USArtQuest, Inc. began with 2 unique videos and a search for the perfect adhesive. Not satisfied with anything currently on the market, collage artist Susan Pickering Rothamel experimented until an adhesive was developed with all the qualities she was looking for—UV protection, acid-free, archival, non-sticky, non-toxic, and odor-free. The result—Perfect Paper Adhesive™. USArtQuest was formed to market this product and Susan’s instructional videos on collage and assemblage. That was in 1993.
Since then, USArtQuest has continued researching and developing new and unusual mixed media art materials. The business quickly outgrew Sue’s home studio and is now located in a wonderful old building of offices and warehouses, in a rural country setting in Grass Lake, MI.
“Along with educating our customers and providing great customer service, quality has always been a top priority, and the products are extensively tested by our own artists in our own studio,” Sue says. “In addition, safety is very important, with the majority of our products being non-toxic. We specialize too, in acid-free, archival products, most of which are specifically developed to integrate and work compatibly with all of the other products. But, even those few that are not non-toxic or acid-free are unique in themselves! They have proven to be exciting, each having the complimentary attributes that artisans look
for in fine art materials.”
Being rural means the area there’s nothing close by for last minute art supplies. So, just walking in the front door brings creative surprises, with a hand-painted ‘welcome’ flag greeting every visitor.USAQ keeps a well-stocked showroom for local artists and students to shop for everything creative, with a few surprises too!
USArtQuest also houses a large classroom studio where students via for art-filled dates for creative parties, art group events and lectures, demonstrations and spontaneous studio time.
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Following nearly 20 generations of artists, Sue has a passion for exploring color. Whether through imagery and her expert understanding of mixed-media collage, metalwork, enameling, oil painting, watercolor, pottery and weaving, or when developing the next paint color – or even the paint itself, her company for USArtQuest, it’s all about color.
Born, raised and educated in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Sue has distinguished herself with an extensive knowledge of color theory, materials handling, archival principles and artistic style.
Sue’s ‘real artwork’ which is shown in galleries and sold to collectors, primarily focuses on Biblical themes, where she dramatically departs from the familiar representational paintings of the Old Master’s work and renders masterful and elegant contemporary impressions. However, her ‘everyday work’ has a wide range of topics and techniques. These pieces are made for numerous magazines, books, examples for classes, as well as dozens and dozens of samples for teaching.
Pickering Rothamel has taught her art techniques since 1979, in both private classes and formal classrooms, such as Schoolcraft College. Her current accomplishments include internationally distributed video workshops, lecturing and demonstrating nationally, and the writing and illustrating of an art history book for young people. With three best-selling art books under her belt, Sue considers writing her fourth passion, the first being God, then family, art, and then writing. “There are a lot of other passions, too,” she says with enthusiasm. That’s to be believed, as one only needs to see her garden, taste her cooking or see her stretched out on the front porch, nose-deep in a good novel.
Sue, along with her husband Dave, designed her Chelsea, Michigan family home and studio which is surrounded by 11 secluded acres of forest, meadows of rolling hills and inspirational views. Her spacious ‘artist’s dream’ studio is a working haven for both herself and students alike.
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Would you like to be part of the next USAQ design team?
