Sue Reno Studio

New Work - Under the Flying Up Moon

2026-04-11T12:45:00.003-04:00

Under the Flying Up Moon

I am happy to share my latest work, Under the Flying Moon. It's part of an ongoing series, preceded by Under the Thunder Moon, and Under the Pink Moon.

Under the Flying Up Moon, detail 1

This quilt references a colloquial name for the full moon of August, when fledgling birds leave the nest and take to the blue skies. It serves as a metaphor for seasonal change, both in the yearly path of the earth around the sun, and in the stages of our lives as we experience them. I included vintage needlework as a homage to my aunts and grandmothers, whose farm chores left them little time for personal goals, yet they found a way to “keep their hands busy” and express themselves artistically. The patterns they chose often portrayed the flower gardens they meticulously maintained.

Under the Flying Up Moon, detail 2

This work continues my long fascination and with and practice of cyanotype printing on fabrics, using botanicals directly and printing from photographic negatives.

Materials: cotton and silk fabrics, vintage needlework panel

Techniques: traditional and wet process cyanotype prints, patchwork, stitching

Size: 48"h x 33"w

Under the Flying Up Moon, detail 3

The vintage embroidered panel I acquired long ago as a gift from a lovely friend who knew I collected these beauties. The side panels are cyanotype images from pictures I took on an early version of a digital camera, in 2008, of a magnificent catalpa tree in the Lancaster PA Central Park. The leaf prints are a selection of wet cyanotype prints from the past several year's experiments. Obviously I am a firm believer in having a wide and deep library of self-produced imagery to work with when inspiration strikes!

Under the Flying Up Moon, detail 4

I am honored that Under the Flying Up Moon is one of two pieces selected for the SAQA Exhibit Connecting with Nature, which will be at the Strathmore Mansion in Rockville MD from June 20 to July 31, 2026. The other work selected is Under the Pink Moon, which is a wonderful companion piece.

Under the Pink Moon

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 101

2026-03-13T17:12:00.000-04:00

As I'm gearing up for this year's botanical printmaking season, I realized I had one set of prints from late last fall I hadn't shared yet. So here for your enjoyment are a pair of black cherry leaf prints, done on cotton sateen.

You can see from the state of the leaves how late in the season it was.

Here they are after exposure but before rinsing out. It was a nice sunny day, but only in the 60's F. Wet cyanotype prints are much more subdued when done in cooler temperatures.

Here they are rinsed out and finished. Still somewhat subdued, by my standards, but in this case that's exactly what I wanted for the project they are destined for. They will be very lovely and lyrical once they are stitched up.

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No Boundaries Acceptance

2026-02-22T09:21:00.001-05:00

I am pleased to announce that my quilt Flash Flood Warning has been accepted for the No Boundaries exhibition at the Virginia Quilt Museum.

Flash Flood Warning

This quilt is part of my ongoing series addressing the effect of climate change on weather events. A flash flood warning is issued when a flood is imminent or occurring, may necessitate fleeing and moving to higher ground, and can result in extensive damage and subsequent cleanup. I’ve witnessed several such events along the Susquehanna, beginning with Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

Flash Flood Warning - detail

Materials: wool, silk, and mylar fibers; wool, silk, and cotton fabric.

Techniques: wet process cyanotype prints, needlefelting, hand embroidery, stitching.

Size: 59h x 49w

Flash Flood Warning - detail

The exhibit runs from 3/31/26 to 6/27/26, with an opening reception on 4/4/26 from 3:00 to 5:00. I haven't been to the Museum since their move to the new facility and I am really looking forward to attending.

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 100

2026-02-16T11:06:00.001-05:00

Hello! Welcome to part 100, yes that's one hundred, of my ongoing experiments with the wet cyanotype process. When I started this journey on the summer solstice of 2017, I knew I was instantly enamored with the process, but didn't know if it would be sustainable in the long run.

Happily, my enthusiasm has not waned. I'm a big proponent of delving deep into an idea to see where it leads, and exploring this seemingly simple process has been rewarding. There's lots of different kinds of plants to make prints of, in all kinds of weather conditions, and multiple tweaks that allow me to influence, but not completely control the result. Every outcome is different and I get a thrill each time I rinse out a print.

