Suzanne Hawken

Suzanne's life has taken her in many directions around the world. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the early 70's, she spent the first six years of her life there before moving to a small, countryside town of Paignton, Devon, England. Most envision England's weather as mostly rainy and gloomy, which is, for the most part, very much true. However, where Suzanne grew up, it was known throughout the country as the English Riviera; complete with at least three more days of sun a year, where palm trees grow and hoards of vacationers from all over the country would visit year after year.    

During the eleven years of growing up in England, Suzanne discovered her artistic passions, both through drawing and photography. She would spend hours in nearby forests drawing what she encountered, mostly in pencil and charcoal. Suzanne would find herself drawing at every opportunity she could grab ahold of, but in the early 80's she was introduced to her first camera and suddenly a whole new world of artistic expression was unveiled. 

After finishing high school (or as it is known in England, secondary school) at the age of 15, Suzanne began working full time as a secretary and within a year she had saved enough money to move back to Canada, where she had dreamed of returning to since the day she left. Returning to higher education in the early 90's, Suzanne obtained a degree in Criminal Psychology - an obscure career path for someone with such a creative mind, but true crime and understanding a criminal's mind was something she was also invested in. However, it did not take long for Suzanne to realize this path was one that was not right for her and instead went back to working in the administrative field. 

In the early 2000's, after having her first son and moving to Florida, Suzanne launched her first of two marketing agencies where her creativity was put back to use through designing marketing materials, learning html coding to create websites, and crafting various content for her clientele. During this time, Suzanne also returned to photography in her personal time and, over the course of the next 20 years, she slowly crafted her own style and creative processes. 

Suzanne is now living and working in beautiful Napa, California with her husband, Simon, her youngest child, Robin, and step-daughter, Olivia. Suzanne is a full-time photographer specializing in the wine industry - from bottle shots, to lifestyle shoots and beyond. Her latest passion project is creating the first ever Rescue Dogs of Napa Valley photo book where she not only is bringing much needed limelight to rescues, but the amazing owners, but the shelters and rescue organizations in the Valley. 

In my artistic expression, I uncover beauty in the overlooked and ordinary. My work transcends traditional aesthetics, finding inspiration in the subtle interplay of light, color, and the unspoken narratives woven into our surroundings.I embrace imperfections and transience, revealing the extraordinary within the mundane. Through my photography, I channel a deep appreciation for life's details, seeking to evoke wonder and reverence.

My creative process is a journey of discovery, highlighting the inherent beauty in overlooked moments. By celebrating the unnoticed and embracing the ephemerality of existence, I convey a message of optimism and gratitude.

I invite viewers to join me in this exploration, to see beyond the surface and discover the profound beauty embedded in the simplicity of life. Through my art, I aspire to inspire a deeper connection with the extraordinary that permeates every corner of our shared experience.

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