Kirkcaldy artist's success with London residency

Susan Warner, one of the artists in residence at the The King’s on the town’s Esplanade, was one of 24 artists picked from thousands to work on and display their work to a whole new audience.

Her journey the led her to the capital began 10 years ago when she made her initial steps into digital printing.

“That started in 2016 when I met the designer Donna Caira,” she says.

“We began working together as We Are Amused, mostly as a hobby really.

“Donna then moved abroad so I carried it on myself. I set up a studio in Burntisland with my partner Laurie, but the timing wasn't great. It was right at the state of Covid and to be honest I didn't really have enough work to justify opening a studio.

“I began to think that this isn't really my forte. I didn't like the business side of it – I just wanted to be an artist. At the time I was still doing digital prints and collages, but I started developing my style more.”

Closing the studio and taking a room at The King's on the Esplanade in 2024 proved to be a turning point for Susan.

“I think being with the other artists Sophie (Mackay Knight) and Sarah (Wakeford) definitely made me think, “Come on Susan, you want to paint”.

“And before that I would also think “what would people like?”, but once I started painting I found that it was really healing, grounding and I really enjoyed it. It's my focus now.

“With my prints it always came from the heart and felt as if I had something to say, but because the format was digital print it didn't really transfer that well. I think with painting it gives it more depth.”

With renewed confidence Susan applied for a residency at a London event and to her shock was one of the artists chosen after a public vote.

“It came about because of Harry Styles! I went to see him in London with my son and when I was down there I was on my Instagram and I follow this woman Sophie Tea Art, who has a massive following on there.

“She was putting on a residency called Brewing, She had already had a previous one at her studio on Carnaby Street but it had been too claustrophobic so she'd been given the opportunity of a space in Venture House in Wandsworth and was holding another.

“I was enjoying being in London and finding my way around, so I thought I would apply on a whim, but didn't really think much of it.”

Out of the thousands who applied Susan was initially named on the shortlist of 50, before winning a place in the final 24 after the public vote.

She says the trip was a career highlight.

“I couldn't have asked for it to go any better. The group of five I was part of was amazing. We all got down to working hard because we had an exhibition to put on.

“Because I had planned what I was doing it was so nice just to be able to think, “Right, today I'm going to be painting from the morning until 1 o'clock in the morning,” because at home I just can't do that. I've got family and other things, so it was nice just to have that me time.”

As well as receiving hugely positive feedback for her work during the residency, Susan has also received the seal of approval from a best-selling poet and author.

“I had started painting song lyrics, and one notable sale I made was a painting of the lyrics to 'The Land Of Make Believe'. I just wanted to go with what I loved and what felt right, not thinking about what everyone else wants for a change.

“Then on the day I got the residency, I was listening to the author Donna Ashworth on a podcast and the more she spoke the more I related to what she was saying. She's been through a lot, but she tends to see the good in people and situations. So I began to wonder if she would let me paint one of her poems.”

After making contact Ashworth agreed and Susan said the author has been “delighted” with the paintings.

“I've sold two of them, but one of the buyers hadn't heard of Donna, so I suppose it's spreading the good word! But her endorsement of my work is massive.”

Susan was one of the two artists along with Lisa Graef, who transformed the front of Kirkcaldy’s former ABC Cinema to much praise last year, and with her residency now completed she is next looking forward to her entry in the The Wemyss Ware Cat Trail auction going on sale later this year.

“With everything that’s happened over the past year, I started to think who my customers might be and in fact it’s probably someone very much like me,” she says.

“And that’s what I’m going to try to find going forward.”