My name is Suzi Thomas and I have been a working artist for 35 years with 45 years of art experience and training. Painting the umbrellas started over 20 years ago and has been growing steadily from the beginning.
One of my earliest memories is sitting at the feet of my mother and choosing balls of colored yarn for her to crochet into blanket squares.  Many years later, I still love choosing colors to make things both beautiful and functional.  These days I choose paints rather than yarn. 
The journey has included work with public television in graphics, theater, puppetry, scene painting, and voice overs.  I have exhibited and sold work in print making, natural dyeing, silk painting, jewelry and clothing design, and fine art.  My degree in Art gave me the confidence to not only express myself with art but to sell my work  and make a living as well.  This creative and unconventional life's work was perfect for raising my son.  Being able to be home when he walked back to school each day was a single mother's dream come true.  I will not list for you the awards, galleries, and accolades as I believe these have very little to do with a successful life.  
Today it all comes together in the designing and painting of large garden umbrellas and playful accessories for fashion, beach, garden, and travel.  This work is the culmination of all my skills and joys converging to produce the work of which I am most proud.  I am able to work closely with international villages in support of women creating hats and handbags that will not only be beautiful but functional as well.  Once these hand crafted pieces reach my art studio, I develop designs and hand paint each one to enhance the beauty already inherent in these colorful accessories.  It is in this cooperative global spirit, women working with women, that I thrive and have been able to take my joy to the next level.
Most of the umbrellas are painted in the studio behind my home, next to the Sacramento River in Northern California.  My lovely assistant has worked with me for over 10 years and we inspire each other every day, even though she now works from her own home studio in Oregon.
Thank you for your time and interest in my art work.  Please take a moment out of your busy day to count how many shades of green you see in a single tree.  You will never look at the world or nature in the same way again and it may give you a glimpse into the joy of being an artist.  
You can find me painting and selling my umbrellas at many of the Art and Craft Marketplaces on the West Coast of the United States.