Artist statement

I am a visual storyteller with a nomadic heart, firmly rooted in my love for my hometown Chicago. The gift of a 110 film camera at age 8 was the spark that ignited my joy of seeing the world through its lens and capturing the stories around me. My favorite ways to explore the world are via water - preferably in a kayak - and eating all the food. Combining that with my personal values of creativity, joy, and adventure, my photography lives at the intersection of where the urban fabric meets nature, as well as on the unique details of a place, especially those which speak to the experience of living at this particular time in history. You will see themes of land and water meeting, architectural details, nature in architecture, and public art.

Susan is a visual storyteller: A photographer and communicator with a nomadic heart, firmly rooted in her love for her hometown Chicago. Building from the legacies of a long lineage of artists, communicators, and educators, Susan has grown her own passion and skills through her multiple decades of data and communication roles in the nonprofit sector. Combining that experience with her personal values of creativity, joy, and adventure, she provides an array of services for individuals and organizations. 

One of her greatest joys is introducing (or reintroducing!) the beauty and wonders of Chicago and sharing her gift of seeing the world through photography. She can often be found adventuring and photographing with her teenager and/or partner, focused around food, art & architecture, and kayaking.

Susan is an award winning photographer and published writer, with work shown by BBC Travel, Chicago Creative Coalition, Block Club Chicago, the Julia Margaret Cameron Award, Filter Photo, Perkolator, Residency on the Farm, and St. Louis Magazine.

You can attend one of her phone photography art & architecture walking tours in downtown Chicago, purchase photo art from her online store, join her online Phone Photos in Focus course, or request a custom Chicago tour or photography workshop for, e.g. family reunion, team building exercise, birthday party, or more. She also offers communication management services for nonprofits, so they can focus on their mission rather than content creation.