We are pleased to have Susan Purney Mark as our June speaker, for her lecture,”On the Surface - Paint, Dye, Resists and More!” Susan is an award-winning textile and surface design artist, and resides and works on Pender Island, British Columbia, on the traditional and unceded lands of the W̱SÁNEĆ and Tsawout peoples. Her island is surrounded by ocean vistas, rich forests and abundant wildlife.
Her education includes the London City & Guilds programme in textiles and surface design, as well as formal studies at the Ontario College of Art and the Vancouver Island School of Art. Over the past three decades, Susan has developed and mastered a diverse range of techniques, with her primary focus on the use of cloth as a medium of artistic expression. She has expertise in the application of dyes and paints to fabric, creating complex patterns and textures, and is also skilled in wax resist, screen printing, and dyeing for precise colour sequences.
Grounded in her family’s needlework traditions, Susan’s practice has evolved from functional craftsmanship to innovative artistic exploration. Her work often emphasizes mark making, text, and narrative within a controlled colour palette, shifting towards abstraction through the layering of cloth, paper, and found materials. She integrates recycled elements, as well as painted, waxed, or cut paper into her pieces. Currently, she is focused on the creation of dimensional body and vessel forms that explore feminine attributes, spanning a conceptual timeline from pre-birth to death.
In addition to her artistic practice, Susan has authored several books on contemporary quilting techniques, taught extensively both nationally and internationally, and offers a series of well-regarded online workshops and a mentorship programme for textile and visual artists.
Website: www.susanpm.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susan.purneymark
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanpurneymark/
YouTube: (168) Susan Purney Mark - YouTube
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SusanPurneyMark/
