Country Woman

48 COUNTRY WOMAN COUNTRYWOMANMAGAZINE.COMCOUNTRY AT HEARTThe Fort Collins residentdevoted 10 months to this publicart project. Working with fellowartist Eleanor Yates, Susan createda 55-foot-tall mural, Berthoud’sRoots, on the elevator, which wasbuilt around 1925.“It’s a tribute to both thetown’s agricultural past and thepresent spirit of the community,”Susan says. “The round hay balessymbolize farming techniquespracticed today. We used localpeople as our models.”Once the community approveda mock-up, the artists dividedit into a grid and enlarged eachsegment into a 5-foot-square clothpanel, then painted the panels.“We worked from bucket lifts,adhering 55 panels to the concreteelevator wall with acrylic gel,”Susan says. “After that, we paintedthe finishing touches and added acoat of weather-resistant sealer.”Tourists have to crane theirnecks to take in the larger-than-life scene.“That’s what I enjoy aboutpainting on a grand scale,” Susansays. “Viewers feel surrounded by``````Cooped up with one of her chickensin her studio, Susan plucks a tune.View her work at susankdailey.com. DEER: SUSAN DAILEY; STUDIO PORTRAIT: MIKE WITTMER``````the painting—as if they could walkin and become part of it.”Her first brush with agriculturecame during childhood visits toher grandparents’ farm. “Thosehappy memories and picturesfrom their photo albums inspiremany of my paintings,” she says.Travelers in Colorado, Idahoand New Mexico find Susan’screations cropping up in manyunexpected places. A multimediaartist, she’s created public murals,mosaics and sculptures to decorateschools, libraries, parks and even``````Colorado wildlife, like the deer depicted in this mosaic, flourish along the St. Vrain Creek in Longmont. Artists SusanDailey and Juli Schrader crafted handmade tiles to piece together the nature-inspired work for a community park.``````a walking trail underpass. Recentlya third-generation farm familycommissioned her to create atribute to their heritage wrappedaround their grain bin.“I’ve always loved Westernlandscapes—the wildlife andvast open spaces,” Susan says.By preserving them in paint, “Ihope people will remember theimportance of good stewardship,so this beauty will remain forgenerations.” Q````Viewers feelsurrounded bythe painting—as if theycould walk inand becomepart of it.a—SUSAN DAILEY```