Sue Steele Thomas has been painting automobiles since 1988. Sue’s paintings have been exhibited in many invitational and juried exhibits throughout the country. Sue is a Professor of Art, holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Radford University and Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Fredonia. Sue began her art career at the age of five and has continued with the dream of becoming a skilled and master painter. Sue’s painting medium is gouache and her intrigue never ends in making each shape flat and smooth. Her paintings have merged nature and the automobile in a colorful juxtaposition of the mechanics of each subject. Sue paints and teaches, both being full-time professions as she continues to produce sensitive and emotive art. Sue's subjects are automotive but she does accept other exciting illustration projects.  

Road & Track Magazine
Overdrive Magazine, India
OCTANE Magazine, United Kingdom,
ASCO MAXX Magazine, Indonesia

CURRENT POSITION:
1981- Present Automobile Fine Artist/Painter

2005 - Present Professor of Art
  Communication Design | Art Department
Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke, VA
• Assistant Program Head of the Art Department
• Program Head of the Humanities Department
 Courses taught: drawing, figure drawing, design, watercolor, illustration and art history
Manage and supervise the Spring Fling Juried Student Art Exhibit

2001 - 2005 Adjunct Instructor of Art
Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke, VA

EDUCATION:
2005 M.F.A. Studio Art
Radford University, Radford, VA
Concentration in Watercolor, Gouache, Drawing

1981 B.A. Studio Art (Painting)
State University of New York, College at Fredonia, NY
 

• Interview/Feature Story (blog) on Car Art Spot with Marcel G. Haan, March 2016 http://www.carartspot.com/car-art/artists/car-art-blog/sue-steele-a-southern-belle-automotive-artist.html

• Designer/Illustrator: created the original gouache painting for The Bubble Rule book cover, published in November 2015. Written by Clement Binnings, Jr., MD.

• Award: 3rd place, Ault Park Concours d’Elegance, Cincinnati, OH, June 2015

• Award: 3rd place, Lexington Concours d’Elegance, Lexington, KY, July 2015

• Associate Member, AFAS, invited to exhibit at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Pebble Beach, CA, August 2015. Alfa Romeo in the Shasta Daisies published in the program, page 110-111.

• Distinction Magazine, Norfolk, VA, volume 25, “High-End Paint Job” feature story by Larry Printz, Photography by Adam Ewing, pages 38-40, Winter 2014.

• Hunting Hills Living Magazine, Roanoke, VA, front cover, feature story by Radford Thomas, pages 10-11, three paintings published, November 2014.

• Automotive Fine Arts Society Journal. afasjournal.com, volume 5, number 2, feature story, 5 pages, 5 paintings published, 500-word essay by Sue Steele Thomas, September 2014. http://www.afasjournal.com/2014_September/page045_thomas_01.html

• Museums’ Choice Award 2013, Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Museum, Auburn, IN, Solo Exhibit, displayed seventeen works exhibited, May 13 – June 5, 2014.

• Associate Member (AFAS) invited to an international exhibition at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, FL (one of 12 artists invited to exhibit). Tropical Alfa printed on page 137 of the 200-page program, March 2014.

• Elected Associate Member (AFAS) Automotive Fine Arts Society, (25 active members internationally) Pebble Beach, CA August 2013.

• Guest Artist: (AFAS) Automotive Fine Arts Society, Pebble Beach, CA, August 2013.

• Featured Article, May 2013 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car, three paintings were featured: Bentley in the Garden, Tropical Alfa, Weathered Alfa, page 61.

• Featured Article, April 2013 issue of Hemmings Classic Car, two paintings were featured: Auburn in the Sunset and Legacy of the Coachbuilders, page 15.

• WDBJ-TV Channel 7, Roanoke, VA, Featured story, Sue Steele Thomas: Local Artist’s Auto Art seen Worldwide, by Anchor/Reporter, Jean Jadhon, January 16, 2012, 6 PM news.

• One Woman Exhibit: Chuck Mathena Center, Princeton, West Virginia, Rotunda Art Gallery, November 2011-January 2012. Thirty-one works exhibited.

• Pump Artist, AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) “Pumps on Parade” selected as one of six automotive artists from the United States invited to paint an image of their artwork directly on a three-dimensional gas pump. Award: artist name on an 8” X 8” brick at the entrance of museum for their contribution to the “Night at the Museum Gala & Auction”, October 2010

• Poster Artist, CCCA (Classic Car Club of America) Concours at Hickory Corners, MI, June 2010, designed and painted a 36” X 24” original gouache painting used for the poster, program cover and tickets for the event. Maple Leaves Upon the Classics was purchased by a patron and donated to the CCCA Museum’s permanent collection.

• Featured Artist, designed and painted the original painting for the Ault Park Concours d’Elegance, Cincinnati, OH, June 2010, featured in Cincinnati Magazine

• Guest Artist: (AFAS) Automotive Fine Arts Society, Amelia Island, FL, March 2009

• Award: Chairman’s Award at the CCCA (Classic Car Club of America) Hickory Corners, MI Automotive Art Show, June 2009