Fiber artist Sue Reno presents a delightful collection of colorful works based on dream and weather themes. Learn more by visiting her website.
“Sanctuary” fiber, 37”h x 55”w
I am a visual storyteller, using my lifelong obsession with deep observation of the natural world to compose narratives about the rhythm of life in my home state of Pennsylvania. I’m fascinated with the wild and cultivated landscapes I explore on hikes and bike rides.
“Heat Index” fiber, 54”h x 51”w
I’m especially enamored of the majestic Susquehanna River and the confluence of the three rivers in Pittsburgh. I want to give viewers the opportunity to understand and experience the environment, whether in person or vicariously, in order to appreciate it and help advocate for its conservation.
“Flash Flood Warning” fiber, 59”h x 49”w
Much of my work begins with printmaking onto fabric. My favorite technique, that I return to again and again, is cyanotype and its variant, wet cyanotype. It’s one of the earliest photography techniques, simple for beginners but complex to master.
“Dew Point” fiber, 57”h x 55”w
I make direct prints, using local plants and tree leaves as resists, and develop the imagery with the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Summer is my busy season for this work, but I also enjoy experimenting with making prints under adverse, wintry conditions.
“In Dreams I Went Fishing” fiber, 49”h x 77”w
Producing my prints is dependent on the weather, and by extension the climate. I feel I am documenting an ephemeral moment in time, while also addressing the vast disruptions and changes that climate change is giving rise to. My mental gardening calendar is now unreliable; the seasons shift and plant growth is out of synchronization. These subtle and not-so-subtle shifts have necessitated adjustments in my working methodology and has led to my ongoing series of weather-related art.
“Fever Dream” fiber, 53”h x 68”w
I combine my cyanotypes with monoprints, panels made with needlework techniques like embroidery, needlefelting, and hand-stitched patchwork, to create an overall design. I layer this construction with batting and backing fabric, essentially creating a quilt, which I then stitch heavily to add line and structure. Compared with the spontaneity of printmaking, this work is slow and deliberate.
“Partly Cloudy” fiber, 51”h x 43”w
My use of fiber, and specifically quilt making techniques, stems partly from my childhood experience of learning to sew at an early age. It is also as a tribute to my female forebears who employed needle arts as one of their few forms of creative expression.
“In Dreams I Slept in a Cabin” fiber, 55”h x 94”w
Cloth is textural and evocative, a familiar part of everyday life. It conveys tactile memories and meanings with great facility. I enjoy being part of this continuum of craft and fine craft artists, and actively participating in the movement to further elevate fiber art to unambiguous fine art status.
“On the Verge” fiber, 54”h x 49”w
Ultimately, my driving force in creating artwork is to express and share the sheer beauty of the world as I perceive it. The creative act is one of great joy for me, as well as a meditative grounding practice.
Sue Reno invites you to follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and her blog.