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SUSAN CUA FINE ARTS
Welcome! For the first time, you can now explore the growing digital collection of Susan Cua’s artwork all in one place. This online gallery will become a legacy home to hundreds of documented pieces created over the span of 25 years, capturing moments of inspiration through expressive color, light, and movement. In addition to Ms. Cua's work, you will get a chance to experience her travels as we post about journeys that inspire her.
From vibrant cityscapes to atmospheric landscapes, each work reflects years of dedication to the craft of pastel painting and impressionist art.
We will be adding more completed artwork daily, so please check back often as the gallery continues to grow.
"Shayna & Sheila’s Coffee Chat, New York City"
Shayna & Sheila’s Coffee Chat, New York City is grounded in a distinctly personal narrative: the two young women depicted are the artist’s nieces, Shayna and Sheila, observed during a quiet moment of conversation at a New York Coffee shop during a family meet up for a performance. This lends the work a heightened sense of intimacy, transforming what might otherwise read as a casual café scene into familial remembrance.
13 hours ago2 min read
"Autumn Leaves, Paris"
Autumn Leaves – Paris Collection by Susan Cua, rendered in pastel on paper, offers a quiet and reflective view of Paris shaped as much by memory as by observation. The composition is organized around a gently bending river that leads the eye toward a low stone bridge in the distance. This sense of movement is reinforced by the rows of trees lining the embankments, their forms softened and slightly elongated, guiding the viewer through the scene without rigid structure.
2 days ago2 min read
"Cafe le Courcelles | Paris, France"
This pastel work by Susan Cua presents a compelling impressionistic rendering of a Parisian streetscape centered on Café Le Coucrelles. Executed with a softened, atmospheric handling of form, the composition emphasizes mood and sensory experience over precise architectural fidelity. The façade of the café, with its muted earth tones and loosely defined structural lines, anchors the scene, while the iconic red awning and vertical “TABAC” sign provide striking chromatic accents
4 days ago2 min read
"Matador, Horse, & Bull" | Malaga, Spain
This pastel on paper by Susan Cua captures a volatile moment within the bullfight, emphasizing motion and tension over spectacle. The composition is driven by strong diagonal movement, as both the charging bull and the mounted matador surge across the surface, creating a sense of instability and immediacy.
6 days ago1 min read
"I Hate This Scarf" | Madrid, Spain
“I Hate This Scarf” by Susan Cua is a striking pastel-on-paper composition that captures the visceral intensity and psychological tension of the Spanish bullfighting arena in Madrid, Spain. Rendered in a loose, gestural impressionist style, the work privileges movement, color, and emotional immediacy over precise figuration. The blurred contours of both matador and bull dissolve into sweeping arcs of saturated pigment, evoking not a literal scene but the sensation of motion,
Mar 172 min read
"Parisian Mémoir: Michel’s Studio"
In Parisian Mémoires: Michel’s Studio, Susan Cua presents an intimate glimpse into the layered atmosphere of her friend's workspace in Paris. Executed in pastel on paper, the composition demonstrates the immediacy and tactile quality characteristic of the medium, allowing color and gesture to convey both memory and place. The work reflects an impressionistic sensibility, a characteristic of Cua's work, in which atmosphere, movement, and emotional resonance take precedence.
Mar 152 min read
"Montmartre Trio - One Fine Day In Paris"
his pastel on paper by Susan Cua captures the everyday poetry of Montmartre in Paris, a neighborhood long associated with painters, cafés, and street artists. Executed in an impressionistic style, a key characteristic is Cua's works. The composition centers on three figures—viewed from behind—walking together through a lively open-air art market.
Mar 142 min read
"Chicago: Reflections at Crown Fountain, Millennium Park"
This pastel painting by Susan Cua captures a quiet, reflective moment near the iconic Crown Fountain in Millennium Park, one of the most recognizable public spaces in Chicago. Rather than depicting the fountain in its usual crowded summer atmosphere, the artist presents the scene with a contemplative calm. The broad walkway stretches forward, its wet surface reflecting muted city lights and colors, creating a soft mirror that leads the viewer deeper into the composition.
