Brief Biography



Linda Darsow Sutton - AFC, SAA, NWS, MCWA, WW

 

Living in the California hills adjacent to protected open space, wildlife subjects and the complementing light of their environments, provides limitless inspiration for this native Californian. Seeking the unique delicate interactions of inhabitants within their environments. Brought up to see color optically, the effects of light playing the contrast between opaque and transparent. Often cavorting an atmospheric sense of place with wildlife. Signature memberships include AFC - Artists for Conservation Foundation, SAA - Society of Animal Artists, NWS - National Watercolor Soc., CWAM - California Watercolor Assoc.(master). Notable events include:


  • California Art Club: Treasures from The Bay Area, The Holton Studio Gallery, Berkely, CA (HM)
  • Signature American Watermedia Exhibition 2020 Fallbrook Art Center, Fallbrook, CA
  • California Art Club From the Sierra to the Sea, Gallery at 48 Natoma, Folsom, CA
  • California Watercolor Assoc. 49th annual Exhibition 2019(signature members award Stewart/Frey)
  • “Art & the Animal” SAA 58th Annual 2018,The James Museum of Western&Wildlife Art, St.Petersburg, FL
    • & Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, Oradell, NJ
    • & The Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays, Kansas
  • Watercolors from California, Dongshan Museum, Bejing, China
  • “20 TREES” Some plein air Some not, Solo exhibition 2017, Orinda Library Auditorium Gallery
  • “The Color of Summer” CWA @ Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art 2018 (First Award, Gary Bukovnik)
  • Artists for Conservation Festival and annual Exhibit 2011,12,13,14,16,17, 2018Vancouver, BC,
    • & Ironwood Gallery, Arizona Sonora Deasert Museum, Tuscon, AZ
    • & AFC in Qingdao Lan Wan Art Gallery at Lan Wan Art Park, Quingdao, China
  • Master Artist Member, The Bennington Collective 2016-2017
  • Haggin Museum 59th Annual Juried Show 2016 Stockton, CA (Brian Blood)
  • “Animalia” Loveland Museum, Loveland CO
  • “WILD LIFE” Solo show of 31 pieces. Lindsay Wildlife Museum April –May 2015
  • “Art & the Animal” SAA 55th Annual Exhibition 2018, & 2015, 2008
  • Laumeister Fine Art Competition BenningtonCenter for theArts, Bennington,VT. 2016,14,(M.Boedges)(B.Blood)
  • “Art of the Animal Kingdom” X, XII, XIII, XV ,XVIII,XIX, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington,VT
  • (Dan Smith, Lany, Sir John Seery-Lester, Morton Solberg, Carel Pieter Brest Van-Kempen, Rosetta)
  • Santa Cruz Art League 83rd “In a Golden State”- HM(DavidLeffel), 81st "Earth Portraits"- HM(Scott Shields, Sacto.,CA)
  • “Big Cat Quick-Draw”&”Raptor QD” The Bedford
  • Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA
  • Carmel Art Festival, 2014, & 2008(Mayors Choice Award)
  • Los Gatos Plein Aire 2012, 13 & 14
  • “World of Watercolor” 2nd Annual Signature Watercolor Exhibition 2011(PeoplesCh 1st award)Fallbrook,CA
  • “THE ART OF SEEING”: Nature Revealed Through Illustration” at The Oakland Museum CA 2006
  • San Louis Obispo Plein Air Painting Festival 2008
  • Triton Museum Biannual Watercolor Competition, Santa Clara,CA ’96(G.Brommer)’02(PatriciaHansen),’07(J.Hoffsteader)

Publications: the covers of Wildscape Magazine (UK) Dec. 2009 & Wildlife Art Magazine, Nov/Dec’02, “The Watercolor Page” American Artist Magazine May ‘96, Equus ‘95 and Splash 7 Northlight Books. The city of Concord sent 2 paintings as gifts to Mayor Ito of their sister city of Kitikami Japan.


An award winning “Plein aire” painter, painting on location is habit, being “There” instigates adventurous diversity, and often opportunities to collect exciting new reference. In December of '08 a trip to three locations in Kenya allowed exploration of new animals, light, and environments. 35 years of weekly figure from life study provides continued growth of classic and creative drawing skills, relating to the animal forms, where accurate representation is a valid expectation. Atmosphere enhanced by manipulating relationships between abstraction and realism engages the imagination enticing with just enough realism to draw in, then send beyond, the two dimensional surface.

Instructing adult classes and workshops in Transparent Color Theory. Previously ten years at Walnut Creek Civic Arts, developing and instructing lessons in art principals for adults and also their School Service Program. Later at Vicenté Martinez High School as an Art Consultant/Instructor from 2006-2008 to infuse art into their alternative program.