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In a 2008 interview with the Arizona Daily Star, Susan Imwalle said of her art, "It's not just about seeing. All the senses need to be activated when painting." Whether focused strictly on painting or living her vibrant life, Susan Imwalle embraced every experience with all her senses. She was strong, remarkable, funny and articulate. She was luminous. "I'm turned on to color," Susan was known to say, "and what it does in light and shadow, especially living here (in the desert)."
Some color left this world with Susan's departure on April 19, 2023.
Born November 11, 1942, in Portland, Oregon, Susan was surrounded by art from an early age. Her father, an accomplished artist himself, was both a mentor and role model. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School, Susan enrolled at the University of Oregon to pursue a degree in art education, with a minor in drawing and painting. She jumped into life as an undergraduate and became a member of the sorority Alpha Phi International Fraternity.
Just a few short weeks into her college career, vivacious and beautiful Susan Marie Fort caught the eye of fellow Oregon Duck Richard (Dick) Imwalle. Thus began a decades-long partnership. Married for more than 58 years, Dick and Susan's life together was indeed colorful. As Dick said, "No matter what the project if Susan was involved, you knew it was going to be a kick."
In the mid-1960s, Dick's Army service took them to Seoul, South Korea. Susan was an art teacher for the U.S. Department of Defense school system. For the rest of her life, Susan continued to share her gift with others. As a teacher and guide, she led several international painting trips for students of all abilities. The trips were immersive encounters with travel, adventure, and art. Susan was inspired by travel. "I've got to be out there. Something's got to trigger me and that's usually travel."
Dick and Susan returned to Oregon following Dick's military service, before his career took them first to Southern California and then to their lifelong home in Tucson, Arizona. They raised two children and were engaged and contributing business and civic leaders. Susan was a past member of the University of Arizona College of Fine Arts Advisory Board and the Salpointe Catholic High School Parent Association, a Silver & Turquoise Ball Honorary Hostess, a member of the BGs Breakfast Group, the Tucson Medical Center Healing Art Program and of course the University of Oregon Alumni Association. Once a Duck, Always a Duck.
Dick was President & CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation for nearly three decades. Susan was by his side, a supportive partner who added her insight, creativity, and sharp wit to their community responsibilities. "She had to have a sense of humor, to be married to me," Dick said.
Susan and Dick had that rare quality in a couple that drew people to them. High profile and high energy, their home was the site of countless gatherings, marked by great company, fabulous food, and even better wine. Consummate hosts, the Imwalles had legions of friends. They also enjoyed a rare nucleus of close and loyal confidants with whom they have shared life's levity and gravity, tragedies and triumphs.
Talented across a variety of artistic media, Susan's passion was watercolor. Scores of her creations reflect life in the desert southwest - vaqueros (cowboys), old pueblo street scenes, western boots, swirling skirts, flora and fauna, markets and haciendas. Her expansive portfolio also portrays scenes and moments from across the globe, including Peru, Greece, Denmark, Croatia, Iceland, and a favorite of more recent years, Troncones, Manzanillo Bay, Mexico.
Susan's work may be found online, in galleries across the United States and in Europe, and in private and public collections. Among her numerous commissions, Susan was well-known for her representation of two iconic Tucson landmarks: the Mission San Xavier del Bac and the UA's original building, Old Main.
Susan - Nan Suz to her grandchildren and Suz to those who knew her best - was an extraordinary wife, mother, and grandmother who loved her family fiercely and was loved in return. She is survived by her husband Richard F. Imwalle, son Brian Imwalle, daughter Jill (Jason) McKenna; grandchildren Cameron Imwalle, Isabella Imwalle, Seamus McKenna, Jack Warren, and Sydney Warren; siblings Sarah (Steve) Bush, Margaret (Scott) Terrall and John Fort; nieces and nephews; and friends around the world. Susan is predeceased by her parents, Esther and Sam Fort.
Susan's lifetime of contributions to the arts in Tucson and the Southwest will forever inspire artists and art lovers. "My work is generated by emotion," Susan once said. As we pay tribute to this community and family legend, we respond in kind with our own emotions, borne of that final goodbye.
The Susan Imwalle Scholarship for Community Art Engagement
Creation of the Susan Imwalle Scholarship for Community Art Engagement is a testament to the extraordinary life and unwavering commitment of Susan Imwalle to art and volunteerism. By establishing this scholarship, we aim to provide art students with the opportunity to embrace unpaid internships and community and non-profit organizations. Celebrated annually at the School of Art’s prestigious scholarship event, this scholarship will create an enduring tribute to Susan’s profound impact, her legacy and her invaluable contributions to the art community. By focusing the scholarship on non-profit and community-based art initiatives, we not only honor Susan’s remarkable influence but also instill a sense of social responsibility and community engagement in the next generation of artists.
