Susanna Lea (a.k.a. ZannaLea) works out of her home in Northern California, a region of unparalleled beauty and diverse landscapes. She is blessed to have spent most of her life there, and to have been raised with the ethos of San Francisco — a city distinguished by its existence outside the box, in which creative, progressive thought and vision thrive, and where every soul is encouraged to live and express his or her true self. Her work is derived from the bounty of these influences.

Although much of her work appears to be generated from artists’ media such as watercolor, chalk, ink, or embroidery, each piece has evolved from her own original photography. The art emerges when a certain shot suggests to her a non-photographic, traditionally artistic style or medium. Alternating between various digital processing programs, she modulates that photo, employing a combination of artistic intuition and painstaking experimentation. The style, texture, tone and color of each completed piece reflect her perception of the inherent beauty or endearing quirks of the subject.  Her artistic objective is to distance photography from recording objective reality, and share the delight she experiences when allowing her mind’s eye to linger, mingle and play with what she sees. To inspire the viewer — you — to live your life and perceive your world, even the most mundane aspects, with imagination. She hopes you enjoy her artwork, and invites you to bring it into your home.