Susan Bingham

Susan Bingham is the co-founder of the Thunderbird Foundation for the Arts.

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area she and her husband Paul became familiar with the art of Maynard Dixon and began to collect his art, along with many other California Artists of the period (1900-1950). Eventually the couple opened their first art gallery when Paul left the corporate world and became a full time art dealer. Susan joined as partner with him as their three children entered their teens.

At that time Susan began weekly art classes with Charles Muench, an accomplished California artist and graduate of San Jose State University and Art Students League New York.

“What Charles taught me was an understanding of the basics of oil painting. We would set up our own still life compositions and paint in natural light. He taught me to see value, color, composition.”

Further study included classes with well known Utah artist Bonnie Posselli, and workshops with Ray Roberts, Skip Whitcomb, Kate Starling, Colleen Howe, Louis Escobedo, Elizabeth Robbins and individual instruction with many other artists whom the Bingham’s have represented.

The couple purchased the Maynard Dixon historical home in Mt. Carmel, Utah in 1998, restored the buildings and grounds and formed a 501 (c)3 non profit foundation that supports artists living today through showcasing their art at the Thunderbird Foundation Art Gallery which hosts shows, educational forums for art groups, artist retreats, workshops and daily tours of the historical property. The home is on the National Register of Historic Places.