Susan Springer has been drawn to the ceramic arts, including tile, sculpture, pottery and mosaics since the early 1970’s. Expanding the form and surface, creating unexpected combinations of edge, form and texture, continue to intrigue her as she works in her studio in Seattle's International District.
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While living in the mountains of Illahe, Oregon, she continued creating sculpture, tile and pottery while teaching at the local Community College. She began a course of Graduate study at the University of Oregon, completing a MFA in 1984. As a thesis project for her Masters degree, she completed a public art commission for the City of Springfield, Oregon. This ceramic relief mural is located in the Springfield City Hall and is titled, “Between the Rivers”
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Moving to Ashland, Oregon in 1992, afforded an opportunity to open Illahe Tileworks, a custom tile production studio. A full line of handmade tile was developed which served clients across the country. In early 2008 a long held desire to combine a working studio with a gallery focusing on functional art came to fruition with Illahe Studios and Gallery. Subsequently moving to Seattle in 2016, she has devoted her time to ceramic sculpture, particularly ceramic figures commenting on the present world.
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Seattle Studio:
Pioneer Square
'57 Biscayne Good Arts Building
Studio 313
110 CherrySt.
Seattle, Washington 98104
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541 6016406
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Susan E. Springer
suespringersculpture.com
suespringerart.com
541 6016406
IG #suespringersculpture
Born 1947; Los Angeles, CA
Lives and works in Seattle, WA
Artist with over 50 years of related experience, as well as portfolio of varied accomplishments including installations, exhibitions, teaching and academic achievements. Experience in a wide variety of ceramic techniques and procedures.
EDUCATION
University of Oregon, Master of Fine Arts, MFA Ceramics Eugene, OR
Graduate Teaching Fellowship 1983-1984
1969 University of Portland, BA, Foreign Language, Education Portland, OR
RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2016 -present Sculpture Studio Seattle, WA
57 Biscayne Artist Studios; #313, The Good Arts Building
2003-2016 Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
Gallery and working studio
1992-2010 Illahe Tileworks Ashland, OR
Custom tile studio
1979-1992 Studio Potter Illahe, Oregon
1974-1979 Beechtree Pottery. Starkville, MS
SELECTED PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSIONS
2013 Greyhound Arch Lithia Motors, “The Commons” Medford, OR The Plaza Mosaics, Ashland Plaza restoration Ashland, OR
2012 Recology Recycled mosaic; Recology/Ashland Sanitary Service Ashland, OR
2011 Compass Rose Mosaic, N. Mountain Park Nature Center Ashland, OR
2010 Peace Wall City of Ashland Public Arts Commission Ashland, OR
2006 Rio Amistad Friendship River; Calle Guanajuato Overlook Ashland, OR
2004 Life Cycle of the Salmon Mosaic, Eagle Canyon Exhibit, Oregon Zoo Portland, OR
2001 From the River to the Sea Sculptural mural & rainwater fountain Reedsport, OR
2000 Eastern Oregon Landscape, EOU, Oregon Arts Commission La Grande, OR
1993 Historic Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center Mural, Orgon Arts Commission Waldport, OR
1984 Between the Rivers, Springfield City Hall Springfield, OR
SELECTED PRIVATE COMMISSIONS
2012 Community Health Center, Donor Recognition Wall Medford, OR
2008 Vintage Tango Mosaic Murals, The Studio Ashland, OR
2006 The Gordon House Tile Reproduction Silverton, OR
The Pear Orchard Medford, OR
2003 Donor Recognition Walls;
Rogue Community College Foundation, Medford Campus Medford, OR
Riverside Campus Grants Pass, OR
2002 Cascade Theater Façade Restoration Southern Oregon University Redding, CA
2000 Balancing the Scales Evergreen Federal Savings Bank Grants Pass, OR
The Great Seal of the Tolowa Deeni Nation Smith River, CA
1999 Cancer Survivor Wall, RVMC Medford, OR
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2023 Connectivity, Shift Gallery Seattle, WA
Seattle Art Fair, Lumen Field Seattle, WA
Parallel Practice, Waterstone Gallery and Shift Artists Seattle, WA
Revision Arts, Please Touch, A/NT Gallery Seattle Center Seattle, WA
Shift Artists at Waterstone Gallery Portland, OR
2022 Seattle Art Fair, Lumen Field Seattle, WA
Viewpoint. Shift Gallery Seattle, WA
2021 Reflections, Shift Gallery Seattle, WA Revision Arts, Hope Rising A/NT Gallery Seattle Center Seattle, WA
Icons, Lynn Hanson Gallery Seattle, WA
The Uncertainty Principle, Shift Gallery Seattle, WA
2020 Revision Arts “Please Touch” A/NT Gallery Seattle Center Seattle, WA
“Ruthless” Fogue Studios and Gallery Seattle, WA
Hanson Howard Gallery Ashland, OR
2019 Fogue Studios and Gallery, Georgetown Seattle, WA
Hanson Howard Gallery Ashland, OR
2015 She Watches Landfill Art Project Wilkes-Barre, PA
2005-2014 Annual Sculptural Invitational, Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
2013 Light and Motion, Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
2012 The Figure in Motion, Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
REPRESENTATION
Shift Gallery, Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA
Fogue Studios, Georgetown, Seattle, WA
Hanson Howard Gallery, Ashland, OR
SELECTED PRESS
Show’s Over, 2014, Ashland Daily Tidings
Treasures of Western Oregon, 2005 Morgan and Chase Publications
The Art of Handmade Tile, Kristen Peck, 2002 Krause Publications
Designing Interiors with Tile, Kasabian and Goodman, 2000 Rockport Publishers
INSTRUCTION
2003 Ceramic Glazes: Theory, Formulation and Application Ashland, OR
Glaze chemistry
1996.] Tile Heritage Foundation Symposium Lecturer Santa Barbara, CA
“Contemporary Tilemakers; A Feast for the Eyes”
1994-1996 Rogue Valley Art Association Instructor Medford, OR
Workshop instructor, tilemaking workshop
1985-1991 Southwest Oregon Community College Gold Beach, OR
Ceramics instructor; Curry County Adult Education Program
1983-1984. University of Oregon Eugene, OR
Graduate Teaching Fellowship ceramics 255 instructor and studio management