Member Profile: Susan Ottevanger

Artists’ Union member Susan Ottevanger received some joyous news recently, but almost threw it away!

Susan got a request from the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. to use some of her paintings in an exhibit in 2008, "Going to Sea" that will open in conjunction with new Ocean Hall.

At about the same time, the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain requested limited rights to another one of her paintings for use in a new resort, Molasses Reef, Turks & Caicos. The sale of rights was completed to the satisfaction of both parties.

But these two wonderful success stories almost didn’t happen. Let Susan explain in her own words. “A Fish Story - ‘The Two That Almost Got Away!’

“Initial contact for both of these wonderful opportunities came in emails. “Neither were clearly marked – no RITZ, no THE Smithsonian - just a clump of initials that my annoyed and impatient self had checked and was about to DELETE, along with the Cheap Meds, Stock Pick, LOTTO and 3rd world royalty spam."

“Then my other side, the nitpicking, optimistic self, took over and read the mail. Yikes. “So, folks, be careful about what you delete. Spam is a drag, but don't let the bad guys really get the best of you.”

Susan grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with access to the woods and ponds.

“My favorite toy was a large glass jar I could fill with pond water and watch life forms swim around for hours. Prime time was going to a lake or one of the- Great Lake. In 1975 I moved to Toronto to live on Lake Ontario. I worked on props and special effects as my ‘day job’ and did watercolors and fiber arts by night.”

She married another water fanatic in 1983 and they packed up and moved to Florida.

“Never been there before. We lived, sailed and dove around Miami for 10 years. I was so overwhelmed by the colors and creatures, I didn't paint for a few years.”

Hurricane Andrew prompted another move, to Seattle.

“We loved the rugged coastline, the new birds, especially the exotic ducks, but after 10 years of heat and sunshine, a year of drizzle did us in.”

Next stop was Southern California, where they have been for 10 years. The couple lives on a boat in a Channel Islands Harbor marina.

Susan has designed and built props and special effects for film, television, commercials, theater, theme parks and retail environments using varied materials. Projects include huge puppets, a mock Manhattan, Mayan, giant mechanical flowers, model trains, a variety of creature costumes & more for clients from GM to Vegas hotels.

Susan's website
Contact:susan@seewater.com