Sue Hegan Henry
Sue Hegan Henry has always loved art since she was a very young girl. She remembers excitedly waiting for papier mache made by her Mom that needed to sit in a pan for several days. She still remembers that thrill of anticipation for when it would be ready and she could make something with it. This memory comes from about age 3 1/2. Her Mom loved to paint and explore art making and she passed that on to Sue and her sister.
She's very thankful that her art teacher in elementary school was so creative, enthusiastic and encouraging. Again. she has strong memories about that time. She remembers some of those art activities and and her delight in them.
In college Sue was an art major. She became fascinated by etching and drawing along with gaining experience in painting, sculpture and clay work. A whole other world
opened up with the many and varied Art History classes she was fortunate to take. College prepared her for teaching art. And teaching art opened her eyes to the many
things she did not know! I think the phrase now is flying while you are building the airplane! During those first few years of teaching she just kept ahead of her students.
After about twenty years of working as an art educator Sue created a chrysalis for herself and after two years emerged as an ESOL teacher. That is English for Speakers of Other Languages. Thankfully arts can be incorporated so well into teaching English.
Throughout her years as a daytime educator Sue needed to refresh her soul by taking evening classes as the Creative Workshop and then by happily attending summer workshops out of town. At the Creative Workshop Sue learned and absorbed a great deal from pastel painter and friend Gloria Betlem. All of these workshops focused on pastel painting.
After retiring from teaching she discovered MainStreet Artists because she took a workshop in Pet Portraiture from Suzi Zefting Kuhn. Suzi just described in passing about the studio. Sue hung onto that information! Then she got up the courage, called Suzi. visited the studio in The Hungerford Building and became a member of Main Street Artists! This has given her studio space for working and a marvelous group of artist friends to work amongst. This further opened the opportunity to become a member of the Pastel Society of Western New York. And now, she is also exploring watercolor!
