Susana Calado – A life lived with passion!

Susana Calado is from Lagos, Portugal. She is a plastic artist who believes that her work reveals her identity with authenticity, courage, genuineness and commitment.

Since she was a young child, she has always had big dreams. She thought, “If I cannot fly, my paintings will.” Her dream came true as her artworks are now featured in homes in Berlin, Switzerland, France and The Netherlands.

At her essence is the need to create. She believes that her work shows her freedom of expression, that each piece shows “the fragments of a living vision with soul”. For her, “to create is life!”

Susana’s artistic path started in 1996 when she took private classes in painting ceramics. Over time, she has tried a lot of different art materials. Now her chosen materials are acrylics, resin, fibre and glass. She has also studied interior decoration, completed an art therapy course and has a passion for photography.

Living so close to the sea and such a beautiful coastline, it was inevitable that the sea would become her biggest inspiration. She loves being close to nature, in constant contemplation, and finding the perfect balance of living and happiness, which in turn stimulates her artwork.

Her love of the beach – and music – goes back to her teenage years and her friend Ângela Silva, who was a big influence on her life. Ângela has a wonderful soprano voice and Susana has fond memories of them both being fifteen years old, sitting on a local beach, singing and playing the guitar. Whilst still studying, Susana worked during her summer vacations in order to support her art. Her first exhibition was at the Cultural Centre of Lagos when she was only seventeen years old.

Her paintings are full of good emotions, which she describes as “expressions with soul”. Themes of dreams, courage and success are implicit in many of her pieces. She believes in living day by day, in the moment, and thinks that life should be celebrated.

Susana has an Open Art Studio – which is listed on Airbnb – where she offers a range of exclusive experiences. She can now pursue her dream of hosting guests and creating art each day, both of which give her a sense of happiness and fulfilment. For example, you can enjoy an art class and bio tea with homemade scones at her studio, with all art equipment provided. Her studio is located in the countryside, where her art, music and nature can fuse together and where she feels at peace.

There is something special about painting that is hard to define but is there in the unique colours and marks Susana creates:

“That glow, that spark of gold that I apply on a canvas that lasts forever. The inspiration I feel behind each mark, the music I listen to, with the coast and the sea as inspiration. That is what makes each one of my paintings unique.”

Susana has a simple motto for life: “Make what you love, be close to your essence, and you will be much happier.”

Susana hosts Airbnb exclusive experiences and her art is on display and for sale at her Open Art Studio. Contact her for more information or visit her by appointment.

Did you know?

Plastic art – is derived from the word “plasticise”, meaning “to mould”. It describes any art form which involves modelling or moulding in three dimensions. The most common example of plastic art is sculpture. Another type of plastic art is ceramic pottery. It can also include collage, paper art, origami paper folding, metalworking, glass blowing, and woodworking, as well as contemporary disciplines such as ice sculpture and also sand art.

susana.calado07@gmail.com

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