Susan Hackney has had an ongoing love affair with animals and art since she was a child. Born and raised in Abilene, Texas, she has always been surrounded by dogs and horses. As a child, Susan enrolled in an Art Instruction Schools correspondence course and received her first art award and recognition in the fifth grade.  She has since then continued to draw and paint; as well as study other artists' works and develop her own personal style.

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While attending college, she majored in art, with a focus on drawing, design and painting. She has studied under multiple masters including Lajos Markos in Houston, Texas. Her three-year apprenticeship under his instruction proved to be a formidable part of her development.

Susan’s ability to capture an animal or any subject’s expressions and gestures is something she has been recognized for and she maintains a continual focus on studying and experimenting with new techniques and color strategies to perfect her style and knowledge.