Sue de Learie Adair
Biography
Sues artwork is inspired by her love of the natural world: close to her home in Upstate New York and from far afield. A birder for over 30 years, Sue is an avid naturalist who draws her inspiration and reference material directly from observations made in nature. She features detailed subjects with simple, sometimes even stylized, backgrounds. Sue draws in various combinations of graphite, colored pencil, and watercolor.
Sue grew up near Syracuse in central New York State and discovered birds and birding in that area when she was in her mid-twenties. It wasnt until nearly two decades later that she combined her latent artistic ability with her love of birds and began to produce wildlife art.
Today Sue splits her time between homes in Schenectady, New York, and Stony Point on Lake Ontario. From these locations she explores many wonderful natural areas, but most especially the shoreline of Lake Ontario. She spends many hours in the field observing and photographing wildlife. She travels extensively in North America and has made several trips to the neo-tropics.
Sues work has been included in many prestigious national and international exhibits including Birds in Art (Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum), Art and the Animal (the Society of Animal Artists annual exhibition) and many international miniature exhibitions. Her work has received numerous awards including the Society of Animal Artists highest honor, the Award of Excellence, and two miniature Best in Show awards. Sue teaches drawing classes during the summer at the Sackets Harbor and Thousand Island Arts Centers. She is a signature member of the Society of Animal Artists, American Women Artists, and the Colored Pencil Society of America.
Exhibition Highlights:
Art and the Animal, Society of Animal Artists Annual Exhibition, Various Venues (2010-2023)
Birds in Art, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI (2012-2013, 2015, 2019-2020)
Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit (biannual 2010-2022)
Hudson Valley Art Association Annual Juried Exhibition (2022-2023)
Waterfowl Festival, Easton, MD (2014-2023)
Selected Awards:
2022 Award of Excellence, Society of Animal Artists
2022 Charles Stagg Award, Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit
2022 Theo Williamson, Edward Jones Award, Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit
2021 Arthur Harless Memorial Award, Hudson Valley Art Association Annual Juried Exhibition
2021 Best Miniature, Parklane Gallerys annual Winter Show of Miniatures and Small Works, Kirkland, WA
2021 Best in Show, Council for the Arts annual miniature show, Chambersburg, PA
2013 Award of Excellence, Society of Animal Artists
Collections:
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum (three purchases)
Bennington Center for the Arts (two purchases)
New York State Museum
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Organization Memberships:
Society of Animal Artists, signature member
Colored Pencil Society of America, signature member
American Women Artists, signature member
Representation:
Horizon Fine Art, Jackson, WY
Lovetts Gallery, Tulsa, OK
Seaside Art Gallery, Nags Head, NC
