Meet Suzanne Frazier

We would like to introduce you to Suzanne Frazier. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Suzanne, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience has always been a part of my personality, and over time, it has been reinforced by my life experiences.

I grew up in the 1950’s, part of the ‘Baby Boomer” crowd. There was a lot of competition between all of us for attention since there were so many of us. Every school year, the elementary school had to add an additional teacher/classroom since there were too many of us to fit in one classroom like the previous class of students. When all of us entered Junior High School, the district had to build second Junior High School to accommodate all of us. And likewise for High School.

I was, and still am, dyslexic… before the school system recognized that the condition was a learning problem. I was at the bottom of my class. Fortunately, I have a semi photographic mind, so in elementary school I could read my spelling words, that I had carefully memorized, off a “paper” inside my head. My teacher gave up trying to teach me how to count numbers in my head. I just used my fingers, and I still do. I was in the “slow” reading group. Even though I didn’t know at the time these words: ” resilience” and “perseverance”, that was, and still is, my only strategy in life.

I attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, just outside Washington D.C, where most of my classmates were children of Senators, Congressmen, CIA and NIH parents (National Institute of Health) and like their parents, they were really smart. I learned in spite of all my dyslexic problems, how to keep up with them. I had to, to survive in this very competitive environment. When all of us took the SAT Tests, my friends got 800 board scores. I got 400. But I persevered and found a college that would take a chance on me.

In 1965, I was accepted at Lake Erie College in Painesville Ohio where I majored in Philosophy. The reason I was a philosophy major was because the classes only required me to write two term papers a semester, read all the books and show up for class. I wrote my papers but paid another student to type my papers and correct my spelling. I graduated in 1969 as an Honors Student in Philosophy. I didn’t major in art because my father refused to pay for art classes. He believed I couldn’t make any money being an artist.

Upon graduation, I entered the University of Virginia Graduate Masters Program in Philosophy in Charlottesville Virginia, as one of only two women accepted into the graduate school class. During my second year, I experienced a strong prejudice against women “trying” to become Philosophy Professors as well as sexual harassment. Instead of persevering, I left the program. My resilience helped me through this tough time.

In 1972, I moved to Denver Colorado and was employed by KHOW Radio as an Assistant Sales Secretary. After six months at the station, in 1973, the US Government required that a percentage of managerial positions in the industry be held by women. The radio station needed one more woman for their report, so I became the Continuity Director. I didn’t need my “resilience” or “perseverance” this time to move into a managerial position. A year later, I became the Promotions Director for the station. My “resilience” helped me through many station promotions, including the 5 night Downtown Christmas Parades (from 1975 -1978), Lakewood BiCentennial Celebration, Charley & Marti Around The World, “I Love You Denver” Parties and many other events. Then in 1978, I hit the “glass ceiling” at the station.

My resilience helped me move to Frontier Airlines, first, as a Sales Representative, then, at Stapleton Airport for Frontier Airlines as Assistant Manager of Provisioning, and finally, as the first women Assistant Manager of Ramp Services and Ramp Supervisor. When Frontier Airlines was bought out by another airline, I left the company.

My resilience had carried me this far through two careers. In 1986, I moved towards my goal of being an artist.

I enrolled at Denver University in a BFA Program.. The next year I transferred to the University of Colorado in Boulder and earned my BFA Degree in Studio Arts in 1989.

Since 1990, I have been a contemplative oil painter teaching art classes out of my studios in Boulder, Crestone and Longmont. I also teach Contemplative Art Retreats at retreat centers. I’ve also had many odd jobs to help pay my bills but I have always been an artist first.

Since 1990, I have exhibited my artwork throughout the State of Colorado. From 2019-2023, I became a Founding Member of D’art Gallery, responsible for publicity and social media. Each year, I had the opportunity to exhibit my work in solo exhibitions.. I exhibited 5 times in 4 years. In 2023, I was juried into Open Studios in Boulder County. I have been a member of Women’s Caucus for Art- Colorado Chapter since 2018.

