About the Artist                                                                                                                      Home

              Suzy with her son Joseph                                                                              Suzy & Carey's son William and daughter Elizabeth

        Killeen, TX – December 2004                                                                                                      Summer 2007

About the Artist 

Family was always important to Suzy Shealy’s firstborn son, Army SGT A. Joseph Derrick, and his genuine concern for families – military and civilian – in their time of great need was a part of his daily life.  Joseph, an MP with the 411^th MP Co., Ft. Hood, TX, lost his life serving his country in Baghdad, Iraq on September 23, 2005.

With over 600 digital photos from Joseph's flash drive that came to her with his personal effects, she began painting her Iraq Series.  As Suzy paints from these photos, she reflects on her beloved son's life and contemplates which images he might have taken and why the images he kept were important to him; helping her celebrate his life and deal with her grief in a meaningful way.  Using these original oil paintings, Suzy has had Gicleé Prints on artist quality watercolor paper made and feels it only fitting that the sales of these gicleé prints benefit charities that minister to families, both military and civilian, to honor Joseph’s memory.  Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia held a special place in Joseph’s heart and Suzy is certain Fisher House Foundation, Inc. would as well, because both charities provide families with a place to stay so they can be near their injured or critically ill loved ones being treated in area military and civilian medical facilities.  It is her desire that both charities benefit from the sales of these gicleé prints in loving memory of her son and in honor of all who selflessly serve in the United States Armed Forces.

Suzy is a member of Corley Mill Artists Group with Michel McNinch, instructor, Secretary of Trenholm Artists Guild, the Cultural Council, and the Portrait Society of America.  She also studies privately with noted portrait artist, Michael Del Priore.  In addition to her ongoing Iraqi Series, recently featured in the August 2007 Lake Murray -Columbia™ Magazine, she paints commissioned portraits, pets, horses and wildlife, canvas floor cloths in acrylics, and furniture.  She has been happily married to husband Carey for over 25 years.  They are blessed with two adult children; a son William and daughter Elizabeth.