Susan was born in Brisbane where she worked and exhibited as a painter and sculptor. She now works from her studio in Tasmania.
She studied commercial art at Brisbane Technical College (now QUT) and later worked as a fashion illustrator, initially for David Jones and later for a private commercial art studio.
After the birth of her two daughters, she turned to portraiture, life drawings and landscapes, in acrylic, pastel and watercolour, receiving numerous private commissions, including life size portraits of the headmistresses of Brisbane Girls Grammar School and Clayfield College.
The following is a list of some of the highlights of her work.
1987 Life-size portrait of the artist Lloyd Rees was selected for final judging of the Suncorp Biennial Art Awards.
Susan`s sculpting mentors were the late Mark Lee Bernstein and Frank Lambert.
1997 “Contemplation” – bronze sculpture was acquired by Stanthorpe Art Gallery, for their permanent collection.
2000 “Release” – bronze sculpture won the Indoor Section of the Society of Sculptors Queensland, Annual Exhibition.
2002 “Grace” – bronze figure won both the People`s Choice Award and the Award for Traditional Skills at the Society of Sculptors Queensland, Annual Exhibition
2003 “Lovers” – bronze sculpture won the People`s Choice Award at the Society of Sculptors Queensland Annual Exhibition.
2013 “Enchanted” – bronze sculpture, Susan’s first child sculpture. The work was inspired by her eldest granddaughter who has a love of books.
2015 “Pensive” – bronze sculpture, inspired by her youngest grandson.
2015 “Western Desert Man” – bronze sculpture, was informed by early ethnographic photographic images of Western Desert aboriginal people. The sculpture is not of a particular individual.
A wide range of Susan’s work is permanently exhibited at CWM Galleries Sydney. Several of her bronze sculptures are exhibited at Henry Jones Design Gallery Hobart. Samples of her paintings and figurative sculptures can be viewed on her website –wwwSusanBleakleySculptor.com
Her work is represented in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Mexico, Asia, the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
Perides Art Foundry in Brisbane casts her bronze sculptures.
Since moving to Hobart in 2015 where her family now live, Susan has returned to painting, inspired by the ever-changing light and mood of the Tasmanian landscape.