Spiritual Reflections

​Fiber artist and arts educator, Susan Buss particularly enjoys assisting others to discover and develop their own unique creative voice while continuing to express her own. Susan incorporates traditional needlework techniques, screen printing, dyeing, and weaving in contemporary, conceptual, and unexpected ways. By using these methods of fiber arts and crafts that historically were considered “women’s work” in new and non-traditional ways, she gives them personal and intimate value that commands respect. 
Susan’s artwork includes salvaged and reclaimed woolens and linens, other natural and synthetic fibers, and hand-dyed yarns to use with weaving techniques or other fiber art and sculptural processes. She uses language, visual and verbal, to express her often tongue-in-cheek humor. Susan has also created loom woven wall hangings that express her gifted use of color. In the midst of a series of works based on the meditation of recovery, using embroidery and weaving, she is exploring a conversation based in raw emotion and healing. Susan is often found conflicted with many ideals of contradiction which often offers fertile ground for her creativity. 
Susan was born in Beloit, Wisconsin and was raised on a rural dairy farm. She studied fine art at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and earned a degree in Fine Arts Fibers. She visits the farmstead, no longer an operating dairy farm, and photo documents the transitions of time. She creates woven landscapes inspired by Wisconsin’s unique and diverse terrain. 
She aspires to inspire her students to express this creative energy balance as well. She uses traditional sewing, weaving, basketry, book making techniques that can be both practical skills in life as well as a means to artistic expression. Susan has a desire to balance her solo studio time working on her artwork with her family and her time mentoring and sharing her skills with her students. Susan has taught children and adults and one of the most important skills in teaching is her unlimited patience. She has created a peaceful respite for her students, giving them the opportunity to follow their own interests as she guides them through the creative process, where every mistake is looked upon as either a good learning opportunity or a chance to develop creative problem solving skills. She has taught weaving, color theory, and shared fiber arts in adult enrichment courses.   
Buss currently lives in Menomonie, WI. She teaches Art to all grade levels (K-8) at St Paul’s School in Menomonie. In May 2021, Susan graduated with a second degree in Art Education for UW- Stout. Currently Susan is completing a course of religious studies for synodical certification. She gladly takes commissions and is currently weaving custom vestments. You can find her on Instagram or on her website www.onewhoweaves.com.