So here we are with batch 100 that I made last fall. I started with calla leaves on cotton sateen, red mulberry leaves on sateen, and two ferns on mineral paper. The above photos are how they looked before exposure.

This set of photos are the prints after exposure but before rinse out. These are very ephemeral-you can't leave them in this state- so I like to record them. The mineral print images in particular always change dramatically.

Here are the finished prints. Each one is different, each one evokes a different type of emotional response, and each one is completely unique and impossible to recreate.

The panels on cloth make their way into my art quilts. The prints on mineral paper I create just for the thrill of it, and although someday I hope to "do" something with them, for now they exist for their inherent value as things of beauty.

Whether you're new here or have been following along for some time, let me express my sincere appreciation for your company as I travel my path.

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2025 Winter Solstice pinhole camera images

2025-12-21T17:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Solstice! As is my practice, today I retrieved the pinhole cameras I mounted at the summer solstice, and hung up a new batch. It's an extremely low-tech operation, using a beer can with a single pinhole poked in it with a sheet of 5" x 7" black and white photo paper loaded inside. I add a lid and tape the whole assembly shut, then use zip ties to mount them in various places. I then forget about them for 6 months, until harvesting and replacing them at the next solstice. They fit in well with my main body of work that requires sunlight and patience.

I got some lovely, evocative images in this batch.

The streaks in the sky mark the passage of the sun across the sky over the six month period and clearly show the difference in altitude as the seasons progress. They vary in strength and intensity in correlation with the weather and cloudiness on any given day.

I also do a few facing north, and they show a remarkable level of detail, considering there's no camera lens involved.

These serve no purpose other than to make me insanely happy. It's a beautiful world we live in, despite all the turmoil and strife, and as the days now start lengthening I am taking a moment to experience joy.

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Experiments in film soup - part 6

2025-12-01T10:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome to part 6 of my occasional experiments with the film soup process.

This is a continuation of the same roll of 35mm Kodak gold that I shot in part 5, on my Olympus OM10. I souped it for about 24 hours with dish soap.

I absolutely love a good pedestrian bridge, with all those struts and angles and shadows.

The soup effect on the clouds is particularly nice here.

I also captured some images of a small artificial waterfall in South Park, Allegheny County, PA.

The way the colors are randomly altered is always such a joy.

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New Work - Flash Flood Watch

2025-11-25T12:14:00.000-05:00

I am happy to present my newest work, Flash Flood Watch.

Flash Flood Watch

Flash Flood Watch, detail 1

Alarmed by global climate change and frequent dramatic weather events, I’m working on a series of weather-related quilts. Summer storms are now events fraught with potential peril, with time spent taking refuge, checking unreliable weather reports, and watching the sound and the fury play out.

Flash Flood Watch, detail 2

Materials: Cotton, wool, and silk fabric; wool and mylar fibers, altered vintage textile.

Techniques: wet process cyanotype, needlefelting, monoprinting, hand embroidery.

Flash Flood Watch, detail 3

Size: 60"h x 48"w

Flash Flood Watch, detail 4

I am honored to share that Flash Flood Watch has been juried into OH+5, at the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, OH, from January 16 - March 29.

From the website: The OH+5 exhibition celebrates the creative pulse of the Midwest and Appalachia through a dynamic survey of contemporary artwork by artists living in Ohio and its 5 bordering states: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Now in its fifteenth iteration, this juried exhibition invites submissions across all media, offering a platform for both emerging and established artists to share work that reflects the diversity of thought, technique, and innovation in our region.

As we look to the future of regional artmaking, OH+5 aims to capture the spirit of experimentation and the relevance of place. This is an opportunity to showcase work that speaks to personal or collective experiences, questions tradition, and expands the conversation about what contemporary art can be – here and now.

Flash Flood Watch, detail 5

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 99

2025-11-01T10:08:00.002-04:00

Welcome to part 99 of my experiments in wet cyanotype. This was a quick set of prints featuring Spikenard , Aralia racemosa. It's a perennial that grows to shrub height each summer, with large coarse leaves, and spikes of inconspicuous flowers that mature to purple berries. I started with a print of three sprigs on cotton sateen, using standard cyanotype chemicals with a splash of Solarfast.

