Welcome, Bienvenidos!

Andy Pet Keepsake Box - Finished!

Andy's pet keepsake box is finished and on it's way.  Andy was a ball loving, squirrel chasing sweet
Coton de Tulear. These personal little boxes embellished with gold and silver highlights, each tell a story of the subject. Creating permanent memories of sweet, loved companions!

There will be a few boxes of wildlife subjects and I am thinking of pure black and white. The ink class is having me think in new design directions :)


Mastering Inking Skillshare Class

One of the Current classes I am in: Mastering Inking with Yuko Shimizu.

She is an amazing illustrator and I'm having fun revisiting/learning inking again.
Yes, I will submit my class projects in her contest! (you will read about it in the class description link).

First pen and ink of fawn with Micron pens instead of brushes. Next ones will play with brushes.
Pens offered soft, fine blends. (Scan is from a laser copy so kind of rough)
Fawn Ink Drawing - Sue Betanzos " A year from now you may wish you had started today." ~ Karen Lamb

One of my very favorite ♥ treats to myself ♥ this summer is enrolling in the Skillshare Classes site.
Technology is a beautiful thing since it allows access to Anything you want to learn. For those of us who can't dash off to attend workshops, these online classes are a wonderful gift.

Skillshare is a site where one can take a wide variety of online classes. There are many online class sites and I chose this site because it had instructors I admired and knew I would benefit from.
Plus it is well within my budget and there is unlimited access to the classes you take.

Tons of free stuff also on Youtube, so between the two I get to "go to class" every morning starting at 5 am when I am mentally at my sharpest via a giant Cup O' Joe :)

Want to expand your skills or learn new ones? Then check out budget friendly Skillshare  - do some window shopping :) for your brain.


Screenshot of the Ink Contest from Yuko's class:
Work that shows the important artist questions; "Who you are, What you want to express, Effort you have put into your work"


Studio Muse Risa Girlie

Risa, 14.7 years. My studio muse and BFF.  Some days are better than others, but all are golden and make me love her all the more :)

Andy's Keepsake Box

Andy was a sweet companion who loved his toys and chasing squirrels :)
This box in progress will hold his ashes and collar.
The front will have his favorite orange ball, the sides with tree branches and the back with a squirrel. Inside will have the faux stone finish. Andy was a Coton de Tulear.

Materials used include a birch box, acrylic paints, variety of artists brushes. Though I always have plenty of brushes, in the end I always select a few favorites for each project.


Custom Mosaic Address Plaque - finished!

Glass and ceramic tile custom mosaic address plaque Finished  :)
Below are the steps for reverse indirect technique used in this project.
Address Plaque by  Sue Betanzos Designs

Layout your design with clear contact paper, sticky side up to prevent pieces from moving when placed.

All laid out according to the design. Vermillion Flycatcher with prickly pear and bee.


Firmly apply/adhere mosaic tile tape to the surface. A heavy grade clear tape for mosaics. 



Carefully flip the mosaic. Now the backside is ready for a thin coat of grout and cement. The grout will fill from the back for an even front surface and prevent cement from seeping through.

Butter the substrate (1/2" Wedi board) and a very thin coat on top of the pre-grout. This ensures complete adhesion of all tiles for a firm bond. Vital for outdoor pieces to withstand weather.

Center and Seat the substrate onto the prepped area. This is already on a heavy cardboard bottom. Put another firm board on top to sandwich and flip so now the right side of the mosaic will be on top.

With a tile float, press the tiles to make sure all is bonded. Then let the cement and tile cure a few hours (depending on air moisture/environment).  Use the container the cement was mixed in to test the hardness of the cement as it cures.
When it has hardened to very firm clay, Carefully test a corner of the mosaic film for tile adhesion. The tiles should remain in place.  Gently begin peeling the film at right angle (Not straight up which can pull pieces off since the cement is not hardened).  


Once tile tape has been removed start cleaning excess grout with toothbrush, brushing off excess. The grout should be at the point where it can still be removed from the surface as it begins to harden more.


Certain areas will need more filing if the mosaic is mixed media, such as this one. Plus the edges and bottom still need finishing.


The sides are finished with tile and a touch of silver chain added to the bottom to complement the mirror accents. Last step, grout the edges and the chain, clean and polish. Let it cure for a few days. Cement and grout will continue hardening for 10 - 15 days depending on moisture environment (especially the cement).

