Live happily, you're worth it.

From Porch to Print — Weaving Pen, Ink, and Imagination

I often draw in pen and ink while sitting on my front porch (or wherever inspiration strikes :-) — sometimes with a little creature stopping by to keep me company. Once the drawings are done, I digitize them along with textures I’ve collected, like netting or lace. From there, I start composing digitally — layering, rearranging, and sometimes altering the drawings by adding or removing elements, like I did with the carrots.

I create a color palette to use across a series, working in acrylics, soft pastels, colored pencils, and digitally. The final pieces are output digitally as prints onto rag paper, a surface that lets me continue painting onto the piece with pastels, pen, and acrylic ink.

It’s a long and often solitary process. For this show, getting imaginary microbe drawings from friends brought a real sense of connection. I wove their contributions into my process just as I would with my own drawings — combining and composing with care, curiosity, and joy.

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The “Journey to the Rhizosphere” exhibit has been extended through May!

Check the Harris Center for Conservation Education website for open hours and, while you're there, take a walk on one of the nearby trails to see the living landscape beneath your feet in a new light.

New pieces have been added to the exhibit, including Q&A cards answering questions like, “Do microbes sing?” and “Is there a soil microbe that eats gasoline?”

Many people have asked how they can get a copy of the “Billions” illustration. Please email me your request and we can talk about it: susanadeleedwards@gmail.com.

To see more images from the exhibit and reception, check out my Instagram page.

Why does the rhizosphere matter?​
​It’s where roots and microbes connect — trading nutrients, fending off disease, and shaping healthy, water retentive soil. By understanding this hidden zone, we can grow stronger plants, restore ecosystems, and build climate resilience from the underground up.
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Why did the microbes bring lawn chairs to the rhizosphere?​
​Because they heard it was the root of all social networking!

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​Stay in touch with me on Instagram and LinkedIn!

Please feel free to forward this email to anyone you think might like it. Thanks for reading!
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All the best,
Sue Edwards
​Let's draw from nature.
​www.susanadeleedwards.com​
​LinkedIn Profile​

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