I also made a set of prints on mineral paper.

Here are the prints after exposure and before rinsing out.

And here are the finished prints.

I'm very happy with the patterning on the fabric print, and the swirly bits on the paper prints. I love how even somewhat mundane leaves are transformed with this process.

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Experiments in film soup - part 5

2025-10-21T09:50:00.000-04:00

Hello, and welcome to part 5 of my occasional series where I share images altered by the film soup process.

These were taken on 35mm Kodak gold film, with a vintage Olympus OM10 camera.

After finishing the roll, I soaked the film canister in a solution of water with a bit of dish soap for 24 hrs., drained it, and let it dry out for several weeks.

I then sent it off for special processing (don't use a regular lab, it will mess up their chemistry) and these are the results.

I'm still learning the ins and outs of this camera, so some of the images are not perfectly exposed, but I likes the eerie vibes of the above photo nonetheless.

All of these images are from various places along the Montour Trail, south of Pittsburgh PA.

I'm finding that in general, dish soap, which is a base, gives a very different vibe than lemon/lime juice, which is an acid. Of course there are a lot of variables inherent to the process, just like working with cyanotype, but learning to control for some of the variables is what makes these experiments so much fun.

Thanks for viewing!

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 98

2025-10-01T10:19:00.002-04:00

Welcome to part 98 of my ongoing experiments with the wet cyanotype process. You can access them all, in reverse chronological order, by clicking the Wet Cyanotype tab in the header.

In this post I continue my mini-obsession with red mulberry leaves. The red mulberry, Morus rubra, is the native tree here in the eastern US. The white mulberry, which I come across much more frequently, is an invasive that was introduced here to feed caterpillars for the silk industry. The two are now frequently cross-breeding, to the detriment of the reds; I don't know if the specimen I found is the pure variety or not. The leaves of the red are much larger than the white, and the shapes are wonderful for printing with.

I began this session with two large panels on cotton sateen, then added some single leaves on mineral paper. I mixed a bit of Solarfast solar dye with the cyanotype chemicals.

Here are the prints after a long exposure, and before rinse out.

The rusty brown tones on the mineral paper will be transformed when rinsing, it's a lot of fun to watch.

Here are the finished prints. I love the all the subtle patterning and color distribution on the cotton prints.

Lots of swirls and fun stuff on the mineral paper prints as well.

These are wildly unpredictable, so it's always a fun surprise to see the way they turn out.

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Experiments in wet cyanotpe - part 97

2025-09-18T12:03:00.000-04:00

Welcome to part 97 of my documented experiments in wet cyanotype printing. I started this project in June of 2017, and it has continued to hold my interest over the intervening years.

I began this batch with a large branch of red mulberry leaves on a cotton sateen panel. The mix was mostly cyanotype chemicals with just a splash of Jacquard solarfast solar dyes.

I then prepped 3 smaller panels with the same setup.

I still had some leaves to play with, so I did some panels on mineral paper.

These were all set out in strong sunlight and left to develop for several hours.

Here are all the panels after exposure, but before rinsing. Those greenish colors in the centers of the leaves are undeveloped chemicals that generally rinse out or become bluish. The pinkish tones are from the Solarfast, and they may or may not rinse out, depending.

Here are the finished prints. I am quite pleased with them.

The mineral paper prints are especially swirly and I love them.

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Celebrating American Craft 2025 Acceptance

2025-09-03T16:51:00.000-04:00

Greenhouse Effect

I am delighted to share that Greenhouse Effect has been juried into Celebrating American Craft 2025 at the Sarratt Gallery at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. This juried exhibition features the work of 34 craft based artists from across the USA. With clay, fiber, metal, wood or glass these works demonstrate the skills, voice and heart of contemporary craft art. The exhibit opens September 8th and runs until October 31st.

Greenhouse Effect, detail.

My statement for this work: Alarmed by global climate change and frequent dramatic weather events, I’ve been working on a series of weather-related quilts. The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in the Earth's atmosphere trap the Sun's heat. This makes the Earth much warmer and contributes to extreme weather, wildfires, droughts, and agricultural disruptions. For this quilt I made prints of leaves from species native to my micro-environment in Pennsylvania, as many are showing stress related to these changes.

