Susan W. Brady

I came to Davis in 1957 to attend the University of California at Davis (UCD). At that time, UCD had about 1,700 students and had just added a college of letters and sciences. I took my first art classes and soon decided to make art my major. Participating in UCD’s fledgling art department turned out to be one of the greatest gifts of my life.  

The department’s teachers – Wayne Thiebaud, Bob Arneson, William Wiley, Ralph Johnson, Roland Peterson – gave freely of their time and support.  I left UCD with an MA and a broad perspective on art imparted by those wonderful teachers, as well as by the numerous artists who came to Davis and shared what was happening in the art world.  

Painting was not to become my life at first. I spent the next forty years raising a family and being involved with a growing city. My one claim to fame was opening a bakery and coffeehouse in 1979. It was a Davis fixture for almost 20 years.

After that, I started painting again. To me every work is an experiment, a voyage of discovery. I am motivated by the question, “I wonder what would happen if?”  My recent works are mostly paper on canvas and I find its possibilities are endless. I dye it, tear it, shape it, and use it like paint. I also use oil paint and photographs.

I paint landscapes out of my love and concern for the environment. I do not seek out the spectacular to paint. I want people to find the beauty that is around them, to appreciate the environment as personal and intimate.

Susan Whitley Brady

BA 1962 UCD

MA 1964 UCD