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.
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”
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.
Seattle Studio:
Pioneer Square
'57 Biscayne Good Arts Building
Studio 313
110 CherrySt.
Seattle, Washington 98104
541 6016406
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts, MFA Ceramics Eugene, OR University of Oregon 1984
Graduate Teaching Fellowship 1983-1984
Graduate Study New Orleans, LA Xavier University of Louisiana
Bachelor of Arts, BA Foreign Language, Education Portland, OR University of Portland 1969
Teaching Certificate, Secondary Education
RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Sculpture Studio Seattle, WA
Working studio 2016-present
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1426 S. Jackson St. Artist building International District Seattle
Currently in 57 Biscayne Artist Studios Building, Pioneer Square, Seattle
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Maintain studio creating ceramic sculpture, mosaic and ceramic wall art.
Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
Gallery and working studio 2003-2016
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Monthly artist shows, group shows, call for art and invitationals.
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Wide variety of work represented, painting, sculpture, woodwork, mosaic, artist books, pottery
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Maintained studio completing commissions in tile and mosaic, creating ceramic sculpture and ceramic wall art.
Illahe Tileworks Ashland, OR
Handmade tile studio 1992-2010
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Custom tile design and production
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Sculptural murals
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Residential and commercial tile, glaze formulation, mosaics and installations
Studio Potter Illahe, OR
Pottery and tile 1979-1992 Hand thrown pottery, ceramic sculpture and custom tile
Beechtree Pottery Starkville, MS
Storefront Pottery Studio and Showroom 1974-1979
INSTRUCTION
Ceramic Glazes: Theory, Formulation and Application Ashland, OR
Glaze chemistry class 2003
Tile Heritage Foundation Symposium Lecturer Santa Barbara, CA
“Contemporary Tilemakers; A Feast for the Eyes” 1996
Rogue Valley Art Association Instructor Medford, OR
Workshop instructor, tilemaking workshop 1994-1996
Southwest Oregon Community College Gold Beach, OR
Ceramics instructor; Curry County Adult Education Program 1985-1991
University of Oregon Eugene, OR
Graduate Teaching Fellowship ceramics 255 instructor and studio management 1983-1984
SELECTED PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSIONS
Greyhound Arch Lithia Motors, “The Commons” Medford, OR 2013 The Plaza Mosaics Ashland Plaza restoration Ashland, OR 2013
Recology Recycled mosaic; Recology/Ashland Sanitary Service Ashland, OR 2012
Compass Rose Mosaic N. Mountain Park Nature Center Ashland, OR 2011
Peace Wall City of Ashland Public Arts Commission Ashland, OR 2010
Rio Amistad Friendship River; Calle Guanajuato Overlook Ashland, OR 2006
Life Cycle of the Salmon Mosaic Eagle Cyn Exhibit, Oregon Zoo Portland, OR 2004
From the River to the Sea Sculptural mural & rainwater fountain Reedsport, OR 2001
Eastern Oregon Landscape EOU; Oregon Arts Commission La Grande, OR 2000
Historic Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center Mural; OAC, Waldport, OR 1993
Between the Rivers Springfield City Hall Springfield, OR 1984
SELECTED PRIVATE COMMISSIONS
Community Health Center Donor Recognition Wall Medford, OR 2012
Vintage Tango Mosaic Murals, The Studio Ashland, OR 2008
The Gordon House Tile Reproduction; Silverton, OR 2006
The Pear Orchard Medford, OR 2006
Donor Recognition Walls;
Rogue Community College Foundation, Medford Campus Medford, OR 2003
Riverside Campus Grants Pass, OR 2003
Cascade Theater Façade Restoration Southern Oregon University Redding, CA 2002
Balancing the Scales Evergreen Federal Savings Bank Grants Pass, OR 2000
The Great Seal of the Tolowa Deeni Nation Smith River, CA 2000
Cancer Survivor Wall Medford, OR 1999
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2022 Viewpoint. Shift Gallery Seattle, WA
2021 Revision Arts Hope Rising A/NT Gallery Seattle Center Seattle, WA
2021 Icons. Lynn Hanson Gallery Seattle, WA
2021 Reflections, Shift Gallery Seattle, WA
2020 Revision Arts “Please Touch” A/NT Gallery Seattle Center Seattle, WA
2020 “Ruthless” Fogue Studios and Gallery Seattle, WA
2020 Hanson Howard Gallery Ashland, OR
2019 Fogue Studios and Gallery, Georgetown, Seattle, WA
2019 Hanson Howard Gallery Ashland, OR
2018 1426 Studios Open Studio Event and Pop Up Gallery Seattle, WA
2005-2014 Annual Sculptural Invitational, Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
2015 She Watches Landfill Art Project Wilkes-Barre, PA
2013 Light and Motion Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
2012 The Figure in Motion, Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
2011 Capture the Moment, Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
2010 Timeless Dancers, Illahe Studios and Gallery Ashland, OR
2005 Medford’s “Smudge Pot-Pourri” Medford, OR
2004 River of Knowledge Exhibit, Jackson Co. Library Medford, OR
2004 “Potter to Potter” Maude Kerns Art Center Eugene, OR
2003 Medford’s Smudge Pot-Pourri Timeless Medford, OR
2002 “Ceramics in its Own (W)rite-The Word Made Clay,” Athenium Library; La Jolla, CA
2002 “Umpqua Discovery Center Exhibit,” Reedsport, OR
2001 Clayfolk Exhibit, Grants Pass Museum of Art, Grants Pass, OR
2001 “Women With Attitude,” JEGA Gallery, Ashland, OR
2001 Annual Sculptors Exhibit, JEGA Gallery, Ashland, OR
2001 Fourth Annual Southern Oregon Sculpture Exhibit, Grants Museum of Art, Grants Pass, OR
2000 Fifth Annual Silverhawk Fine Craft Exhibit, Silverhawk, CO