Life & Work with Susan Righter of Olathe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Righter

Hi Susan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My path in art & design has been a winding one. I was always creatively inclined and drawn to visual art, dance, graphic design and the beauty of the natural world around me. As the youngest of four children by 5 years, I had a lot of time by myself to dream, create, and ward off boredom. I graduated from Furman University in 1993 with a BA in Communication Studies, a major I made up and had approved to include visual art and applied psychology classes. I crafted what I considered to be a communication degree, with an emphasis on visual communication. Of course, the idea of majoring in fine art crossed my mind, but at that time, I hadn’t fully said yes to the artist in me!

After college, I married my college sweetheart (about to celebrate 30 years married!) and we moved to Atlanta. There I worked for The Coca-Cola Company for six and half years. This was a great experience and a wonderful company to work for, but I couldn’t help feel like my creativity was dying the whole time. I didn’t make time to create, and I felt it. I remember eating lunch with one of my work friends and dreaming about having a creative business someday–this was in 1997!

I had twins in 2001, and I became fully invested in raising them. I left my job to stay home with them. Although it was extremely fulfilling to be a Mom, the isolation and demands of taking care of kids only compounded my sense of lost creativity. When they were about 3, I had what I’ll describe as a “come-apart.” It was as if my creativity turned on itself and went in a very negative direction. With the encouragement of an aunt who was a talented artist, I started dabbling in drawing, sketching, watercolor painting, and card-making on a very small scale. It felt good, and I started feeling more alive creatively again. I sold some custom notecards and decided to test my hand at developing it into something. It progressed slowly, but it filled the space creatively.

In 2009, our family relocated to the KC area. What a fabulous place to land for a creative! With a heavy dose of that feeling of excitement and newness that comes with major transitions, I started painting in oils and acrylics. I took classes from some fabulous artists here in town: Mark Weber, Kristen Goering, Becky Pashia, Alan Chow and Bill Rose. I was so jazzed. After that, I was off and running.

Once I started creating more regularly, I started applying to shows and seeking out opportunities to display my work around town. I show every year at Darling Yoga Studio–they gave me my first solo show as an artist, and I”m so grateful. Opportunities started to expand.

In 2015, my kids were starting high school, and I was envisioning what it would be like in four years when they left for college, and I decided I better come up with my plan for their departure of the nest! I enrolled in the Interior Design program at Johnson County Community College and studied there from 2015-2020, graduating with two degrees in interior design and an interior design staging certificate. It was such a sense of accomplishment to complete the program with highest honors while still raising my kids.

I established my business Susan Righter Art & Design LLC in 2019 while I was still in design school. I started taking on work before I graduated, and when I graduated in 2020, I began by working with another designer (Amy Krause – AKD Design) to learn the ropes of residential interior design a bit.

Since then, I’ve developed my art & design business through referrals and networking with other industry professionals. My business model is unique in that I stay very active in both worlds: interior design & art. My favorite projects are those that bridge the gap between the two, which is the reason my current focus is on launching a line of hand-painted wallpaper and murals. It seems like the perfect combination of art & design to me.

In addition to working on residential interior design projects and showing my art work around town, I’m a member of Olathe Art Gallery, where I teach art classes in collage, mixed media painting and color theory.

This year, I’m one of the designers for the Kansas City Symphony Showhouse, and I’ve begun work on my space and will be helping a couple of the other designers with theirs, as well.

All in all, even though the path was a winding one, KC has fully embraced the creative in me and for that I’m grateful!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would characterize my path from where I started until now as relatively bumpy, in that it was stop & go and that it always felt like “is this the right path?” Additionally, as a wife and Mom I often felt it was too self-indulgent to spend time creating. What a lie! It’s what keeps me sane. What’s interesting is that as a creative, it creates this sense of openness if you’re really paying attention. What comes along with that is a sense of following your flow. It can also create a feeling of too many options or ideas, as well. That actually can be hard–really culling down what is most interesting and the best fit for my business. After my creative reawakening in 2004, which was a major struggle emotionally, I have since stayed committed to creativity in some form or fashion. It’s non-negotiable. It’s about following where my energy flows. Of course, the demands of life are present for artists and interior designers, just as they are for anyone, but it’s a matter of staying true to yourself even when it’s hard.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My style of art has evolved since I started painting in 2010. I would characterize myself as a mixed-media artist. My work is highly textural and often includes torn paper collage. I use mediums, such as molding paste, glass-bead gel, sand, and blended fibers applied with various tools other than brushes to create textures that are inspired by the organic textures in nature. My most unique work is my pet collage portraits that are all custom pieces created from torn pages and finished with acrylic details. They’ve become popular, and they are a blast to make.

As for what sets me apart, I’d say it’s that I’m and artist-designer. The two are intermingled in me; meaning, I approach design projects as an artist and art projects as a designer. The two inform each other. I’ve developed a strong skill set for color as a result of practicing both. which allows me to create nuanced color in my artwork and harmonious color palettes in all of my work.

Additionally, I bring a sense of lightness to my work. I’m often told my work makes people feel calm, peaceful or happy. It’s about creating that feeling through my work, whether it’s in a space in someone’s home or a piece of art.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is feeling comfortable in your own skin and expressing that authentically, despite what the expectations of the world would tell you. Many people advised me to choose either art or design, not to keep both in my business. It was too confusing, they said. Once you achieve that ability to express who you truly are through creativity, the rest falls in place. Of course it feels good to complete a tangible project and step back and say, that went well and the client is happy; however, it’s more about creating opportunities that are in line with your unique abilities. When you stay true to that, the right opportunities show up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.susanrighter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanrighterartdesign
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanrighterart
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanrighterartdesign