou-Ki and Chu Teh-Chun, Chinese artists who had stellar careers after moving to France to focus on Western oil painting mid-20th century. She traveled with her husband Tom Truxal to China learn more about the artists’ original culture and ink painting techniques.