Sometimes you discover a hidden talent in the most unexpected place.
That was the case when Sue and Bob McCoy opened their home during the Alpha Gamma Nu Sorority’s 2024 Jingle Bell Home Tour. Just off the front hallway was Sue’s art studio, and one painting at once stole the show – a bright pink cowgirl full of personality and attitude. It was impossible not to wonder, “Who is this artist?”
As it turns out, Sue McCoy’s journey to becoming an accomplished artist didn’t begin in an art classroom.
Raised in Dixon, Illinois, about 100 miles west of Chicago, Sue grew up on land farmed by her family for generations. Like many young women of the 1960s and 70s, she studied business, taking typing, shorthand, bookkeeping and accounting classes to prepare for a steady career.
However, while working as a real estate broker and accountant for over 40 years and raising three children there was no time for serious art. However, she was always doodling, creating scrapbooks, and even designing posters for her children’s school events. “I just wanted to create,” Sue said. So, when she retired and moved to Florida in 2017, she finally had the time to start painting. She bought some inexpensive supplies and set herself up at the kitchen table.
Mostly self-taught, Sue has developed her own style over the years, occasionally taking a class to learn a new technique. She works in every medium imaginable: pencil, charcoal, acrylic, watercolor, pastels, ink, and mixed media. Sometimes she even incorporates paper, lace, spackle, sand, or other materials to add texture and depth.
Her favorite subjects are people, especially women and older faces. “I love trying to capture someone’s personality through their eyes and expressions,” she said.
Sue also enjoys creating themed collections. One series celebrates Hawaii with beaches, hula dancers and tropical scenes. Another, called her “Pink Series,” includes a pink cowgirl, pink bulldog, pink barn, and colorful landscapes.
Her talent has earned recognition beyond Herons Glen. Most recently, her portrait How Can I Be Sure? was chosen to be included in Exhibizone’s Eyes 2026 Group Exhibition, an international online art exhibition. Out of approximately 250 entries, Sue’s portrait stood out with its striking composition and handwritten title.
“I was very excited and proud to have my painting selected to be a part of a juried, international art show,” she said.
When she isn’t painting, Sue stays busy. She serves as treasurer for both the Alpha Gamma Nu Sorority and the Socialites, has worked as a realtor since 1982 and continues to work part time with The Steil Team at Starlink Realty. She also belongs to the Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda, the Art Alliance of Ft. Myers, the Cape Coral Art League, and the Fort Myers Beach Art Association and Gallery. She recently completed a six-week showing of a “curated collection” of her work at the Visual Arts Center (VAC). She currently has her artwork for sale in the VAC gift shop and in the Goff Gallery, as well as the Fort Myers Beach Art Association and Gallery located next to Prawnbroker Restaurant and Fish Market.
Recently, she’s been experimenting with turning some of her artwork into greeting cards. Knowing Sue, that idea may not stay on the drawing board for long.
Sue and Bob have since moved from Palo Duro Boulevard to Odyssea Court, where they have once again created a beautiful home. A few months ago, it was displayed on the Alpha Gamma Nu Sorority’s 2026 Spring Home Tour.
One reason they chose Herons Glen was its thriving arts community. “When I saw the arts and crafts rooms and the classes being offered, I knew this was the place for me,” she said.
Her advice to anyone thinking about becoming an artist is simple: “Go for it. It’s only paint!”
And what brings her the most joy? “Knowing that something I’ve created is now a part of someone’s home.”
One final confession: Remember that pink cowgirl that first caught my eye? It’s now hanging in my home office after Sue generously donated it to the Ladies Golf League’s Pretty in Pink fundraiser raffle and I happened to have the winning ticket!
I’d say that’s proof enough Sue McCoy really is the “Real McCoy.” Herons Glen is fortunate to have her, Bob, and her remarkable talent as part of our community.