Looking back, my resilience kept me going through many difficult situations in my life and I now see that it’s the backbone of my art career. Whether I am accepted into art exhibitions or not, I keep creating oil paintings.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Since 1990, I have been a Contemplative Artist, creating oil paintings from a meditative point of view.

My definition for “Contemplative Art” is the product of creative expression rising from the pure joy of creating, grounded in a meditative connection to the radiance and perfection of spirit known only through one’s experience of being fully human.”

During a contemplative experience one does not observe anything specific but rather a feeling emerges from the meditation. Likewise, I choose to create artwork that does not refer to any specific location or time but rather the work IS the time and location. I choose instead to invite the viewer into my meditation of my collected emotional responses from residing in Colorado since 1972.

I have exhibited in the State of Colorado since 1990.
Throughout my career, I have created several series of works:

Boketto Series (Looking into the Distance without Thinking),
Spirit Light Series,
Thresholds Unknown Series,
Contemplative Light Series,
Opulence Series,
Rocky Mountain Series,
Boulder Creek Series,
Colorado Foothills Series,
Boulder Series
and earlier works.
My artwork can be viewed at: https://www.suzannefrazierartist.com/works

I became a Founding Member of D’art Gallery in the Art District on Santa Fe. Between 2019 and before I ‘retired” from the gallery in 2023, I exhibited in solo exhibitions 5 times in 4 years. In 2023, I was juried into Open Studios in Boulder County and have exhibited with this organization. I also exhibit my work with the Women’s Caucus for Art – Colorado Chapter.

For more information on up-coming exhibition events, please view my events listings on my website: https://www.suzannefrazierartist.com/events

I also have videos of interviews and past exhibitions of my work on my website: https://www.suzannefrazierartist.com/video

I teach water-mixable oil painting classes and oil pastel drawing classes in my studio in Longmont, Colorado. I offer an 8 -week beginning oil painting class to those individuals who would like to explore this media as a form of expression. My class listings are on my website: https://www.suzannefrazierartist.com/page/10480/studio-classes

One Saturday a month, I provide an all day Creativity Art Workshop, drawing with oil pastels, to individuals who enjoy creating art without the intensity of formal classes. I also offer Contemplative Art Retreats at retreat centers. The listing of all my class information and workshop schedule is available on my website: https://www.suzannefrazierartist.com/workshops

I also offer a monthly email newsletter listing my exhibitions and workshop offerings. Anyone can sign up at: https://www.suzannefrazierartist.com/email-newsletter

I am grateful that I have information outlets such as my website: https://www.suzannefrazierartist.com
And I post on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and Twitter.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The most important quality to develop as a professional artist is: “don’t give up”. Resilience, tenacity and perseverance are all necessary to discover and create your”voice” in your work

The most important skill to develop as a professional artist is to learn how to enjoy being “at the edge of your comfort zone”.
This is where creativity thrives and serendipity creeps in unannounced. It’s the best place to create.

The most important area of knowledge to develop as a professional artist is to know what art has been created before and what art is being creating right now. Be aware of what is going on. You don’t want to create work that has already been conceived or compete with other artists doing the same thing. Hone your artistic skills well and find your own personal “voice” through your creative process.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
The women who have come before me: Georgia O’Keefe, Agnes Martin, Louise Bourgeois, Helen Frankenthaler, Hilma af Klint, Joan Mitchell, Alice Need and the Guerrilla Girls, to name a few, have been most helpful when I felt the challenges of being a woman artist. They have all persevered, with tenacity and resilience, towards their goal of not only creating art but exhibiting their work, against all odds.

These women are my mentors and role models for being a woman artist.

Fortunately, after too many years, women’s art is now considered “art”, instead of “impressions” or “studies”. However, not all the barriers to equality have been removed. It’s still an uphill climb for women to get recognized as “visual artists”.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
I took all the photos.

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
Beating Burnout

Often the key to having massive impact is the ability to keep going when others

Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,