About Susan

Susan McFarlane (nee Anderson) is a Scottish artist based in Wiltshire.

Her artistic talent was nurtured through training at Edinburgh University/Edinburgh College of Art and at postgraduate level at The Slade School of Fine Art.

She has won various awards and accolades and continues to exhibit widely in the UK through open exhibitions and with Lloyds Private Banking.

The traditional themes of Portraiture, Figurative composition and Still Life are central in her work. However it is Susan’s intention always to look ‘afresh’ at her subject whether a child or still life object and to respond independently of preconceived knowledge on the chosen subject matter. It is important to question what is in front of the eye and close consideration of formal aspects (shape, colour, texture) as well as emotional responses towards sitter or object informs a work in progress.

There should always be a sense of wonder in the world and Susan’s intention is to imbue her paintings with a ‘joie de vivre’.

Recent Publication 

500 Portraits: The BP Portrait Award

Author: Sandy Nairne

(National Portrait Gallery Publications - 2011)

Selected Exhibitions

'Contemporary Scottish Painting', Lloyds TSB Scotland 120 Henry Duncan House, George Street Edinburgh

'Art of The Olympics', Scottish Widows 69 Morrison Street Edinburgh

Festival Fringe Exhibition, Lloyds TSB Bank, George Street, Edinburgh

'The Discerning Eye', Mall Galleries, London

Work featured on Channel 4's 'Property Ladder'

Exhibiting throughout the U.K. in Lloyds T.S.B. Private Banking Offices.

BP Portrait Award, The National Gallery, London.

'Face to Face', a group show at Rowe and Maw, London.

Marks and Spencer Head Office show, London.

Solo Exhibition in Aberdeen Art Gallery Cafe, Scotland.

'Nine Past Nine Present', The Gallery, Cork Street, .

The Royal Scottish Society of Painters in watercolours, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.

The Royal Overseas League, 14th Annual Open Exhibition, Overseas House, London.

Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London.

Group summer show at The Florence Trust Studios, London.

The Hunting Award at The Royal College of Art, London.

The Morrison Scottish Portrait Competition, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.

Art Awards and Prizes

A Second Award from The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Duveen Scholarship to go to Barcelona, Spain. Awarded by The Slade School of Fine Art.

Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Award, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

John Kinross Scholarship to Florence, Italy. Awarded by The Royal Scottish Academy.

The Valgra Trading Prize for Drawing, Edinburgh College of Art.

Andrew Grant Bequest: Student Exchange to Tours, France.

Cadbury’s National Children’s Art Exhibition – Italian Tour Winner.

Art Residencies and Teaching.

Artist-in Residence, St Georges School, Harpenden, Hertfordshire.

Artist-in Residence, The Florence Trust Studios, Highbury, London.