ARTIST ROSTER - FICTION

Suzanne Nielsen

New Brighton

I write poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, and have taught extensively in all three genres. Courses taught include humor writing, introduction to creative writing and poetry, and the graphic novel at Metropolitan State University, St. Scholastica, the Loft Literary Center, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and other educational institutions. I am an alumnus of Metropolitan State University having graduated in 1997 with a writing major. Recently, I earned my doctorate in education from Hamline University where my coursework focused on diverse classroom populations and how to build community where differences are foundations for shared leadership.

As a first generation college graduate from the East Side of St. Paul, I teach only blocks from where I played hopscotch as a kid. I have always been fond of working with diverse age groups, especially older adults. As a teenager I worked for four years as a nurse’s aide in a nursing home. I went to St. Mary’s College in 1976 and earned a certification in Aging and Human Development. For years I worked as a chemical dependency counselor with the elderly at Queens Treatment Center. I love to teach and learn. Someone asked me the other day why I went and got a doctorate in education at this point in my life, and I said: “Because I’m a teacher, and I’m always learning.”

I am a professional artist who draws and paints everyday. I also do a lot of painting on silk and writing. I like to incorporate my visual storytelling skills into a narrative that uses art and words. I have the skills to help other people tell their personal stories through words and visual images. Small intimate audiences have worked well for me in my storytelling. I feel I would be an asset to any group setting for helping people express themselves creatively in a variety of ways.

Awards:

• Who's Who for Writing since 1999
• Member of American Pen Women