William Suys, OPA, PSS

b 1955

“Every day of my life, I’m striving to create work with its own heart and soul; work that compels those who see it to go beyond the surface and to become personally, intellectually and emotionally involved. I am committed to artistic excellence, lifelong improvement, and to creating a body of work that will stand the test of time.”

You do more than simply view the work, you become personally involved in it. The most successful work can be measured by its ability to compel the viewer into this environment and to touch their emotions in a unique and timeless way. The best work will stay fresh and compelling forever.

The blank canvas gives me absolute freedom to create. I have the same opportunity afforded past artists from Leonardo to Sargent. I plan to take maximum advantage of this opportunity to deliver work that possesses its own artistic heart and soul."

Suys balances his time between invitationals, teaching, plein air and studio painting; he continues to distill his vision toward primarily figurative work – human and animal – as well as conceptual realism and the occasional surprise. If Bill goes missing, he might have snuck off to a plein air event or could be out prowling the countryside for animals and architecture he’d like to paint, but most of the time, Bill can be found in his studio, music playing, at the easel.

Winner, Best in Show - Salon International at the International Museum of Contemporary Master of Fine Art 2013

Art of the West Magazine

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Oil on Canvas Commissions

Offshore Pair SOLD	Permit Trio SOLD	Morning Lift SOLD
Full Moon Morning, Forgotten Coast SOLD	Morning Mist SOLD
Sarasota Sands SOLD	Clearwater Permit SOLD	Siesta Palms SOLD
Evening Calm Siesta Beach SOLD	Permit Shallows SOLD	Petite Dreamer SOLD
Tiki Bar Sarasota Bay SOLD	Permit Pair SOLD	Permit Patrol SOLD
Eventide Siesta SOLD	Impatient Pellies SOLD	Skimmers, Gulls, Royal Terns SOLD
Siesta Sunset - Contemplation SOLD	Siesta SandsDeer SOLD	Private Pond SOLD
The Tour Guide SOLD	Siesta Stroll SOLD	Abbondanza III SOLD

Résumé

Signature member, Oil Painters of America

2022 Featured Artist in the July/August issue of Art of the West magazine, and his painting ‘The Immigrant’ will be featured on the magazine’s cover.

Also Featured Art in International Artist magazine in 2022.
2021 30th Annual Oil Painters of America National Exhibition awarded First Place in the Richeson75 International Figure/Portrait competition.“The Benevolent; Masters won First Place in the BoldBrush painting competition
2020 Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition won the ‘Most Creative’ Award of Excellence (4th Place) in the show.
Finalist in the ARC Salon. Also,Suys was awarded ‘Best Painting of a Living Artist’ in Fine Art Connoisseur’s Artists and Selfies competition.
2019 Oil Painters of America National Exhibition and at that show Bill was honored to receive the Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Fellowship Award, given by Dorothy Mellin
2018 Signature member, Oil Painters of America
2018 Best Body of Work -awarded by Tim Newton of the Salmagundi Club, Seth Hopkins of the Booth Western
2018 Art Museum and the painter Ken Backhaus – The Olmsted Plein Air Invitational
2018   Second Place – the Matisse Award – The Olmsted Plein Air Invitational
2018 Second Place, Richeson75 Small Works Exhibition
2018 Honorable Mention, Art Renewal Center International Salon
2017 Awarded Signature Membership in the Portrait Society of America
2017 First Place, Richeson75 Animals, Birds & Wildlife Exhibition
2017    Honorable Mention – Animals (2nd Place Wildlife) – Oil Painters of America National Exhibition
2017 Finalist, Portrait Society of America Members Only competition
2017 Second Place, Richeson75 International Still Life and Floral Exhibition
2016 Award of Excellence - Animal, Oil Painters of America 25th National Juried Exhibition
2016 PleinAir Magazine Award, Best Sense of Myster, Olmsted Plein Air Invitational
2015 Award of Excellence, Best Wildlike, Oil Painters of America Salon Show
2015 Judge's Choice Award from Steve Doherty, Editor, Plein Air Magazine-Olmsted Plein Air Invitational2015
2014   Awards Juror for 2014 Richeson 75 Figure & Portrait competition. $10,000 top prize
2014 "BoldBrush Award" BoldBrush painting competition
2013 Winner, Best in Show- Salon International at the International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art Signature member, Oil Painters of America
2012 Oil Painters of America National Exhibition
2012 First Place, Jack Richeson "Animals, Birds & Wildlife" Exhibition
2011 Arti et Amicitiae Exhibition, Amsterdam, Holland. In conjunction with the Salmagundi Club, NY
2011 Oil Painters of America National Exhibition
2011 Richeson International Figure/Portrait competition--Dual Finalist Selected for 2012 Western Masters Art Show & Sale
2011 Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art-Legacy Gallery
2010   Winner, Best in Show-Quick Paint, Cedarburg Plein Air Competition "The Briar Patch"
2010   People's Choice Award, Cedarburg Plein Air Competition "Alfresco at the Anvil"
2010   Honorable Mention-6" x 6" Show, Higbee Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA
2010   Invited artist-Howard/Mandville Small Works show, Seattle, WA
2010   Featured Artist-Door County Plein Air Event
2009   Winner, Best in Show-Wauwatosa Plein Air Affair
2009   Honorary Artist's Chair-Open Canvas Event MIAD

