By DeAnn Lubell
Photo credit: (photo of Susan BY Jon Abeyta and photos of her artwork by Susan Stein or Lani Garfield)
The word ‘remarkable’ barely begins to describe Susan Stein. Susan is widely known for her uncanny sense of style and knowledge of fashion. As the longtime Fashion and Scene Editor for Palm Springs Life Magazine, she has been at the helm of the internationally popular Fashion Week El Paseo in Palm Desert for 15 years. Under her guidance, Fashion Week has grown into a major international event and billed as the biggest fashion extravaganzas on the west coast drawing a record-breaking attendance of over 13,500 attendees in 2022.
A few years ago, Susan’s husband, Dick, passed away leaving a huge void in her life. She was encouraged by a good friend to take a painting class to cope with her grief. “I was an art history minor and loved art,” said Susan. “I never thought that I could create anything worthwhile. The moment I put paint on the brush and made a mark on the canvas in that class, I was in heaven. It was freeing and relaxing.”
Susan had once been told by her 7th grade art teacher that she did not have artistic talent. And now, not only does she continue to paint for the joy of it, but her acrylic paintings, to her surprise and delight, are eagerly being purchased by art aficionados. Her first one-woman show held at Saks Fifth Avenue in Palm Desert last year was a smashing success selling 19 out of the 25 paintings in one evening. Her follow up show at Saks Fifth Avenue this past November 2022 was equally successful. She was told by one observer that her brightly colored abstract works-of-art make people happy.
“My style of art is inspired by my work in the fashion industry and all things visually stimulating,” said Susan.
To learn more about Susan Stein and to view a gallery of her art, please go to www.susansteinstyle.com.
