Susan Sward is a Rhode Island artist, educator, and naturalist who believes that art begins with paying attention.
Inspired by the quiet beauty of the natural world, she works primarily in gouache and acrylic, creating landscapes, birds, botanical studies, and nature journals that celebrate careful observation and a deep connection to place.
After teaching art and design in Rhode Island public schools for 28 years, Susan retired from full-time education in 2019 to devote herself to painting and teaching in a more personal setting. Since then, she has taught workshops, private lessons, and small group classes for both adults and children through local art associations, community organizations, and at Smiling Moon Studio, her teaching studio beside her 1885 cottage in Peace Dale, Rhode Island.
Susan believes that the greatest gift an art teacher can give is not simply the ability to paint, but the ability to notice. Her classes encourage students to slow down, observe closely, and build both technical skills and confidence in a relaxed, supportive environment. Whether introducing a beginner to gouache or guiding an experienced artist in nature journaling, her goal is to help every student discover the joy of creative expression while fostering a lifelong appreciation for the beauty of the natural world.
Susan earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Textiles and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Rhode Island College. Throughout her career she has taught workshops for the Slater Mill Museum, Rhode Island School of Design, Rhode Island College, the Wickford Art Association, the Rhode Island Art Education Association, and numerous community organizations.
Her paintings and illustrations have been exhibited throughout Rhode Island, including the Providence Art Club, Rhode Island School of Design, Rhode Island College, South County Art Association, Wickford Art Association, Warwick Center for the Arts, and other regional galleries. She is a Juried Artist Member of the Wickford Art Association and a member of the Providence Art Club, the Art League of Rhode Island, South County Art Association, Warwick Center for the Arts, and the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators.
When she isn't teaching or painting, Susan can often be found in her gardens or exploring Rhode Island's beaches, woodlands, and salt marshes with a sketchbook in hand, gathering inspiration from birds, wildflowers, shells, and the changing seasons. She believes that every walk outdoors offers an opportunity to slow down, notice something extraordinary, and bring that sense of wonder back to the page.
Awards and Recognition
Kettle Pond Wildlife Refuge Gallery Solo Show
Warwick Art Museum Honorable Mention: Dean Creek, Oregon
Art League of Rhode Island Juried Exhibit: The Mill Pond
Rhode Island Art Educators Best in Show: The Swedes
Wickford Art Association Art of the Ocean State Exhibit: Succotash Marsh
So Rhode Island Magazine April 2017 Feature, "Creativity in Bloom"
Memberships
Wickford Art Association
South County Art Association
Art League of Rhode Island
National Art Education Association
Guild of Natural Science Illustrators
Providence Art Club