Susan M. Gibbons
Artist Statement
My work is based on my personal connection with the Spirit. Through what is otherwise unknown and unseen, my work is a visual representation of what is felt and experienced through faith. Through the use of active brush strokes, intensity of color, draping of fabrics, vertical and horizontal movement of line and shade, coupled with sharp diagonal staccato lines and a tight format, my work seeks to order the chaos of daily life much like religious rituals of prayer, meditation, and rosary that comforts and calms us. The strong belief that a higher power can comfort, restore, and deliver us from the pain of human existence is the ultimate faith that the chaos that we experience can be controlled through love and belief. As an artist, I seek to reveal the messiness of the human condition at the moment we call on our faith to deliver us from it. The paintings and drawings then, become a sacred place of being, of seeing, and of experiencing that which makes us human.
Artist Bio
Susan M. Gibbons is a fine artist who resides and works in the Denver Metro area.
Her work has been exhibited in locally and nationally and at the Brazilian Museum of Sculpture
(MUBE) in San Paulo, Brazil. Her work is also within private collections and has been included in
various publications.
She holds a Master of Fine Art Degree from Azusa Pacific University and a Bachelor of Fine Art
from Colorado State University. Susan has taught as an adjunct instructor at the Community
Colleges of Aurora and Denver as well as various art classes and workshops to children and
adults. She lives in Denver with her husband and enjoys their daughters and grandchildren
when not painting.
Selected Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2020 ‘Concretion: the act of play’, D’art Gallery, Denver, Colorado, curator: Susan M. Gibbons
‘For This Moment – Reflections of Five Artists’, East Gallery, Denver, Colorado
‘Artist in Residence’, Oxford Hotel, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Gertie Harris
2019 ‘In Process’, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
Bavarian Motors, Englewood, Colorado
2016 Aurora Cultural Arts District Studios and Galleries (ACAD), Aurora, Colorado
‘The Adam Series’, Grace College, Winona Lake, Indiana, Curator: Kim Reiff
2015 Royal Contemporary Gallery, Florence, Colorado, Curator: Lisa Steele, Royal Contemporary
Gallery
2014 Fox Theatre, Aurora, Colorado
2013 Aurora Cultural Arts District Studios and Galleries (ACAD) Gallery, Aurora, Colorado
2012 1400 Dallas Gallery, Aurora, Colorado
2009 ‘Transformations’, MFA Exhibit, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
2000 Northwest Nazarene University, Christians in the Visual Arts, Regional Conference, Juror: Titus
Cutter,, Department Chair, Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, Idaho
1998 ‘Stations of the Cross’, Colorado Christian University, Lakewood, Colorado, Curator: Roger
Chandler, Department Chair, Colorado Christian University
1996 Dominion Plaza, Denver, Colorado, Juror: Andra Archer
Selected Exhibitions
2021 ‘BLUE’, Space Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Michael Burnett
‘New Beginnings’, D’art Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Lisa Calzavara and
Tara Kelley-Cruz
2020 ‘Simply Small 2’, Gallery East, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Kelly Austin-Rolo and Lisa
Calzavara
‘Pressing Matter’, Payge Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Jenn Malkasian and Kat Payge
‘Many Voices, One Message: Art’, D’art Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Tara Kelley-Cruz
2019 ‘Simply Small’, D’art Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Lori Dresner
‘Members’ Show’, D’art Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Kim Roberts
Peak to Peak Brewery, Aurora, Colorado
2018-2019 Campbell Litigation, Denver, Colorado, Curator: International Art Movement, Los Angeles,
California
Contemporary Encaustic Works, Art Students League of Denver, Denver, Colorado, Curator:
Victoria Eubanks
Blurring the Boundaries: Abstraction, Longmont, Colorado, Juror: Collin Parsons
2017-2018 Through the Iris, Traveling Exhibit, USA: Grace College, Winona Lake, Indiana, Indiana
Wesleyan, Marion, Indiana, Mary-Hardin Baylor, Benton,Texas, George Fox University,
Newberg, Oregon, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California, Curators: Sandra Bowen, Past
President of Christians in the Visual Arts, William Catling, Azusa Pacific University MFA
2017 A-Town Arts, Stanley Marketplace, Aurora, Colorado, Curator: Tracy Weil, Director Aurora
Cultural Arts District
2015 Wax Stories, Niza Knoll Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Juror: Collin Parsons, Curators: Patricia
Aaron and Victoria Eubanks
Members’ Show, Aurora Cultural Arts District (ACAD) Gallery and Studios, Aurora, Colorado
Push, POINT Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curators: Michael W. Vacchiano and Frank V.
