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Textile artist, researcher and educator, Susan has presented many solo exhibitions of her work. This includes significant regional public galleries – Wangaratta Art Gallery, Shepparton Art Museum and Benalla Art Gallery. Group exhibitions have seen Susan’s fine art textiles throughout Australia and internationally – Italy, Canada, Malaysia, Belgium, Hong Kong, Taiwan, UK and China. Her short film was screened in Musee Du Quai Branly Paris in 2008. Susan has a Master of Visual Arts from Monash University. In 2006 she was awarded the postgraduate studio residency in Italy –Palazo Vaj, Prato, Tuscany. She is an advanced level shibori practitioner. Over a number of years, Susan has researched natural dyes, particularly indigo and eucalyptus. In order to enrich her own art practice, and build her knowledge of natural dyes, she
has undertaken extensive professional development with traditional dye masters and contemporary artists in many countries

"My search for indigo has seen me folding, stitching, pleating and binding with elders and experts in many places, and peering inside
dark vats in Japan,Thailand, Borneo, Taiwan, France. In every instance I have learnt new recipes and techniques. I’ve learnt about the many rituals, and the challenges associated with this magic colour. I’ve learnt that years of experience and knowhow is
required to become a masterdyer. Indigo requires proper instruction, experience, commitment, and comprehension of what is going on in the indigo vat."

Susan has developed a globally unique plant dye from eucalyptus, now packaged and supplied to an online global market as Gondwana Colour. Her wearable art has been shown in international designer shows on the catwalk in KL, Kuching and Taiwan. She is regularly invited as a VIP, to present and exhibit at prestigious international textile conferences. Susan specializes in shibori, stitch and occasionally feltmaking and encaustic, to make works that at times are two dimensional and at others, sculptural. She challenges the ways in which contemporary
textile art is perceived and represented. Her aim is to employ textiles as sculptures and installations, to articulate a sense of place and history, connecting threads of different places, different landscapes and different times.

Susan accepted an invitation to speak at The International Festival of Plants Ecology and Colours in Antananarivo, Madagascar in May this year.
Countries represented were Columbia, Japan, China, Chile, Malaysia, South Africa, USA, Taiwan, Comoros, Thailand, France, UK, Burkina Faso, India, Mexico, Sweden, Australia and of course Madagascar.
Susan’s presentation “The use of Eucalyptus for dyeing in Contemporary Australian Textiles” featured not only her own work but that of 15 other artists and demonstrated the diversity of eucalypts in Australia.
Embracing sustainability and an aesthetic vision that sees her considered by many of her peers to be a master dyer and master shibori artist, Susan integrates historical know how into contemporary textile art contexts. Susan, who has a Masters of Visual Arts, exhibits regularly with group shows in Australia, particularly with the World Shibori Network, and in 2018 has been invited to exhibit a solo show at Lismore’s new art gallery and Redland Gallery.
Her recent involvement in the international conference in Madagascar will no doubt have enriched her teaching for Byron Bay Community College. Susan is offering a Textile Intensive this term, with four exciting elements. While each workshop could stand alone, these courses are designed for sequential learning and skill building. She will generously share her travel adventures and her broad knowledge of traditional and contemporary textiles with participants.

Publications: Articles about her work have been published in:
International Forum on Natural Dyes and WEFT Taiwan 2014 –
Catalogue p34-5
Art Quill Blog Art Cloth: Shroud of Ancient Echoes – Exhibition:
ArtCloth Engaging New Visions. Marie Therese Wisniowski.
http://artquill.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/shroud-of-ancient-echoes-iii.html
Textile – No 88, 2007 ‘ Intent and impact – textiles as Contemporary Sculpture’ Sari Wawn p32-34
Textile – No 72 2003 'Nature’s Memory' Benalla Art Gallery'
Tony Dyer p24-5
My Batik – Malaysia No 3 2008
Susan was author of an article on Ernabella Arts inc in Batik
Transitions – UK Batik Guild 2006.
Website: Gondwanta Textile
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