Susan Zeppellini
Born in 1954 to an immigrant Italian family in Brazil, Susan Zeppellini has been a resident of the UK since 1989, initially settling in London before moving to Wales in 2007. In 2014, she established BaseArt Studio, Gallery & Pottery Workshops, where she directs and teaches.
Susan works with clay, creating sculptures and paintings that invite viewers on a visual and tactile journey. Her artistic process is organic, reflecting a deep connection to her materials. She graduated in Marketing and Advertising from the Panamericana School of Arts in São Paulo, Brazil, before earning her BA in Art Practice at South Wales University, where she achieved first-class honors in figurative ceramics.
Throughout her career, Susan has participated in numerous exhibitions in Brazil and the UK, including both solo and group shows, and has received several awards for her work.
Her desire to explore and innovate has led her through various ventures, including roles in advertising agencies like Norton and SGB, owning a dance school, and working as a designer in the clothing industry. Notably, she was the first female painter for a Formula One team, working on race cars and motorcycles, a role that further honed her artistic skills.
As a dedicated full-time artist and tutor, Susan takes pride in her achievements and is passionate about guiding her students in their artistic journeys. She feels fortunate to live her dream and do what she loves, looking forward to continuing this path for years to come.
Historical
EDUCATION
2009-2013
BA Honors Art Practice, First Class, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, Wales, UK.
1970-1973
Marketing and Advertising degree, Escola Panamericana de Artes, São Paulo, Brazil.
1966-1969
Colegio Cardeal Motta, equal to A level, São Paulo, Brazil.
1959-1965
Colegio Nossa Senhora das Graças, equal to GCSE, São Paulo, Brasil.
AWARDS
2011
Art Practice Progress Prize Winner, Glamorgan University, Pontypridd, Wales, UK.
1988
Golden Medal Winner at “Salao Pararrealistic”, São Paulo, Brazil
1987
Bronze Medal Winner at “Salao Portinare of Vanguard Brazilian Fine Arts”, 1987, São Paulo, Brazil
EXHIBITIONS AND CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE
2018
Solo Exhibition, The Crow Descend, Giles Gallery, Cardiff, Wales, UK
2017
Solo Exhibition, The Crow Descend, Cynon Valley Museum Trust, Wales, UK
Solo Exhibition, The Crow Descend, Workers Gallery, Wales, UK
Working Out Exhibition, Workers Gallery and Studios, Wales, UK
Permanently showing at Workers Gallery and Studios, Wales, UK
2016
A World of Work, annual exhibition, Workers Gallery and Studios, Wales, UK
2015
"Transition", first Base Art group Exhibition, Art in Attic Gallery, The Factory, Porth, Wales, UK.
"Valleys Art exhibition", Oriel A&B, Cardiff Bay, Wales, UK.
"BIGsmallArt Wales", touring exhibition at Workers Gallery, CreativeTea, Art in the Attic Gallery, Louise Collins Attic Studio, Cynon Valley Museum and Gallery, Blackwood Institute and Giles Gallery, Wales, UK.
2014
"Essence", Oriel Bach, Swansea, Wales, UK
Mandela Exhibition, White Rose Information Resource Centre, Gwent, Wales, UK.
The Crux of the Matter, Art in the Attic Gallery, The Factory, Porth, Wales, UK.
2013
CFTHIRTYSEVEN Art Practice Degree Show, South Wales University,Treforest Campus, Wales, UK
2012
Great Summer Exhibition 2012, Butetown History & Arts Centre, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
Wunderland II: tactileBOSCH Gallery & Studios, Andrews Road, Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales UK.
2011
Moist Bosch Exhibition, Artistic Collaboration installation, with Tiff Oben and Jan Jenkins at tactileBOSH Gallery & Studios, Andrews Road, Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales UK..
Exhibited and co-curator with Dr Ceri Thomas for the “Half a Degree” BA Art Practice Group Exhibition, Oriel y Bont, Ty Crawshey, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, Wales, UK.
