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Artist
Suzanne Etienne was born with a paint
brush in her hand -- her left hand. From the first
affirmation of her talent at age seven when she
won a state poster contest with her golden
California poppy until today, Etienne has used
vibrant colors and bold strokes to distinguish her
work. "To be acknowledged at an early age,"
Etienne said, "set me on a course as an artist."
Realizing the power of the recognition afforded
her own work, Etienne enjoys discovering and
affirming the talent of others.
Studying fine art at San Jose State University
was followed by work as a commercial artist
and technical illustrator. When her children
were young, Etienne was horrified that no formal
art program existed at their school. To remedy
the situation, she created one, believing "Art
provides an essential ingredient in developing
humane humans." After several years that put
her art career on hold as she devoted herself
to raising a family, Etienne launched her own
interior design firm, Suzanne Etienne Design,
in 1986.
Working as a decorator, Etienne became
masterful at incorporating colors from fabrics
and wallpapers into her art. "I thrived on making
clients happy with colorful, textural, even
humorous paintings that lift the spirits. It was my
way of making the world a more beautiful place
to be."
Art is both my passion and my solace," Etienne
says. "From the time I was coloring with my 64-
pack of Crayolas, I have seen art in whatever
I'm doing. Art doesn't just stop at the end of the
canvas." Her ability to perceive beauty
everywhere helps Etienne interpret the good
and bad of life in her work. "Painting is my
meditation, it's the creative, it's the
understanding beyond understanding," she says.
Etienne and her attorney husband have two
adult children, a son who works in a computer-
technology related business, and daughter,
Nicole Etienne, who is also an artist.
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