 My commitment to creating art has been a life-long adventure. I began as a painter turned weaver and fiber artist. And while
my education in ceramic is traditional, my broad base of experience in other media informs my work and allows me to manipulate
clay in non-traditional ways.
Clay is the warp, the weft, the fabric and the canvas. I build, glaze, stain and sometimes paint the surface to achieve
a result rather than a preconceived notion of how clay should look. The creative possibilities in combining hand building
with traditional and non-traditional techniques are especially compelling. I totally enjoy manipulating clay and glazes; the
process is exciting and energizing.
I have a pottery studio in my home in Western Iowa with a view into the woods. Nature is a predominate theme and I make
regular trips outdoors in search of inspiration and materials for texturing my clay. I like living where I work. Life feels
better to me when I can play in the clay as the day's needs fall in around.
Susan M. Sutherland Barnes
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Education:
BFA ~ Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York
Additional course work in fibers ~ Michigan State University
Numerous workshops & seminars on clay and fibers
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FIBERS
Libby Crawford
Moira Geoffrion [ND]
Nancy Searles [MSU]
Virginia West
Barbara Wittenberg
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CERAMICS
Marvin Bartel [Goshen College, IN]
Val Cushing [Alfred University, NY]
Marc Hansen [Western MI University]
Bill Kremer [Notre Dame]
James Paradis [Saint Mary's College, IN]
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