This address plaque is ready to hang. It can also be done without hangers for direct permanent application on a surface.
(hangers were applied onto the Wedi board Before mosaic was assembled)

Animal & Nature Keepsake Boxes

Playing with images on keepsake boxes that combine mixed media with hand painting and faux finishes.  Dogs, words, nature, mermaids and more will be explored.
Birds and boxes - summer studio fun.
The new Keepsake Boxes can be found on my new Etsy store Art Of Sue.

Deals for you! I'm clearing out my studio for new work in the STUDIO SALES section.

Aussie Keepsake Box, Risa StarGazer

Back in my mural painting, faux finishing days, faux/fantasy stone finishes were my specialty. Mostly on furniture.

It took many hours and practice boards to develop the techniques and I LOVE the wabi sabi of the stone finishes.

The boxes will all be different in mixed medias. They are sealed with two coats of clear sealer.


Sing Your Song

New collection of painting with song birds and nature themes.

Paired with the birds will be a selection of copyright free quotes, words, proverbs. 

As a lifetime collector of books, words, literature, quotes and proverbs, this is a project I've really been wanting to do.

Let's see how much I can get done!! 

I Love the days that always start with the singing of birds. 

The meadowlark is known for it's beautiful song.

Song birds sing for identity, territory, mating.
Lucky us that can listen to their song!



How I preserve my Artist brushes



This is the method I have used for Many Years to preserve and dry my brushes. Brushes are an investment for many artists. Although they eventually wear out and get downgraded as they wear down, a few simple steps can greatly extend the life of your favorite brushes.

1. Don't let the paint dry on the brush. Clean them whenever you are going to be away for more than an hour.

2. The anatomy of a brush and why you don't want to store them brush up when wet. The glue in the metal part called the ferrel should not be soaked or sit in water. Brush hair will start falling out.
Laying the brush on it's side does not do as well as hanging the brush head down so the moisture drips down and out.

3. Brush Washer. Hobby Lobby 6.00 or get it from Michaels, Dick Blick etc. Super handy - get a couple. I remove the metal screen at the bottom, don't need it.

4. Plastic coated mesh screen to put in your water container. Swishing the brush over this screen gets a lot of paint off and keeps it off while you paint. Don't stand the brush in it though - it separates the hairs too much and bends them.

5. Brush cleaning soap. Wash your brushes in the special soap thouroughly, reshape and hang Hair Side Down from the brush washer so the water drips off the ends of the brush, not back into the ferral.

6. When dry, store brush side up in a container and put a plastic zip over them to keep the dust off. Note: the spring/brush holder on the brush washers from H.L. too thick/stiff. Brushes tend to pop off,  but it can be replaced.

Mosaic Finished and Installed at TWC






 Opening day and Wilber the mascot logo mosaic is installed in Tucson Wildlife Center reception office. Looks nice and Lisa Bates (next to me) president CEO has done an awesome job not only establishing this wildlife rescue center, but also opening the Sam Goldman Wildlife Hospital, the only state of the art wildlife rescue hospital facility in AZ  with ultra modern medical equipment, surgery room and much more.

She is nothing short of amazing. Check out their website, donate anything (they have a wish list of things they always need as well as $$) and tune into their Facebook page for current rescue stories.

Tucson Wildlife Mosaic Installed

The new and Only wildlife rescue hospital at Tucson Wildlife Center opened earlier this month and the mosaic I did of their logo hangs in the reception entry area. This photo was taken before the grand opening with lots of people.
Mosaic - Tucson Wildlife Center 30" x 30"
The mosaic piece took much longer to complete than anticipated. After a family illness other things seemed to always come up. Then it was damaged during fabrication leading to more time in repairs.

So glad to finally see Wilber the Bobcat mascot logo hanging! It glitters with light and color in the office. Check out Tucson Wildlife's Facebook page for all the latest rescue news. Donate on their TWC website - every donation counts for this non-profit wildlife rescue that runs Entirely on donations.


Below are most of the work in progress steps for those interested in making mosaics. Due to to high detail and many tiny pieces, the Double Reverse Mosaic technique was used to make this mosaic mural. 