2007    Featured Artist, Katie Gingrass Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
             Barns & Farms, National Juried show
2006    Award Winner-Juried Exhibition, Artpost Gallery, Grafton, WI
             September, 2006. Featured Artist, Edgewood Orchard Gallery, Door County, WI
             Award-Winner, Cedarburg Plein Aire Art Festival. Cedarburg, WI
2005    Milwaukee Art Museum, featured artist for "Degas Sculpture Show" opening weekend, Milwaukee, WI
             "The Solace of Art" Art Escape Gallery, Thiensville, WI
             "Moonstruck" February 27. Group show, Santa Fe, NM
             "Soul INsight" March 11. Two-person show, Delafield, WI
             Cedarburg Plein Aire Art Festival, Award Winner
             "William A. Suys, Jr." June 11. One-man show at George Williams Campus, Aurora University, Williams Bay, WI
             August 26. Two-person show, Santa Fe, NM
             Christmas show. Featured artist, West Bend, WI
2004    "Abbondanza: The Art of William A. Suys, Jr." one-man show, Santa Fe, NM
             Cedarburg Plein Aire Event, First Award-quick paint
             Group show, Art Escape Gallery
             One-man show, The Frank Allen Gallery (Sept. 2004)
2003    Premiere Exhibition, Santa Fe, NM
             "Spirit" Group show, Thiensville, WI
             Salon International 2003, International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art.
             Northern National Arts Competition, Nicolet College
             "Pursuit of Passion" One-man show, Art Escape Gallery
             Barns & Farms, National Juried show.
             Culture & Agriculture, New Visions Gallery, Marshfield Clinic. Selected for Calendar.
             Cedarburg Plein Aire Event, Second Award.
             Cedarburg Art Show – First Award
2002    International Portrait Competition, Portrait Society of America
             Racine Area Arts Competition – First Award
             Northern National Arts Competition, Nicolet College
             Artist in Residence – St. Richard's School
2001    International Portrait Competition, Portrait Society of America

Public Collections

Cornell University
SC Johnson & Son
The Prairie School
Jefferson Lighthouse School
Johnson Diversey
Wustum Museum
The Kaiser Corporation
The State of Wisconsin
Tommy Thompson
Rockford College

Teaching

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD)
Wustum Museum
Peninsula Art School
The Art Escape Compound
Artist-in-Residence programs and lectures

Awards

The Portrait Society of America
Northern National Arts Competition
Watercolor Wisconsin
Wustum Museum
Racine Area Arts
Anderson Art Center
Noll Suitcase Fellowship
Selected to International Salon, 2003
International Museum of the Masters of Contemporary Fine Art

Memberships

Signature Member of Oil Painters of America

The Portrait Society of America
American Society of Portrait Artists

League of Milwaukee Artists

Salmagundi Club- New York

Curator

Johnson Diversey Commercial Markets collection. Worked with directors and curators of the major and regional museums, along with galleries and individual artists in each of 50 countries to compile a heartfelt and profound collection of Art. This Family Company has a tradition of artistic excellence, commissioning Frank Lloyd Wright to design their Administration Building, and sponsoring the exhibitions, Art:USA and Objects:USA.
Experimental Aircraft Association Museum (Chapter 318) Trustee, Museum Board of Directors.
Exhibitions chairman, Village of North Bay Trustee, Village Board. Director of Public Works

Education

William was hired as a commercial artist while attending school as an art major/business minor, and completed his degree as a Business major.
University of Wisconsin, Parkside, B.S. Business Management/Art, 1984
Attended: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
University of Wisconsin, Steven's Point, MATC (commercial & graphic art).
Keller Graduate School of Management (finance).
William received extensive business, communication, and interpersonal training through dozens of internal and external corporate seminars and sources.