Materials: Artist painted and commercial cotton, silk, wool fabrics

Techniques: Wet process cyanotype and solar dye prints, monoprints, patchwork, stitching

Size: 62"h x 48"w

I am always particularly pleased when my work is included in a fine craft venue; to me it represents the best of contemporary art.

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Experiments in film soup - part 4

2025-09-02T15:29:00.002-04:00

This first set of striking images were taken in a somewhat mundane place, the Waterfront shopping center in Homestead, PA, just outside of Pittsburgh. One of the reasons I love it here is that the mundane is often side-by-side with the transmundane; there are relics of the industrial age everywhere, hinting at history.

I used my Nikon N6006 camera, which is rapidly becoming one of my favorites, loaded with Kodak Max 400 35mm film.

I souped the film for about 24 hours in diluted lime juice, then let it dry out for several weeks.

I had them processed by Film Lab 135 , then lightly edited the digital images.

As with my wet cyanotype work, I absolutely love the unpredictability of the process, and the way the resulting images challenge my preconceived notions about what the world looks like.

A pink bridge, with green clouds? I'm mesmerized.

These last three images were taken while hiking along the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail, an old familiar haunt of mine, along the Susquehanna River near Marietta, PA.

There was a light glaze of ice along some of the shadier sections.

And I never tire of this view, looking towards the bridges in Columbia.

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 96

2025-08-26T10:32:00.000-04:00

Wet cyanotype fun time, shrubbery edition! In my ongoing project to fill my yard with interesting plants instead of boring grass, I planted some new shrubs this summer. They needed some light pruning when planted, so I used the leaves for printmaking. First up is the bottlebrush buckeye, Aesculus parviflora, a native with palmate leaves and a vigorous growth habit. I look forward to it flowering next summer.

Next is a smokebush, Cotinus coggygria, with maroon leaves. It's not a native, but I've made an exception because I've always wanted one, and it's said to be especially good for printmaking and ecoprintmaking.

Next I did a print of my leatherleaf viburnum, Viburnum rhytidophyllum, which is extremely well established here, and needs to be whacked back on occasion. It's one of the few things I have that the deer will leave absolutely alone, and I appreciate that deeply. These prints are on cotton sateen, using cyanotype chemicals with a splash of Solarfast.

To round out this session, I did three prints of the smokebush on mineral paper.

Here are the prints after exposure but before rinsing out. Everything looks very promising at this point.

And here are the finished prints. I'm very happy with them all. I'm particularly pleased with the smokebush on mineral paper results.

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Experiments in film soup - part 3

2025-07-30T10:34:00.000-04:00

I make these film soup images as a sort of special treat to myself. It's a mildly complicated process; taking pictures with an eye as to what might translate well to the format, "souping" the film in a solution for a period of time, drying the film, sending it out for processing, then slightly editing the results. (I have mine processed by film lab 135.) Part of it also accepting that a certain percentage of them will be duds. But when I get a set like this, where everything worked, it is entirely worth it. These fill me with joy, as I love a good alternative version of reality.

My camera here was a vintage Nikon N6006, which is rapidly becoming my favorite. I enjoy the interface, it's easy to use, and I like the vibe of the pictures it takes. Film was Kodak Max 400, which is easily available. I souped the film with lime juice.

This next set of pictures was taken near the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail.

I've taken a bunch of photos of these structures in the past, but souping takes them to another level.

This is Chickies, or Chiques, rock, located along the trail, and again I've got a zillion pictures of it, both the ground view and from the top, but these give me a sweet new perspective.

Hope you enjoyed these!

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 95

2025-07-26T09:57:00.001-04:00

Welcome to more adventures in wet cyanotype printing, starting with the leaves of that crowd favorite, tall blue lettuce, Lactuca biennis. This is a native plant that tends to grow along the edges of woodlands and disturbed ground. It is a biennial, meaning it forms a rosette of leaves in its first year from seed while it builds up root strength, then in its second year it sends up an impressively tall flower stalk.

All three of these prints are on cotton sateen, with cyanotype chemicals and just a dash of Solarfast. The first batch of pictures shows them just after I've prepped them for exposure. Below is a leaf of the lettuce and a sprig of the decidedly non-native Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica.

