Sue Lau: Artist's Statement

Children have taught me about art. They have influenced my style with their sense of humor and broad use of color. When I paint I have a strong concept, but ultimately the outcome is like hanging on to the leash of a big rambunctious dog on an unexplored trail. The end result is always a bit of a surprise.

I studied art in college until I was pretty sure I didn’t want to be a teacher. My fall back major was Interior Architecture. I wore uncomfortable shoes and worked mostly part-time in a fairly uneventful career as an interior designer.

Marriage and children greatly improved my foot wear. In 1997 I volunteered as the teacher art aide in my daughters’ classrooms at Markham Elementary because I couldn’t remember how to run copies on the Xerox machine in the PTA workroom. I found I was well suited and prepared to teach and design art lessons. Soon, I became the “Artist in Residence” teaching 1-5th grade custom art curriculum. I simultaneously started work on my art portfolio.

I’m old enough to remember the Plate Spinning act on the Ed Sullivan show. It was a joyful display of multi-tasking. Finding a balance between teaching art and making art is a constant adjustment. As our family approaches the empty nest phase there are fewer “dishes” to juggle and I look forward to new creative endeavors.