Martinez
2014 Encaustic Show, The Donna Moravec Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Shanda Plock
The Cloud Show, Aurora Cultural Arts District (ACAD) Gallery, Aurora, CO
Surface, Space Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Jo Marks Aardsma
Fusion V, Space Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Carlene Frances
2013 Fusion, Encausticon Conference, Eggman and Walrus Gallery, Santa Fe , New Mexico,
Juror: Bonny Leibowitz
Spring Members’ Show, 1400 Dallas, Aurora, CO
Faculty Exhibit, Community College of Denver, Emanuel Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2012 ‘Paperworks’, Space Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Michael Burnett
The Collection Gallery, Aurora, CO, Curator: Satya Wimbish, Gallery Director
‘Retrospective Group Exhibition’, Space Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Michael Burnett,
owner, Space Gallery
‘Community College of Aurora Faculty Exhibit’, The Donna Moravec Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2011 ‘Poetic Synthesis’, The Lowry Gallery, Community College of Aurora, Denver, Colorado
‘The Resident Artist’s Show’, The Other Side Arts, Aurora, Colorado
‘The Women’s Show’, The Other Side Arts, Denver, Colorado
‘Community College of Aurora Faculty Exhibit’, The Lowry Gallery, Denver, Colorado
‘The Other Side Arts Members’ Show’, The Other Side Arts, Aurora, Colorado
‘Fusion IV’, Space Gallery, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Carlene Frances
‘Fluxface in Space’, Flux Museum, Ft. Worth, Texas
2010 ‘Community College of Aurora Faculty Exhibit’, The Other Side Arts, Aurora, Colorado
‘Fluxface in Space’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois
‘A Book About Death’, MUBE, San Paulo, Brazil
2009 ‘The Other Side Arts, Members Show’, Denver, Colorado
‘Transformations’, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
‘Community College of Aurora Faculty Exhibit’, The Other Side Arts, Aurora, Colorado
2008 ‘Community College of Aurora Faculty Exhibit’, The Other Side Arts, Aurora, Colorado
‘One, Two, Three’, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
2007 ‘Community College of Aurora Faculty Exhibit’, The Other Side Arts, Aurora, Colorado
‘Bountiful Harvest’, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
2006 ‘First Fruits’, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California
‘Megmaphonics: Stones, Feathers, and Bones’, The Other Side Arts, Aurora, Colorado
2003 ‘Parable’, Christian Fine Arts Association, Littleton, Colorado
2002 ‘It Is Finished… Hallelujah!’, Christian Fine Arts Association, Littleton, Colorado
2000 ‘Stations of the Cross’, Doan College, Lincoln, Nebraska
‘20/20 Intaglio Portfolio’, Christians in the Visual Arts, Wenham, Massachusetts
‘Exploring the Icon’, Christian Fine Arts Association, Littleton, Colorado
‘Koinonia’, Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, Idaho
1999 ‘Passion and Suffering’, Christian Fine Arts Association, Littleton, Colorado
‘Contemporary Works of Faith, ’99’, Columbus, Ohio
1998 ‘A Show of Our Own’, Women’s Art Center and Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1997 ‘And The Word Became Flesh’, Christian Fine Art Association, Littleton, Colorado
‘Found Objects’, Women’s Art Center and Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1996 ‘Art Happenings ’96’, Littleton, Colorado
‘Containers, Reliquaries, and Altars’, Core Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1995 ‘Light Out of Darkness’, Boulder Library, Boulder, Colorado
‘Sacred Arts’, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois
Galleries
2014-2016 Royal Contemporary, Florence, Colorado
POINT Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2010-2011 Enso Gallery, Denver, Colorado
1999-2001 Canaan Gallery, Littleton, Colorado
Bibliography
2010 Fusion IV, A Collection of Art and Poetry
2004 First Fruits – A Compilation of Art, AdLib Christian Arts
