Suzi Ballenger
“Each form sets a tone, enables a destiny, strikes a note in the universe unlike any other. How can we ever stop looking? How can we ever turn away?” – Mary Oliver
Working with the belief that all fiber has a personality, I encourage the fullest expression from them. Controlling these fibers through processing, weaving, hand manipulation, and drying techniques, the individual characteristics are realized. The resulting manifestations are both personal metaphors and articulations of transformation. I am motivated by the freedom I feel in the outdoors and the exhilaration I find revealed in nature.
I grew up in Indiana and loved feeling the wind in my face as I rode my bike or skated on long frozen ponds. I climbed trees to get closer to something that wasn’t below me. I had a deep haptic understanding of “language” through music which has driven me to express myself through my hands. The physicality of papermaking and handweaving techniques are both humble and rewarding and make me feel alive.