Susan Waters

[1] On June 27, 1841, at age 17, she married William C. Waters,[1] whose Quaker connections determined the destinations of their frequent relocations.

Soliciting sitters as she moved between New York and Pennsylvania, Waters employed her talents to support herself and her husband.

[citation needed] Instead of canvas, Waters used materials that were readily available to her, primarily mattress ticking, cotton, and linen.

[2] Waters’ early paintings were enough to ensure herself and her husband some financial security, but she was interested in expanding her range of subject matter, as she indicated in an 1851 letter.

[note 1] As financial security allowed her to move away from contracted portraits, she had more freedom to experiment and explore other forms of expression.