Animals & Instruments

Continuing this week's theme of posts about some of the art that will soon be hung on the walls in my new home

If you read this blog, you'll know I'm obsessed with music.  And if you've ever seen my Vox blog, you'll know that I love dogs specifically and cute animals in general.  Susie Ghahremani combines animals and instruments in much of her art, so I was an instant fan.

Susie has a consistency in her vision that I love.  Many of her pieces are variations on a theme, often containing some or all of these elements: small animals (squirrels, raccoons, cats, terriers, owls, etc.), interesting patterns, a palette of gorgeous muted colors, bits from nature (trees, leaves, twigs, waves) and all manner of tools and instruments (boats, answering machines, pianos, typewriters and more).

I can't remember how I first found Susie's art, but I've been following her LiveJournal for a few years now.  I have bought a total of six pieces of original art from Susie, mostly from Giant Robot's online store following her exhibitions with them.  I bought one art piece from Susie herself, following a garage-sale type post to her LiveJournal.  It was a small original she did for a magazine of two women talking on the phone.  The rest of the pieces I own involve animals and instruments, from birds chirping into an answering machine to cats on a piano.

These are my two most recent purchases:

*Note: I took these photos with my phone, and they do not do justice to the detail and colors in the paintings!

In her Shop, Susie sells affordable, everyday items featuring her art like notepads, magnets, messenger bags and t-shirts.  Her original paintings seem to sell a little more quickly each time I see them online, which makes me happy for her because I want her to have a wonderful, rewarding career as an artist.  But it also makes me happy to feel I've invested in an artist whose career continues to get brighter.