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. 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? Why did the microbes bring lawn chairs to the rhizosphere? 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! All the best, If you like this email, please tell your friends to subscribe to this irregular publication :-) |
I am an artist and documentarian working in pencil, pastel, and film to convey my love of people and the planet. Please subscribe to my irregular email.
Live happily, you're worth it. Spotlighting Stories That Inspire In the early stages of making his film, Bob Nesson met with me and poet/writer Charles Coe, who teaches poetry in various settings, including prisons. Part of my creative life has been devoted to spotlighting people who follow their passion for the natural world or social change. I’ve done this through documentary films, illustrations, and collaborations with people from all walks of life. Today I'd like to highlight John Walsh,...
Live happily, you're worth it. Rivers of Inspiration Looking toward the Missouri River from a truss bridge over Charette Creek in Marthasville, Missouri on a bicycle adventure on the 240-mile long Katy Trail. A painting study by Susan Edwards. June is National Rivers Month, a time to celebrate the waterways that sustain life and connect us to the natural world. It’s the perfect season to enjoy a river, whether by hiking, paddling, birding, or making art along its banks. I’m lucky to live near...
Live happily, you're worth it. Come to the Exhibit Closing Reception: Saturday, 4/26! "Journey to the Rhizosphere" has been going strong since April 1st at the Harris Center for Conservation Education; staff say visitors of all ages have been loving it! Join us for the closing reception on Saturday, April 26th, from 3:00 - 5:00 PM for a drop-in, sensory-filled celebration of soil life, art, and community. Here’s what’s in store: Make a miniature microbe mobile! Bioelectric underground signals...