Suzie was a professional diver for over 30 years. As a Diving Instructor Trainer, Suzie traveled around the world, as the first woman to teach diving, and license instructors. While working for the CIA, she taught CIA Agents, Secret Service Agents, US Marshals, FBI Agents and other law enforcement personnel how to dive, perform search and recovery as well as other “specialized” skills. She taught President Ford’s Secret Service Agents, some of those special skills. Traveling gave Suzie the opportunity to see extraordinary underwater creatures up close, (and some scary stories) which she captured in her earlier paintings. Suzie now travels worldwide to paint, including the rainforest in Guatemala, Africa, England, Spain, Mexico, and Italy also nearer to home, Alaska, California, Florida, South and North Carolina, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, and Maine. Suzie has expanded her artwork to include plein air (painting on location). Suzie is licensed by the State of Florida as Marine Turtle Rescue Personnel. She walks the beach of Casey Key every morning from May until November, she verifies turtle nests, collects research data and DNA samples. She also helps rescue baby turtles when they hatch. She releases about 200 baby Loggerhead turtles every year. Suzie received the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2008. Suzie has been working with the turtles since 2001, and was awarded the Mote Volunteer 15 year of excellent service award in 2017. Click above image to view a Zoom presentation / interview with Suzie Seerey-Lester . Password is !2^1Dixh Suzie has won several distinguished awards for her art, including:   Suzie is honored to be chosen as the Houston Safari Club’s 2019 Artist of the Year. Aerial Reconnaissance – Barred Owl will be featured in the 58th Society of Animal Artists Annual Exhibition. Suzie’s painting Cliff Dwellers will be featured in 2018’s Birds in Art at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. Two of Suzie’s paintings will be shown in the Artists for Conservation show in Canada for their 2018 show. Suzie’s painting “Asleep in the Saddle” was purchased by The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum for their permanent Birds In Art Collection. Featured Acrylic Instructor for SKB Class in Dubois, WY 2017 In 2016 she was awarded the prestigious Rose Award by the Susan K. Black Foundation for her dedication Mote Marine Volunteer – 15 years of excellent volunteer service award 2017 Society of Animal Artist Show 2016, and was included in the worldwide museum tour for a year. Two person Museum show “Keeping the World Wild” at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute June-Aug 2016 Received Simon Combes Award for Conservation with John Seerey-Lester from AFC Cover of International Artist Magazine, and story “Life on the Wild Side” October/November 2014 56th Annual Exhibition for Society of Animal Artists American Women Artist 2016 Spring Show for Associate Members. Featured in the 12th Annual Art Renewal Center Show Featured Artist for the 23rd Annual Southeast Invitational Miniature Art Show (2015) Peoples Choice at the 23rd Annual Southeast Invitational Miniature Art Show (2015) Exhibited in Birds In Art 2004, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017 Award-winning book: My Painting Is Done, Now What Do I Do? Master Artist two man show at the Waterfowl Festival 2012 Exhibited in Artists for Conservation 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Received Conservation Artist of the Month from AFC 2014 Cover of International Artist Magazine, and story “Life on the Wild Side” October/November 2014 Vive La Differences, Sporting Classics Magazine, February 2015 Art of the Tetons, Hard Cover Coffee Table Book, August 2015 Fine Art Tips, Painting Techniques and Professional Advice, by Lori McNee and North Light July 2015 Honored by the NRA for my artwork at the 2013 Women’s Leadership Forum. 2014 The Artists Magazine Competition, Honorable Mention 2013 Professional Artist Magazine Competition, Finalist Award for Junk Yard Dog American Women Artist show in Texas, 2013. 900 entries sent in 60 chosen, including Suzie’s “Sudden Flurry” 2012 Artist Magazine Annual Art Competition, Finalists Award, with an honorable mention in the wildlife category for "Sudden Flurry" 2012 Special Recognition for 4th Annual Art Contest on Artavita. 2011 Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition, Finalists Award, with an honorable mention in the wildlife category for "Swan Song" Top 100 in Paint America for two different paintings, Juror’s Award in Paint America for the judges’ favorite painting of the entire show. Judges Award from LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Artist of the year for The Ocean Foundation, Two Top 200 and Top 100 in “Arts for the Parks”, The Bennington Art Museum, Animals In Arts Tour, Coos Bay Art Museum, where she received an Award of Merit, Grant’s Pass Museum, Florida Museum for Women Artists first juried show, Society of Animal Artists - Art and the Animal Show Honored by The Raymond James Companies as their first “Women In Arts” wildlife artist. Two-man show in a castle outside Barcelona Spain in 2002 and 2004. Member of Strathmore’s Who’s Who. Featured in the book Painters of the Grand Teton National Park, by Donna & James Poulton Suzie is featured in the Modern Masters of Wildlife Art 2014 Featured article in Professional Artist 2013 Artwork published in “The Best of Oil Painting” book. Cover of Wildlife Art News, and story inside Featured in Sporting Classics Magazine, and the SKB News. Featured article “The Legends of the Shore Come to Life” 2012 Sold paintings at Christie’s and Sotheby’s Art Auctions in London, the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and the Honolulu Zoo. Signature Member of the Society of Animal Artists (SAA), Artists for Conservation (AFC), The Collective Member – Bennington Museum, Oil Painters of America (OPA), American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA), The Wildlife Artists Association (WAA), American Women Artists (AWA), a founding member of Southern Plein Air Artists (SPAA), and The PhArtists. Signature member of The Collection – Bennington Museum.

John and Suzie teach MasterClass painting classes all over the United States. Teaching new techniques, demonstrations, sales and marketing information to new students. One class they teach in Montana allows the students to photograph and sketch animals in wild locations, with nothing between you and the animals. Some of the animals are arctic wolves, timber wolves, tigers, mountain lions, fox, lynx, bobcat, otter, grizzly and black bear, just to name a few, then teach students to paint these magnificent animals back in the studio, later in the day. Classes are always lots of fun. John & Suzie Seerey-Lester Receive The Simon Combes Award For Conservation Suzie and John Seerey-Lester accepting the Simon Combes Award for Conservation, September, 2014 John and Suzie Seerey-Lester returned from Canada as proud recipients of the prestigious Simon Combes Award for Conservation. The couple said they were very honored to receive the award (a magnificent bronze sculpture by Peter Gray of South Africa). It was presented to them jointly at the annual Artists for Conservation (AFC) festival on the breathtaking Grouse Mountain Resort in Vancouver, British Columbia. The event was of particular significance to the Seerey-Lesters because of their friendship with the English Artist, Simon Combes, for whom the award is named, who died tragically after being attacked by a Cape buffalo in Africa some ten years ago. The Seerey-Lesters have been involved in raising funds for conservation for over 30 years. John has raised millions of dollars personally to save African and American wildlife and habitat. Both devote a large amount of time every year raising funds for their favorite groups.

In January 2000 Suzie married world-renowned wildlife artist, John Seerey-Lester, and her life has been an adventure ever since. They live, work and play in Florida. Suzie is considered by many to be a real Mermaid. Sadly, with Suzie at his side, John lost his battle with cancer on May 19, 2020.