In the heart of Crested Butte, a local artist is making a name for herself by capturing the beauty of the world around her in oil paintings. This summer will mark a significant milestone for her career as Susan Marrion has been chosen as the official poster artist for the Wildflower Festival.
Her journey as an artist began in 2004, when she picked up a paintbrush for the first time under the guidance of Crested Butte’s own John Ingham, a renowned local painter. Before that, she had never imagined herself as a painter, but the world of oil painting quickly became an outlet for her deep connection to the natural world.
“John helped me change the way I see things in nature,” she explains. “He taught me how to look beyond what my eyes simply perceive and to notice the subtle forms, shadows, colors, and values that make up the landscape. There’s so much more going on than what we initially realize, and painting has helped me understand that.”
With every brushstroke, she discovered a new way to translate her feelings into art, and it became clear that painting, much like her past love of writing, was an ideal medium to convey the emotions she felt in the presence of nature.
“I grew up writing about what I observed—light, color, form, and mood in nature. When John asked me why I wanted to paint, I realized it was for the same reason I had wanted to write. It’s about expressing and sharing the things I feel when I’m out in the natural world; the awe, wonder, beauty, appreciation and gratitude for it all” she reflects.
Her art has since evolved into a beautiful fusion of landscape and emotion, each piece offering viewers a window into her personal connection to the natural world. The Wildflower Festival poster commission was the perfect opportunity for her to share this gift with the community. For the 2025 poster, she brought her vision to life in a stunning work, “Splendor on the Lupine Trail,” which celebrates the vibrant colors and delicate forms of wildflowers on one of our beloved trails.
“This year’s Wildflower Festival poster is a special honor for me. It’s an opportunity to showcase the beauty of Crested Butte’s Wildflowers, which I hold dear to my heart. They’re my favorite subjects to paint. To be able to represent this iconic event and its celebration of nature through my art feels like a beautiful full circle,” she says with a warm smile.
Whether it’s a delicate flower bending in the wind or the play of light on the mountain’s edge, this local artist continues to inspire and delight through her artistic vision. Her passion for both nature and the art of painting shines through in every piece, reminding us of the beauty that surrounds us every day. As the 2025 Wildflower Festival poster artist, she will undoubtedly leave a lasting mark on the community, one brushstroke at a time.