• After tracing the logo onto cement board, I cut the hardi backer cement board with an angle grinder.
• The traced logo was hand painted with acrylics like a portrait color study guide to match the glass colors.
• Clear contact paper is cut to the size of the painted board, sticky side up so cut glass mosaic pieces will stick to it and not move or shift. The contact paper is taped to the board edge in 8 places.
• The stained glass is hand selected to match the color references not only to the logo but also to Wilber the bobcat mascot at Tucson Wildlife Center.
• Stained glass is selected and laid out to match the fur growth direction, pattern and color. Then the glass is cut in shapes that match fur texture and color for movement. The grout will be black to help outline the movement and texture of the fur.
• Each piece of glass is hand traced with a sharpie pen, then cut and fitted into place with a glass wheel cutter (favorite tool). Tweezers are used to fit each glass into place.
• The eye is often the most important focal point of an animal portrait and the glass was carefully selected for color and fit based on several reference nature photos.
• Once the mosaic was finished, clear special mosaic tape was applied to the front making sure every tiny piece stuck to the tape. 
• Then the piece was flipped over, the contact paper was peeled off the back and the piece was pre-grouted and wiped so the black grout filled the spaces in the glass. Pre-grouting from the back helps keep the white cement from squeezing up through the front.
• The painted front of the cement board was skimmed with cement mortar and the pre-grouted back of the mosaic was also thinly buttered with the mortar.
• The two pieces were quickly, carefully sandwiched together with the backer board on the bottom, cement adhesive layer, then taped glass mosaic on top.
• Mosaic glass taped surface was carefully tamped with a large float so all layers adhered then left a few days for the cement to cure completely. Then the clear mosaic tape was carefully removed at a flat angle and grout touched up where needed.

Materials & Links: 
Iron frame donation Applby's Ornamental Iron local independent.
Mosaic Tape  Mosaic Supply
Stained glass Expressions Art Glass local independent.
Cement hardi-backer 1/4" board  local Home Depot 
Grout, sanded, black  Custom Grout
Acrylic paints for underpainting FolkArt or Liquitex Basics from local Michaels
Wheeled glass cutters (I had a pair)
Pistol glass cutter (had mine)
Tweezers (have several)
Sharpie permanent fine marker to mark glass
Carbon paper for tracing onto board
Projector (I have an Old one)
Clear contact paper roll
Paper to trace design on from projection if project is too big/heavy to hang on wall.
Angle head grinder for cutting shapes on cement board (messy but WAY less than Wedi board)

This mosaic method is called the double reverse method and is ideal for public art. It provides a super smooth finish and allows the placing of Many tiny detail glass pieces without them shifting and the option of changing pieces. The direct method of gluing down glass as you go is a one shot deal. If pieces don't fit right, it's very difficult to pry up glued tiny glass or fragile pieces.


Original logo

Tracing the logo for the mosaic onto cut hardi-backer board. A projector was used, then any distortion was adjusted.

Stained glass mosaic selections for color match. The logo, other bobcat photos were used for Wilber's face colors.
Cutting mosaic glass and layout matching the underpainting and logo. 

Hand cutting glass mosaic piece by piece

Hand cutting and fitting glass mosaic pieces using a sharpie, wheeled glass cutters and tweezers. The sticky contact paper keeps small pieces from shifting and allows for custom fitting.

Custom fitting glass pieces for glass mosaic and placing on the contact paper.

Custom color match and cut the eye - the "window to the soul" using hand traced paper templates that were then traced onto the selected glass for the eye, nose areas and fitted with tweezers. 







Glass Mosaic about 2/3 finished. 

Mosaic mural for Tucson Wildlife Center ready for grouting.
Last fitting with the iron frame generously donated by Appleby's Ornamental Iron to mark the grout border edges. Appleby's kind owner Ed Hocheder has been running the family owned BBB A+ Appleby since 1980 and is a pleasure to work with.




Aussie Tess Memorial Pet Mosaic

A sweet mosaic pet memorial to Australian Shepherd girl Tess. Reverse glass painting with silvery stars, moon and a singing bird add a bit of magic realism along with elements of the beach and sea such as crabs, starfish, shells and flotsam. Tess loved to play on the beach and the white stone with the tiny shell is from her cremation site. Her owner was in the coast guard and loves lighthouses, hence the tiny light house.


Though pet companions come in and out of our lives, there is always one or two who are extra special. Tess was such an individual.