And here is a solo sprig of the knotweed. It's a horrible invasive, but it does make for a nice print.

Here are the prints after exposure but before rinse out. Looking good so far!

Here are the finished prints. Sometimes I like a good solid edge to the subject matter, and sometimes I appreciate the halos that develop. It's all up to chance, or rather to the particular combination of the moisture level in the plants, the temperature and humidity, the angle of the sun, and the length of the exposure. I can control some of that but it's still always a surprise, and that's what keeps me coming back for more.

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SAQA Journal Gallery Acceptance

2025-07-24T09:25:00.005-04:00

I'm thrilled to be one of the 40 SAQA artists selected by juror Marcia Young for the 2025 SAQA Journal Gallery. This exhibition in print will be included in the SAQA Journal 2025 Issue #4. My Greenhouse Effect will be featured along with the extraordinary work of other textile artists worldwide.

Greenhouse Effect

I have been a member of SAQA - Studio Art Quilt Associates - for a long time, and a Juried Artist since 2009. I have reaped countless benefits, contributed where I could, and continue to be very grateful for this organization which has been instrumental in promoting the art quilt as a fine art medium.

Greenhouse Effect, detail

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Experiments in wet cyanotype - part 94

2025-07-22T09:34:00.000-04:00

I'm catching up with some of this summer's output in wet cyanotype prints. It's been an extraordinarily wet summer to date, reminiscent of when I lived abroad and experienced the monsoon, but I've still managed to sneak in a print day here and there.

I started with a big cotton sateen panel of box elder leaves. All of the prints from this session are standard cyanotype chemistry with some sloshes of Jacquard Solarfast added here and there.

Next are 4 sheets of mineral paper with milkweed leaves. All the rain has the milkweed growing like, well, a weed, although in my garden they have a dedicated spot where they are welcome.

Here are the mineral paper prints a few minutes after exposure began. The slipperiness of the paper allows the chemicals to move about a great deal at first.

Here are all the prints after exposure but before rinse out.

Here are the finished prints. That big red slash through the center of the sateen print is less subtle than my usual work, but I think it accurately reflects my state of mind at this point in time.

The milkweed prints came out absolutely delightful, with all sorts of marks and movement happening.

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Treasures of Our Local Watersheds Acceptance

2025-07-15T13:16:00.000-04:00

I am happy to announce that I've had two quilts, Flash Flood Warning and In Dreams I Drifted Away, accepted for the SAQA Regional Exhibit Treasures of Our Local Watersheds.

Flash Flood Warning

Local watersheds, especially the rivers of Pennsylvania, are a recurring motif in my work so I am especially pleased to be included in this themed show. It will premier at the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Eppig Gallery, located at 1103 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44116, August 20, 2025 through October 31, 2025.

In Dreams I Drifted Away

About Flash Flood Warning: The newest in an ongoing series addressing the effect of climate change on weather events. A flash flood warning is issued when a flood is imminent or occurring, may necessitate fleeing and moving to higher ground, and can result in extensive damage and subsequent cleanup. I’ve witnessed several such events along the Susquehanna, beginning with Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

Materials: wool, silk, and mylar fibers; wool, silk, and cotton fabric.

Techniques: wet process cyanotype prints, needlefelting, hand embroidery, stitching.

Size: 59h x 49w

About In Dreams I Drifted Away: The imagery of drifting away on the river represents a scenario that is always tempting me. To escape day to day realities and responsibilities, to float through a dreamscape into an indistinct calm void, is a mental escape valve in stressful times. But the alternative to abdicating one’s obligations is also possible—I can use the metaphor of the river to drift away from rigid dichotomies, to flow easily into a new existence, to form new connections, and to gather a tribe of progressive, like-minded thinkers. The only constant is change, and we are collectively responsible for making that change a positive one as we drift, or forge, ahead.

Materials: Wool, silk, and mylar fibers, silk and cotton fabric

Techniques: monoprints, needlefelting, hand embroidery, hand patchwork, couched threads, stitching.

Size: 60"h x 45"w

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Phillips Museum of Art Acquisition

2025-06-25T10:36:00.002-04:00

I am honored and delighted to share that my 52 Ways to Look at the River has been acquired by the Phillips Museum of Art at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA.

