ARTIST INFO

SUZANNE HEAD
Brooklyn, NY
suzannehead.com

GLASS | Fused glass drawings

Penland Affiliation | Studio Assistant 2022

Artist Information | Studio and public art artist; education: BFA Drawing, Cleveland Institute of Art (OH); exhibitions: Pilchuck Gallery (WA), Blue Rain Gallery (NM), Whatcom Museum (WA), Schack Art Center (WA), Bullseye Projects (OR), HEDGE Gallery (OH), Society of Illustrators (NY), Matzke Gallery (WA); representation: Museo Gallery (WA)

Artist Bio | Suzanne Head received her BFA in drawing from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2016. In addition to pursuing public art as a muralist, she creates work in pencil, paint, clay, and glass. Head focuses on traditional drawing skills throughout these mediums, applying a cross-disciplinary approach to materials. Travel is essential to Head’s practice: she has taught workshops and painted murals across the country. She currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, often teaching workshops on fused glass techniques

Artist Statement | Suzanne’s drawings, paintings, and sculptures assess the nature of internal and external struggle, aiming to present a context in which one is powerful, vulnerable or both. She often symbolizes conflicts within human relationships that pertain to issues of femininity, intimacy, and power: questioning whether these characteristics help to define one as strong or weak within societal and social circumstances. When portraying animals, Head focuses on the natural characteristics of the chosen animal species and their relationship to human society as symbolic to human behavior.

Technical Information | “Powder drawings” are made by hand sifting colored glass powder onto layers of sheet glass with small mesh sifters. The powder is then pushed around with brushes and rubber nibs to create an image. This process is repeated several times, building up layers of color. Each layer is fired in a kiln many times before being fully fused to create the final image. Suzanne’s glass masks are then slumped over a curved form and cut to shape by hand.