From Botticelli to Popeye

Artist Suzan Fox comes from an interesting pedigree. Her father was the celebrated comic book illustrator, editor and animator Gill Fox, whose resume included Popeye, Betty Boop and the Campbell Soup Kids. Her mother, artist and designer Helen Fox, created hand-crafted quilts, interior design and clothing during the 1960s. 

For her part, Fox was also getting recognized for her creative imagination early on. Her first national award, for artistic excellence, was even televised. She was seven years old. Her first prize submission, to the Shari Lewis & Lamb Chop Show’s “A Wiggle & a Waggle” contest, was a drawing of two worms on a park bench in a romantic embrace. She won a $25 U.S. Savings Bond, but had wanted the second prize; a cocker spaniel puppy.

By age 12, she was designing and crafting games; tiny games: 2 by 3 inches at most, each with its own board, pieces and storage box. What intrigued her most, was exploring the detail in the art.

Fox continued exploring design and detail, eventually working in the field of commercial art and fashion illustration. She silk screened. She designed TV boards for a top ad agency in the era of Mad Men, during the 1960s and early 70s. And, she freelanced for DC and Marvel comics. Her resume includes work on the comic strips: Little Orphan Annie, Dennis the Menace and Hagar the Horrible, in addition to the comic book Richie Rich.

Comics and Mad Men. About Town wanted to know more.

AT: How did you go from comic book heroes, Vampirella and the Fantastic Four, to something as unusual as egg tempera painting?

SF: My aunt Lorraine Fox, was a talented illustrator and she was exploring egg tempera painting when I was a child. I was always fascinated by the genre and never really forgot about it. So after years of freelancing, I was looking for ways to integrate more detail into my art work; to get it to another level. I was looking for something that would give me the control of a pencil and the freedom to express myself in the details.

AT: More freedom and more control at the same time? 

SF: Yes! I wanted to paint like an illustrator and needed to find a genre to accommodate that. I wanted to put little details into my work, that you don’t necessarily see the first time you look at a painting; but it’s there continuing to tell a story. There’s a lot of experimentation going on with egg tempera, in terms of color and texture. It gives you a lot of control and freedom to focus on the details.

AT: What was your learning process like?

SF: I did my own research and study with Michael Bergt, President of the Society of Tempera Painters. In addition, I studied under Koo Schadler, who is part of a group of egg tempera artists who have renewed interest in this art form.

The egg tempera method is a very methodical way to paint; it’s not a quick medium. You must put down thin layers, veils, of the egg tempera which then bind to one another and build up in your painting. What takes time is learning the balance of the layering.

AT: Does it matter what type of eggs you use?

SF: The freshest eggs have the best consistency because the yolk is thicker.

AT: Who’s the best type of student for egg tempera painting?

SF: Anyone who likes to draw and/or paint and would like to learn how to integrate the two. The beauty of having students without a lot of prior knowledge is that they are free from any limitations that other art forms impose. They are open to learning something new about texture, blending a color palate, etc. - from the beginning. Botticelli did it. Andrew Wyeth did it. They can too!

Here’s the Deal

Artist Suzan Fox will be teaching a six week course on egg tempera painting at the Gallery on the Green beginning, Saturday, April 30th; 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Class size is limited to ten students to ensure individual attention to each artist.

Suzan Fox; 860-626-7187:suzanfox@att.net: www.SuzanFox.com.