Artist Spotlight: Susan Murtaugh
“I have always been an artist, since I got my first crayon.”
When Susan Murtaugh posted her first “Friday Flower” on January 31, 2020, she had no idea it would become a beloved weekly tradition. But for someone who's been championing digital art since the iPod Touch days, creating something beautiful and sharing it with the world is second nature. Today, her Friday Flowers brighten feeds every week, painted on her iPad Pro with the same app she's been using for over a decade (psst… it’s Sketchbook!).
Early Digital Art Pioneer
“I remember being an annoying user by contacting the developers for tweaks and enhancements.”
Most artists were still skeptical of digital tools when Susan got her hands on her first iPod Touch. She loved experimenting with mobile devices, eventually upgrading to a Modbook (a converted MacBook with a pressure-sensitive Wacom digitizer), which felt like magic at the time.
Around 2012, she discovered an app called Studio Paint, which would later become Sketchbook. It quickly became her favorite drawing app! So much so that admits she was “an annoying user,” constantly contacting the developers with requests. Lucky for us, her passion for the app hasn’t wavered in over a decade.
A Lifetime in Art
“I loved my job, I was one of the first women in the field.”
Susan has been an artist since childhood and her studies at the Chicago Academy of Fine Art led her into the world of illustration, graphic design, and advertising. She became a creative director at Wardrop Murtaugh and Temple, where she was one of the first women in the field. She eventually became a business partner and wife to the agency’s best writer, Phil Murtaugh.
Her love of typography and package design still shows up in her work today. "I LOVE type!" she says, and you can see it in the way she approaches composition, whether she's painting flowers or designing a chocolate bar that looks like it has to be a photograph! (see below)
Giving Back: iPads in the Classroom
“I’m proud to help encourage them to learn, create and use positivity as tools to enhance their lives.”
About 10 years ago as an Artist in Residence for the local school district, Susan showed the students how to draw with Sketchbook on an iPad. It went so well that she helped write a grant for the school district which secured 5 iPads for students to share. The next year she got 10 more. Then 10 more, until everyone in class could use them. Those iPads were eventually donated to the high school for the continuing art program.
But Susan didn't stop there. She taught all the teachers how to use the iPads too, spreading digital art skills throughout the school. Last year, she "adopted" a 5th grade class and provided 3 iPad minis. The program was so successful that the school bought more devices to make it permanent.
Current Setup & Practice
After years of experimenting with different devices, Susan has found her perfect set up, and it’s simpler than you might think.
These days, she works exclusively on the latest iPad Pro with a matte screen and the Apple Pencil Pro. This combination along with Sketchbook gives her everything she needs to create her artistic vision (which many folks can’t believe are drawings and not photographs!).
From iPod Touch to iPad Pro, from advertising agencies to elementary school classrooms, Susan’s journey with digital art has been about more than just adopting new technology, it’s also been about sharing it with others. And every Friday, when a new flower blooms on her screen, it’s a reminder that art (in whatever form you prefer) is meant to be not just created, but shared.
See all of Susan’s artwork here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/suzi54241/