2010
“International Women Week”, collaboration Installation artwork, Susan Zeppellini and Anna Llewellyn.
“Solo Exhibition at The Runnymede Gallery”, Windsor, UK
“Solo Exhibition at St Donats” – St Donats Castle, Llantwit Major, Wales, UK
2009
“Off the Wall Christmas Show – The Art of Giving”- Off the Wall Contemporary Art Gallery – The Old Probate Registry, Cardiff Road, Llandaff, Cardiff, UK.
“Windsor Contemporary Art Fair″ – Royal Windsor Racecourse, Windsor, UK.
“The Untitled Artists Fair”, Chelsea’s Old Town Hall, Kings Road, London, UK.
“New Art Originals Street Exhibition”, March at Southwark Bridge Road London, UK.
2006
“Other Worldly Forests” Solo Exhibition at Canning House, Belgravia, London, UK.
2000
“Millennium Exhibition, Riverside Studios”, London, UK
1999
Curate and exhibited on “Since Samba has been Samba Exhibition”, Royal Albert Hall, London, UK.
1991-1992
Curate and exhibited on “Festa de Artes Brazil Exhibition” at Working’s Men’s College, London, UK.
Curate and exhibited on Collective Exhibition Artists from Holland, France, England and Brazil, supported by Brazilian Embassy at Butler’s Warf Gallery, London, UK.
1991-1992
Guest Artist at the Exhibition of two large environment conferences,“Omame” (Brasilia) and “ECO” (Rio de Janeiro), Brazil.
Exhibition “Prisoners Abroad” at Crypt Gallery, London, UK.
1990-1991
Exhibition in a Private Hall in Chelsea, London.
1989-1990
“Candid 89 art exhibition” at Business Design Centre, London, UK
Exhibition “ No Boundaries on the Planet of Tupis Toris” at London Ecology Centre Gallery, Covent Garden, London, UK
Exhibition “We all live in the same Maloca” at the London Ecology Center Gallery, Covent Garden, London, UK.
Exhibition “Moscow Global Forum Exhibition” on environment and development for survival, Moscow, Russia.
1982-1983
“Pirelli Prize”, MASP (Modern Art Museum of São Paulo), São Paulo, Brazil.
“44th Paulista Fine Art Exhibition”, at Pinacoteca, São Paulo Fine Arts University, São Paulo, Brazil.
RESIDENCY
2011
The Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
CREATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE
2014 - Today
Founder and Art Director of BaseArt Studios, Gallery & Pottery Workshops, Cardiff, Wales, UK
2013-2014
Freelance Interactive Designer at Penrhys partnership.
2011
Technician for an installation by Nigel Talbot at Howard Gardens Gallery, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
Pottery Studio Workshop at St Fagans: Natural History Museum, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
Co-curator with Dr Ceri Thomas and exhibited “Half a Degree” BA Art Practice Group Exhibition, Oriel y Bont, Ty Crawshay
2000-2006
Private commissions to national and international audiences
1991
Designed and put up various sets for private functions in London
1989
Freelancer: designing exhibition stands, theatre sets, fashion and textile design, São Paulo, Brazil
1984-1989
Designed costumes for Vanguard (modern) dance groups such as Ismael Guizer, Arabesque, Imagem Ballet, Grupo Corpo and Grupo Raça.
1979-1981
Work as an illustrator and photographer at Duas Rodas and Moto Journal magazines, São Paulo Brazil.
1975-1978
Run my studio specialized in airbrush technique. I was one of the first person in Brazil to paint on motorcycles, helmets, lorries and cars as a work of art.
One of my best known works being Emerson Fittipaldi’s Formula One car, “The Copersucar”.
1971-1974
Employed as an Art Director Assistant at Norton Publicity, Spot Advertising and SGB Advertising in São Paulo, Brazil.