Mar 122 min read
"Northwestern University: The Shakespeare Garden"
"Northwestern University" The Shakespeare Garden" | Pastel On Paper | By Susan Cua This pastel on paper captures the quiet beauty of the Shakespeare Garden on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston . Known as one of the university’s most intimate and reflective spaces, the garden has long been a place where students pause between classes, read, or simply enjoy the calm presence of nature. In this work, artist Susan Cua transforms that familiar campus setting int
Mar 111 min read
"Lake Tahoe: View of Fannette Island"
This pastel landscape by Susan Cua is inspired by her many visits to Lake Tahoe with her family. the work leans toward an expressive interpretation of the landscape, focusing on atmosphere and feeling.
Mar 102 min read
"Girls' Day Out in Makati"
"Girls' Day Out in Makati" | Pastel on Paper | By Susan Cua This pastel on paper artwork by Susan Cua captures a quiet, intimate moment of everyday life in Makati . The viewer (Susan) looks over the shoulder of her cousin, Yvette, who sits comfortably in a salon chair while enjoying a manicure during a relaxed outing together. Rather than focusing on the activity alone, the painting beautifully preserves the atmosphere of companionship and pause within a busy city. The origi
Mar 71 min read
"Venetian Timeless Romance"
"Venetian Timeless Romance" | Oil on Canvas | By Susan Cua One of her Father's favorites, this early oil on canvas by Susan Cua captures the timeless romance of Venice, Italy , a city where water, architecture, and light merge into a living work of art. Painted during the artist’s formative years at her first "Paint Away Holiday" in Italy, the piece reveals the beginnings of Cua’s lifelong fascination with atmosphere and place. The gentle movement of the canal reflects the w
Mar 71 min read
"Chicago, My kind of Town!"
"Chicago, My Kind of Town!" | Pastel on Paper | By Susan Cua Chicago, My Kind of Town! by Susan Cua is an expressive pastel on paper capturing the vibrant spirit of the city often called the Chicago . Rendered in an impressionistic style, the artwork evokes the energy of downtown streets where architecture, people, and atmosphere blend together in a dynamic urban moment. Soft yet bold pastel strokes depict towering skyscrapers rising above a lively pedestrian scene. Famili
Mar 61 min read
"View from the Hill" | Granada, Spain
“View from a Hill” | Pastel on Paper | By Susan Cua “View from a Hill” captures the quiet majesty of Granada, Southern Spain in the soft, atmospheric language of pastel. Painted by Susan Cua, this impressionist landscape reflects the glow of evening light washing over ancient walls and rolling hills, where color and atmosphere touches the soul. Gentle purples, warm ochres, and misty greens blend together, inviting the viewer to linger in the feeling of place...sunset air, dis
Mar 61 min read
"Chicago Scene"
"Chicago Scene" | Pastel on Paper | By Susan Cua This impressionist pastel painting captures the vibrant energy of the skyline of Chicago during the quiet transition from day to evening. Rendered with expressive pastel strokes, the composition looks out across a sweeping urban landscape where the city’s high-rise buildings rise softly against a warm, glowing sky. Shades of gold, peach, and pale blue blend together, suggesting the fading light of sunset reflecting off the glas
Mar 51 min read
"Springtime in Amsterdam"
"Springtime in Amsterdam" | Pastel on Paper | By Susan Cua This soft pastel painting depicts a serene spring scene in Amsterdam, showcasing a tranquil canal bordered by lush green trees and traditional European architecture. A church tower gracefully ascends in the background, mirrored in the water below, while small red cars introduce hints of warmth and vitality along the street. The hazy, blended pastel strokes evoke a dreamy ambiance, highlighting light, reflection, and
Mar 51 min read
"Evening in Paris"
"Evening in Paris | Pastel on Paper | By Susan Cua This pastel painting elegantly depicts Paris at dusk, enveloped in the dramatic hues of sunset. The Eiffel Tower stands prominently at the center, softly illuminated against a vibrant sky that transitions from deep blue to warm shades of orange and red near the horizon. A large, pale moon is suspended low in the sky, imparting a serene, almost dreamlike quality to the scene. Below, the city unfolds in a blur of twinkling ligh
Mar 51 min read
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