For local artist Sue Lampinen, nature has been her creative inspiration.
Lampinen was born in Sudbury, and remains here to pursue her art career. The rugged topography and the myriad of lakes abounding in the Sudbury area has fueled a need in her to represent this beauty through art, she said.
She works in pastels, watercolours, graphite and charcoal.
Lampinen has painted many scenes at the lakes in Greater Sudbury, including Robinson Lake, Long Lake, and Lake Penache. She has also painted scenes from Manitoulin Island and the Killarney area. In summer, she is out in her kayak, and in winter tromps through the snow to capture the landscapes.
“I get inspired in the fall and winter. I will gather reference material then.”
The love of nature even led her to complete a year in Environmental Science at Laurentian University and work in the environmental field afterwards.
She said she has been painting since she was a tot.
“I drew my cats, birds and relatives.”
She became a full-time artist when she opened Lampinen Fine Art and Custom Framing in 1995 on Regent Street South, where she sells her work and that of other artists.
“It has been a whirlwind for the last 15 years (at the shop).”
Lampinen also provides framing services at her shop.
“A frame can make or break the picture. It has to compliment the art work.”
She appreciates all the support she has received from her customers over the past 15 years.
“I thank Sudbury for supporting me. I have met a lot of very great people in this business,” she said.
"People here enjoy my paintings of local scenes. They are very supportive of local artists.”
She is an elected member of the Pastel Society of Canada. One of her watercolour paintings is part of the Watercolour Society's Diploma Collection in Brampton, Ont.
She was selected as one of the Master Pastel Painters of the World, and was showcased in International Artist magazine. In 2009, one painting was selected for the Pastel Journal. It will be featured in April 2010 edition.
Lampinen also exhibits annually at the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival in Buckhorn, Ont. (near Peterborough).
She starts from preliminary sketches of a scene. Preliminary drawings of a scene is an important part of the whole process in developing a painting, she said.
“There is a lot of thought process involved. A painting can take a few days to a few weeks.”
Lampinen said her art continues to be a “work in progress.”
“It has taken me 45 years to find the best way to paint a scene,” she said.
She has worked closely with two other local artists influenced by the north's beauty, Cheryl Battistelli and Debra Lynn Ireland, since 2001.
Twice a year, the artists get together for an art exhibition and sale entitled Nature in Art. The next such sale takes place at the Holiday Inn, 1696 Regent St. South, March 27, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The public also has a chance to see Lampinen's art in April, when the Walden Association of Fine Arts (WAFA) showcases its members' art. WAFA holds art shows in April and November every year.
“We had a ton of people out last fall. Every artist sold art pieces.”
She also exhibits annually at the La Cloche Art Show, held at the Whitefish Falls Community Centre each year in early July, and participates in the Sudbury Art Tour, held across the city last October.
Lampinen has advice for aspiring artists.
“Paint, paint and paint. Draw, draw, draw. Drawing is the foundation of of painting skills.”
For more information, visit Lampinen Fine Art and Custom Framing, located at 1350 Regent St. in the Four Corners here. Phone 522-8068. Visit www.scarf.ca.
