Past Artists of July 2019: Danielle Vennard & Suzy Kettler-Zeigler

Danielle was born to be creative.  She was born to make and design. Her father took me under his artistic wing as soon as she was old enough to know not to stick the markers in her mouth.  She grew up wanting to be just like him (and joked with him she would one day take his place as art teacher at their high school). She has a little of her mom’s creativity in her as well and it shows itself every once in a while when she tries to find the right words in her creative writing endeavors.

She achieved a B.F.A. from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2004 with the support of a great painting instructor, George Sorrels.  He encouraged her to further her painting studies and to pursue a masters degree (along with searching for her soul mate in the business department).  Her master’s thesis included drawings, photography, video and performance art all on the art of rock climbing. In 2007, she exited the University of Delaware with a M.F.A. in painting and soon after became engaged to Daniel Vennard who she met in the rock-climbing gym.  They were married the following year.

She has owned and operated her own photography business for over ten years while also taking on commissions for drawing and multi-media artwork, including of website design, logo branding, commercial murals, commercial signage, event posters, album covers, custom charcoal portrait drawings, landscape watercolors, and sports/athletic/adventure photography. Her rock climbing photographs have been featured in several publications.

In addition to her art and photography work, she is a Rock Climbing Instructor and Route Setter at the Delaware Rock Gym as well as at the JCC Siegel.  She recharges and gets inspiration for her creative work while running, biking and climbing at her favorite local parks and trails. She lives in Landenburg, PA with her husband, two cute kids, Graeme and Zoey, one crazy Australian cattle dog, Font, and one lazy cat, Henry Black.

Suzy is the Buildings/Operations Director for the Emerald Foundation.  Her late husband, Danielle’s father, was an Art Teacher at Carlisle High School, Carlisle, PA and was the originator of a photography program at the school, turning a utility closet into a darkroom.  Suzy fondly remembers learning some basics from her husband as they turned their kitchen into his first darkroom and developed their black and white photos using the kitchen sink. She has amassed thousands of photos from the old “film and print” days and is currently attempting to digitally archive them.  She expects the project to take her well into her retirement.