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Artist. Teacher. Chef.

Susan Griffin has been a professional painter, art educator, and chef for forty years. She studied with Vern Wilson and Bert Collins. Griffin works in pastel, oil, gouache, and charcoal. Her primary subjects are figural—animals, people—and still lifes. Her work has been exhibited widely throughout Santa Barbara and is in numerous private collections. Griffin trained as a chef at Chinois on Main and worked with Wolfgang Puck, John Sedlar, and Roy Yamaguchi. Griffin is a member of the Santa Barbara Art Association.

Education:

1972–73
College of the Redwoods, Eureka

1974–75
North-West College, West Covina

1976–78
El Camino College, Redondo Beach

1978–79
Art Center School of Design, Pasadena

1998–99
Docent Certificate Program, Santa Barbara Museum of Art

1999
Art Education Classes, Southern California Institute for Educators of the Visual Art

2002–16
Bert Collins Ojai Studio

Exhibitions:

1990              
Fresno Art Museum

1999                
Boulder Art Show

2001                
Staff Show, Santa Barbara Museum of Art

2002              
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Arlington                               Theatre, Santa Barbara

Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara

Jodi House, Santa Barbara

2003

Chase Palm Park, Santa Barbara (“Honorable Mention”)

Gallery 113, Santa Barbara (“Featured Artist”)

2004
I Madonnari, Chalk Festival at the Santa Barbara Mission

Santa Paula Show

Raptor Center of Ojai benefit Show, Oxnard

2005

Buena Vista Art Association, Ventura (“Honorable                                         Mention”)

Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara

Los Olivos Quick Draw & Arts Festival

2006

Eye of the Day Garden Design Center, Carpenteria

2007

Our Daily Bread, Santa Barbara (“Featured Artist”)

2009

Art Center Ojai

2010–11

Ojai Studio Artists Tour and Ojai Art Detour

2016-2019

Palm Loft Gallery, Carpenteria

Teaching Experience:

1999–2014

Senior Art Teacher, Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Aliso Elementary School, Carpenteria

Canalino Elementary School, Carpenteria

Middle School, Carpenteria

Monroe School, Santa Barbara

Notre Dame Private Catholic School, Santa Barbara

Open Alternative Charter School, Santa Barbara

Washington Elementary School, Santa Barbara

McKinley Elementary School, Santa Barbara

Adams Elementary School, Santa Barbara

Harding Elementary School, Santa Barbara

2000–2004

Co-Director, Art Program, Boys and Girls Club of Santa                                 Barbara

2004–6

Art Teacher, Jodi House Brain Injury Support Center,                                     Santa Barbara

2003–7

Art Teacher, Santa Barbara Housing Authority

Start-up director, Paseo Voluntario Arts Enrichment                                       Program

2000–2014

Art Teacher, Ridley School Education Center/McCormick                             House, Santa Barbara

Decorative Artist:

1990–2003

Fine art and painted finishes; gilded furniture finishes,                                   interior and exterior finishes, for estates throughout                                     California and Boulder, Colorado

Professional Chef:

1984–86         
Saint-Estephe (John Sedlar) Manhattan Beach

1986–87         
Roy’s (Roy Yamaguchi), Los Angeles

1987–89         
Chinois on Main (Wolfgang Puck), Santa Monica

1989–92         
L’Ostello, Vail, Colorado

Publication:

Contributed for John Sedlar’s Modern Southwest Cuisine (1986) by creating artwork, layouts, and recipes

(unless otherwise indicated, all locales are in California)