Susanna Blunt: meet the artist whose portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is seen on Canadian coins

Artist, Susanna Blunt only had about two weeks to complete a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II for the Royal Canadian Mint. It was her entry to a national competition, held in 2003, in which the winning portrait would be selected as the new image to be minted on Canadian coins. “It had to remain a secret as they wanted the new coins to be a surprise announcement. So I had to cover my drawings each time I left the room, in case a friend or colleague paid an unexpected visit,” she tells us. 

Susanna Blunt's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is now the image on the obverse of Canadian coins. Image Courtesy: The Royal Canadian Mint

Having worked round the clock, Susanna was so exhausted that she even absent-mindedly slammed her fingers in her car door. She had to request the mint for a three-day extension as her hand was in a sling. Luckily, it was her left hand and no fingers were broken (later she created an art piece from the X-rays). Her hard work paid off and her portrait of the Queen was chosen. While the penny in Canada has been discontinued, Susanna is still a proud buyer and owner of the very first pennies with the new image that was minted on the first day of the minting process. “I sell them as lucky pennies to private collectors,” although they do not come with a certificate. 

Portrait of Gerda Hnatyshyn, wife of Governor General Ramon Hnatyshyn

Queen Elizabeth II isn’t the only Royal painted by Susanna. In 1997, she painted a portrait of Prince Edward. Since it was not a commissioned painting, she wasn’t sure if the Royal Family would accept it. But with perseverance and patience on her side, the portrait was not only accepted (because she had been recommended to them), but she was also invited to deliver it herself to Buckingham Palace, where she had tea in Prince Edward’s office with two of his private secretaries. The Canadian artist was chosen in a nation-wide competition by Her Excellency, Gerda Hnatyshyn, wife of one time Governor General Ramon Hnatyshyn, to paint her portrait for Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ontario. Susanna has also drawn or painted many famous people inducted into halls of fame, several celebrities and politicians, artists and writers. “From the ordinary to the extraordinary, it is a privilege for me to interact with each one, to come to know and to be trusted by each of them. It is always astonishing how much people confide in a portrait painter with whom they feel at ease,” she shares. She also paints animals for people. Given an opportunity, she would love to paint the great Sheikhs and their families, as well as their thoroughbred camels and horses. A big fan of Zakir Hussain, Susanna would love working on a portrait of him too. 

Born to British and Canadian parents, Susanna firmed up her mind to become an artist when she was three years old. “I liked drawing and colouring more than playing with dolls or any other games. My childhood consisted mostly of reading or drawing and painting. We lived in the country with no near neighbours, so I had to learn to entertain myself.” She started taking serious lessons for the first time at the age of 16 and continued with private lessons while in high school. Not long after, she left her home in Canada to set sail for England, where she studied art full time at the Royal Academy on a scholarship that was only awarded to twenty students per year from applicants worldwide. This year, Susanna was invited by Royal Academicians and Curators David Mach and Cathie Pilkington to be part of the RA summer exhibition in London. “It was an honour to be exhibiting in the same room with them and Anish Kapoor,” she shares.

Susanna's portrait of Prince Edward

Susanna uses linen canvas for small or detailed oil paintings and for all portraits, but she prefers regular cotton canvas for larger paintings done in oil or acrylic. For her paper works of art, she uses ink, a bit of water colour, and gouache—an opaque water-based paint—as well as pencil, charcoal and pastel for drawings. She went back to art school about 13 or 14 years ago to learn to create sculptures and she can now work with clay, plaster, concrete and bronze. 

While the larger portraits take several weeks or months to finish, it all depends on the detail and size. Sometimes, Susanna works on more than one portrait at a time, but normally completes them in the order that they are commissioned. She takes a few clients per year, depending on her travel schedule and how many commissions she might have. Prices vary according to size and the time it takes to do each portrait; more complicated paintings are more expensive, while drawings are less expensive than paintings.

George Woodcock, friend and biographer of George Orwell and one of Canada’s most famous authors and scholars

Whether it’s the face detailing in a portrait of George Woodcock—friend and biographer of George Orwell—waiting to be sold as it was done for an auction, which did not take place, or the intricate pattern of a curtain in front of which stands Gerda Hnatyshyn, her portraits say more than words ever can.