1999 The Columbus Dispatch
1995 Christianity and the Arts Magazine
1994 Mars Hill Review
Collections
Biblical Art Center Museum – 20/20 Portfolio, Dallas, Texas
Billy Graham Center Museum – 20/20 Portfolio, Wheaton, Illinois
Lectures
2000 Christians in the Visual Arts, Regional Conference, Keynote Speaker and Juror, Northwest
Nazarene University, Nampa, ID
Teaching
2017-Present Glendale Sports Center, Glendale, Colorado, Art Instructor: Painting, Drawing
2015-Present Private Lessons, Adults and Children
2015 Beginning and Intermediate Encaustic Workshop, Florence, Colorado
Community College of Denver: Substitute Instructor: Drawing I, Figure Drawing
Various acrylic, drawing, encaustic workshops and classes
2010, 2013 Community College of Denver: Adjunct Instructor: Classes Taught: Drawing I
2001-2012 Community College of Aurora: Adjunct Instructor
Classes Taught: Drawing I-IV, Painting I-IV, Visual Concepts 2-D Design, Advanced 2-D
Design, Figure Drawing I, Advanced Figure Drawing, Art Appreciation, Art History I, II, Art
Since 1900, Survey of Humanities I, II, Gallery Management
Related Experience
2016-Present The Art Shoppe, Manager, Aurora, Colorado
2015 Royal Contemporary Gallery, Florence, Colorado, Contemporary Encaustic, 2015, co-juror
2013-2015 The Art Shoppe, Manager, Aurora, Colorado
2010 City of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado, Employee and Family Art Show, Juror
2009 City of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado, Employee and Family Art Show, Juror
2011-2012 Donna Moravec Gallery (The Lowry Gallery), Community College of Aurora, Denver,
Colorado, Gallery, Manager/Installation Coordinator/Faculty Exhibit Coordinator
2008-2012 Community College of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado, Exhibition Coordinator
2007 Community College of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado,Art Club Sponsor
2006-2007 Community College of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado, Arts Camp, Hinkley High School
2003 Community College of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado, ‘How I Learned to Drive’, Props Mistress
2003-2004 Community College of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado, Faculty of the Year Committee
2002 Community College of Aurora, Aurora, Colorado, ‘Cabaret’ Props Mistress, Costuming
1999-2001 Canon Gallery, Gallery Assistant, Littleton, Colorado
1998 Christian Home Educators of Colorado Student Art Competition, Denver, Colorado, Gr. 3-12,
Juror
1998 Metro League Student Art Show, High School Art Competition, Denver, Colorado, Juror
1996 Art Happenings ’96, Littleton, Colorado, Planning Committee, Juror
1995, 1999 ASCI Student Art Competition, Denver, Colorado, Juror
1995-1996 Solid Rock Enrichment Programs, Aurora, Colorado, K-12 Art Instructor
1993-2004 Christian Fine Arts Association, Aurora, Colorado, Founder, Director, Board Member
1992 Colorado Free University, Denver, Colorado, Art Instructor
1989-1993 Heritage Christian Center, Denver, Colorado, Muralist, Art Director, Costumer, Choreographer
(various plays)
Education
2009 Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA: Master of Fine Arts
1982 Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO: Bachelor of Fine Arts: Printmaking, Lithography
1980 Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, CO: Associate of Arts
Continuing Education Workshops
2003 The Glen Workshop/Image Journal: Makoto Fujimura, Nihonga Workshop, St. John’s College,
Santa Fe, NM
2002 The Glen Workshop/Image Journal: Erica Grimm-Vance, Encaustic Workshop, St. John’s
College, Santa Fe, NM
1999 The Glen Workshop/Image Journal: Mary McCleary, Collage Workshop, St. John’s College,
Santa Fe, NM
Artist Residencies
2020 ‘Artist in Residence’, Oxford Hotel, Denver, Colorado, Curator: Gertie Harris
2019 Azusa Pacific University: Alumni Artist in Residence, Azusa, California