52 Ways to Look at the River

During the run of my recent exhibit at the Museum, "The Enduring Beauty of the Susquehanna", I was able to see first hand the care and expertise that the staff puts into handling, storage, and display of their artwork. Even more importantly, I saw the effort the Museum puts into community engagement, and how my work was used and will be used to engage with students and visitors. I also appreciated how their values aligned with mine, as in using Land Acknowledgement statements. I feel this is the highest and best use of this quilt, and am so happy to have this home for it.

52 Ways to Look at the River, detail 1

I conceived of this project in 2015 on the summer solstice with a simple premise--to visit the Susquehanna once every week for a year, take photos, then return to the studio to make a 6" x 12" fiber panel representing what I had just viewed. My idea was that this beautiful river is complex and ever-changing, literally different every time one looks at it, and I wanted to capture ephemeral moments in it's flow

52 Ways to Look at the River, detail 2

Making the panels commenced as a quick, abstract exercise, but they soon evolved into complex, detailed vignettes. I had great joy in creating them, and learned a lot about both the river and about my approach to creative expression. I documented each week's panel on my blog. At the end of the year I created a quilted background and attached the panels to it, with a finished size of 72”h x 82”w".

52 Ways to Look at the River, detail 3

I know many of you followed along as I made this quilt, and I want to thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement. For everyone recently discovering my work, a good place to start exploring is with my series of river quilts, seen here.

52 Ways to Look at the River, detail 4

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2025 Summer Solstice Pinhole Camera pics

2025-06-21T10:30:00.000-04:00

It's that time again! Here's my best of the batch of pinhole camera images I retrieved yesterday, 6/20/25. It's an extremely low-tech operation, using a beer can with a single pinhole poked in it with a sheet of 5" x 7" black and white photo paper loaded inside. I add a lid and tape the whole assembly shut, then use zip ties to mount them in various places. I then forget about them for 6 months, until harvesting and replacing them every solstice. They fit in well with my main body of work that requires sunlight and patience.

On to the images!

The streaks in the sky are the path of the sun each day. You can clearly see the difference in altitude as the seasons progress.

Here's a sort of side view where you can see the sun, but also a corner of my house, with a fence.

I know it's got a simple explanation, but it always seems a bit magical to me that this happens without a lens of any sort.

Here's a view facing north, so there's no sun streaks, but you can clearly see a bit of my raised bed garden and the big trees in the woods beyond.

This was the "best" of the lot this time, although it's difficult to rate them objectively. They all bring me great joy, and I hope they give you a moment of pleasure and mental ease as well.

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Experiments in Film Photography - part 5

2025-02-21T10:19:00.000-05:00

In this edition of experiments in film photography, I shot a roll of Lomochrome turquoise 35mm film. I used my Minolta Maxxum 50, a camera I use often, and shot in familiar locations so I could casually compare the results with previous experiments.

This film took me on a wild ride. I was perplexed, or perhaps bemused, but also entertained by the results.

The turquoise is a lovely hue, but the amount of it varies considerable from shot to shot. In some it's just highlights, in others it's basically monochromatic.

The film is also very grainy in my experience, and while this is quite possibly operator error, and I do like a bit of retro grain, the extent of it combined with some prominent vertical lines is something I'm having to work on appreciating.

That being said, there are a few standout images where I really love the effect.

Those pops of turquoise trees here and there are a delight.

There's a fair amount of complementary orange/rust tones in some of the images, which works well.

I like this horse of a different color and the moody atmosphere of this one.

I see online some marvelous results other photographers have achieved with this aesthetic. I feel like I would need to experiment more rigorously to better my chances with this film, and I'm not invested enough in the outcome to dive deeper. I'm glad I tried it but I'm moving on, while emphasizing how grateful I am that Lomo is giving us these fun films to play with.

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New Work - Flash Flood Warning

2025-01-09T09:53:00.001-05:00

Today I am debuting a quilt I made specifically for my upcoming exhibit, The Enduring Beauty of the Susquehanna. Flash Flood Warning is the newest in an ongoing series addressing the effect of climate change on weather events. A flash flood warning is issued when a flood is imminent or occurring, may necessitate fleeing and moving to higher ground, and can result in extensive damage and subsequent cleanup. I’ve witnessed several such events along the Susquehanna, beginning with Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

Flash Flood Warning

The exhibit at the Philips Museum of Art, on the campus of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, will run through the spring semester, from January 21 to April 24, 2025.

