Susan is inspired by the spirit of nature and the beauty and power of words. Her work includes artists' books, calligraphy, and photography.
The Spirit Books
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The Spirit Books connect my experience of the inherent spirituality and mystery of nature with the long-standing tradition of books as testaments of faith and belief. I gather twigs, branches, vines, and roots and use them to cradle stitched wordless books made of handmade papers from around the world. From a distance, the books look like sculptures but their essential “bookness” becomes apparent with a closer look. “Reading” the books is meant to be a contemplative experience that takes the viewer out of the everyday world and into a state of gratitude and reverence.
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Words For Our Time
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Words For Our Time was created in response to the 2016 election. Words have always been my ballast and my anchor. I believe in their power. While I understand the saying “actions speak louder than words,” I believe that words can be where actions start. Throughout history, words have provided the spark to begin change and the sustenance to carry it through. Each piece was made from one large sheet of paper that was torn into separate sections. After the writing was complete, the pieces were sewn back together in an act of healing as the torn paper was mended and made whole.
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Installations
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I love bringing words and calligraphy into new environments. In our ever faster moving world, it is a treat to slow down and read the words of both famous writers and every day citizens in a special setting. The installations are done on site and in some situations, live before an audience. I have worked in historic houses and museums as well as galleries.
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Artwork Inspired by Emily Dickinson
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In this series, The Wondrous Nearer Drew, floral compositions are paired with lines from Emily Dickinson poems that capture the beauty and freshness of her language.
The images are created digitally from photographs of flowers taken in gardens, meadows and along roadsides in Emily Dickinson’s home state of Massachusetts. The words, collected from The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson edited by Thomas H. Johnson, are lettered with a brush pen. VIEW THE GALLERY PURCHASE THE CATALOG |