The exhibit will feature 4 of my large-scale quilts I've made over time as my response to living near the river. From my statement: "A major source of inspiration for my work, bordering on obsession, is the Susquehanna River. I grew up in a house on a hill overlooking the river and took its presence for granted. When I moved to Lancaster to attend Franklin and Marshall I began to explore the river hills in earnest, hiking the trails and learning about all the best overlooks. My enthusiasm was deepened during the decades I spent living near the Northeast Lancaster County River Trail and exploring it on my bike. I’ve enjoyed learning about the important historical impact of the river on the region. Most of all, I’ve come to appreciate how incredibly beautiful, and everchanging in its aspects, the Susquehanna is. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to spend time interpreting my impressions using the art quilt medium."

Flash Flood Warning, detail 1

Flash Flood Warning, detail 2

It features a needlefelted and extensively hand embroidered river panel, and wet cyanotype prints of two native Pennsylvania plants, snake root and Solomon's seal.

Flash Flood Warning, detail 3

It measures 59'h x 49'w.

Flash Flood Warning, detail 4

About the Susquehanna: Archaeology of the Lower Susquehanna River reveals that American Indians had utilized its resources for thousands of years. Around 1550 AD, the people we know as the Susquehannock moved from higher up the river to the Lower Susquehanna Valley. The Susquehannock were Iroquoian speakers and shared many similarities with the Iroquois in New York. Learn more here.

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Franklin and Marshall exhibit - In Dreams I Saw the Rift

2025-01-08T09:14:00.000-05:00

I am honored to announce that I will have an invitational exhibit at the Philips Museum of Art, on the campus of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, for the spring semester. The exhibit, The Enduring Beauty of the Susquehanna River, will run from January 21 to April 24, 2025.

In Dreams I Saw the Rift

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 1

Today I am highlighting In Dreams I Saw the Rift. The different panels combine several of my current fiberart obsessions, with cyanotype prints of bamboo and ferns, a needlefelted and heavily embellished river panel, and hand stitched hexagons. I began working with the hexagons, which are a very traditional motif in quiltmaking, after first utilizing them to make the golden mirror in my James Webb Space Telescope quilt, Luminosity. (If you are new here, I invite you to visit Luminosity on my site and read about my amazing in-person experience with the telescope under construction.)

Luminosity

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 2

At the time I was working on the design and construction of this quilt, I was immersed in the perception that much of what I took for granted in the world was potentially being reshaped and reformed.

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 3

There's a lot that can be swept away in the current.

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 4

However, I am congenitally unable to make a somber artwork, so this one is also brimming with color and a sort of guarded optimism. As always, I leave it to the viewer to draw what conclusions they will while viewing my work, and also as always, it really is best enjoyed in person. I hope some you of you are able to visit the Phillips Museum during the exhibit.

In Dreams I Saw the Rift, detail 5

This work measures 66"h x 59"w.

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Franklin and Marshall exhibit - Ice Jam

2025-01-07T10:10:00.001-05:00

Today the focus is on my artquilt Ice Jam. It's part of my invitational exhibit at the Philips Museum of Art, on the campus of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. The Enduring Beauty of the Susquehanna River will run from January 21 to April 24, 2025.

Ice Jam

Ice Jam, detail 1

This is a good season to be thinking about ice jams on the Susquehanna. They don't occur every year, but when they do, they are momentous both in visual appeal and potentially deleterious effects. The river is deep, windy, and has swift currents. Ice can form on the surface in a series of freeze/thaw cycles, then be broken up and swept downriver, where it gets caught up and swept up on the shoreline in big chunks. The worst cause scenario is flooding in the river towns like Marietta, PA.

Ice Jam, detail 2

Here's a few photos of one of the events that inspired this quilt.

The challenge with this one was to keep to the subdued, largely monochromatic palette, while also including the details of the surrounding landscape. I enjoyed making collagraph prints to use in the borders.

Ice Jam, detail 3

Ice Jam, detail 4

It measures at 43"h x 52"w.

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