About Suzanne
Suzanne Coley is a 2023-2024 Folger Shakespeare Library Fellow and a 2023-2024 Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Fellow. Her main artistic fields are printmaking, poetry, and book arts. She has pioneered the style of book making called "couture textile books," combining precision and intentionality of design with bold experimentation and abstraction. Over the past fifteen years, Suzanne has merged couture sewing techniques with embroidery and poetry in her art. Suzanne… more
Burgundy Lives
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Torn But Not BrokenUnbound page, 22 x 24 inches, 2017
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Silencemixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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TreasuresStripping wombs of precious treasures
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Treasure Mapshandmade textile book: mixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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Green ParadiseGreen paradise hides truth
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WatchingBurgundy lives in the land of green. Handmade textile book page.
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Mystical Beliefsmixed media fiber arts, 2017
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TornHandmade textile books
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Far From, detailFar from journalists' eyes
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Far Frommixed media fiber arts with hand embroidery, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
All I Have
One of the textiles I received was a woman's garment from Northern Africa. I imagined her story based on these news stories and "it was our only hope" and created All I Have.
All I Have
My seventh son is all I have.
We must go to land that doesn't
birth grenades. What good is fertile
soil when Earth knows only graves.
Blessed is the garden of Eden
Our Eves are kidnapped
before they know apples.
My seventh son is all I have.
We must go to land that is dry and calm.
They burn our breath as we pray.
Gorillas teach apples the secrets of war.
We heard the crash, then the waves.
Please blow air into his lungs,
my seventh son is all I have.
- Suzanne Coley
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God has left usGod has left us. Gorillas are spooked.
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All I Havemixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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All I HaveWooden cover for handmade textile book: All I Have
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My Seventh SonMy seventh son is all I have, we must go to land that is dry and calm.
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AliveNothing is alive.
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Magical RainforestOur magical rainforest lost its power.
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SpellsSpells no longer work.
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RebelsThey say rebels put poisoned gun powder on roots.
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Metal ReflectionsMetal reflections send them into violent dances like our boat had in the ocean.
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Blow AirWe heard the crash, then the waves. Please blow air into his lungs, my seventh son is all I have.
Primary Lessons
During my year-long project working with African textiles from the National Museum of African Art, I had the opportunity to speak with scholars from the Congo, Benin, and Nigeria. It was one of the most amazing experiences as an artist to see how art historians view the artistic process and the final art piece.
Poem for Primary Lessons
New primary school curriculum
lots of biology lessons.
Last week we dissected spinal columns
24 true, 9 false vertebrae.
Cicadas, he said, so many of them come out
at the same time that all the birds eating
them get full and leave the rest alone.
"Predator satiation," my teacher explained.
A defense mechanism.
Doesn't work with all predators, I guess.
Today they opened my teacher's throat
for all to see. The whole school was
commanded to come out at the same time.
All the guns shooting us never stopped.
Play dead.
- Suzanne Coley
Please visit my blog for details.
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ScreamA defense mechanism.
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PrimaryLessonsmixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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BonesToday they opened my teacher's throat . . .
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SchoolThe whole school was commanded to come out at the same time.
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Primary LessonsNew primary school curriculum.
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Primary Lessonsmixed media fiber art, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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Torn but Not BrokenCicacadas, he said, so many of them come out at the same time that all the birds eating them get full and leave the rest alone.
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The ShootingThe shooting
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Play DeadBut all the guns shooting us never stopped. Play Dead.
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Defense MechanismA defense mechanism. Does not work with all predators, I guess.
See Us
Poetry for See Us
Doctors who crossed barbed wire borders
told me to write my story. Perhaps if others knew
what was going on here I . . . we would get help.
Help. Ease. Alleviate. Assuage.
I search for the right words with my limited
vocabulary. How do I say, "Take that 200lb
man off my 12 year old body without that
gun breaking my front teeth?"
How can anyone undo the damage.
Fix all of these broken bodies.
Revive souls already in Psychopomp's arms.
Palliate. Temper. Diminish
- Suzanne Coley
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AssuageDoctors say 12 year old girls in America have birthday parties with lots of pink balloons . . .
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AssuageThey try to make us laugh and dance. mixed meida fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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Crossing Barbed Wire BordersI want to write about delicate butterflies.
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Crossing Barbed Wire BordersI want to write about lovely blue feathered parrots who live in the majestic Congo rainforest.
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Promethean BoundThe open sores are healing but the pain is still here.
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I CarryI carry too much weight and fall over with this balloon inside of me.
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MaskMy ankles can't bear the load. They made sandals from plastic water bottles and string.
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See Us, Soothemixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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Blue Feathered ParrotsI want to write about delicate butterflies and lovely blue feathered parrots who live in the majestic Congo rainforest.
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Blue Feathered Parrots, detailI want to write about delicate butterflies and lovely blue feathered parrots . . .
Asymmetrical Zeal
With this in mind, I created Asymmetrical Zeal. I wanted to show the strength of the textiles. Please read my blog post for more information.
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HammeringHammering metal sentiments into carved wooden statues.
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ArtemisArtemis: handprinted cotton textile page
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Asymmetrical Zeal, Coverwood, ink, polyurethane, 2017
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Forcing SpiritsForcing spirits past caged lines, across arid lands.
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Motherhood, detailMotherhood gives birth to new vulnerabilities.
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MotherhoodRapscallions stalk under thick sentimental canopies.
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Criss CrossSun scorched metallic hopes melt before dawn.
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Metallic HopesWinds howl fiercely
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EmotionsRemoving emotions from mass graves
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Gold Squaresletting them flow with the river's current.
Goats
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LionsLions learned from your courage. **Mixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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MonkeysMonkeys basked in your splendor.
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GoatsA thousand shades of green was your kingdom.
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Burning AirWet wasteland, with your burning air, we inhale suffering
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Bellies BloatWet wasteland, our bellies bloat.
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GoatsGreen wetland, hot tempered and feisty, your rugged terrain we roam.
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Goats: Rootsmixed media fiber art with hand beading, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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Goats:Rootsdetail
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Billy GoatsBilly goats don't eat roots.
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Morning DewOur children's last tears make your morning dew.
Exodus
Don't spray so much cleaner! I pay money for it, you know.
Why do dragonflies come out of mudbugs, uh, you ask?
Because they think they are better than everybody, that's why. Because they don't want to be working at this truck stop cleaning windshields all their lives like us.
I told that boy: Nothing good will happen if you try to make it to Europe. But no, he wanted "normal life." He wanted Sweden. So he spread his wings and made it all the way to Algeria. Was beaten and robbed three times along the way. All so that he could drown in the sea.
At least they don't send dragonfly mothers pictures of their squished son
- Suzanne Coley
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The Seamixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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The Sea, detailCrossing the sea . . .
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Migrantsmixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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Migrantshandmade textile book page. hand embroidery. 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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Barbed WiresI told that boy: Nothing good will happen if you try to make it to Europe.
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ExodusBut no, he wanted "normal life." He wanted Sweden.
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ExodusSo he spread his wings and made it all the way to Algeria.
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Exodusmixed media fiber art (with hand embroidery), 16.5 x 25.5 inches, 2017
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ExodusHe was beaten and robbed three times along the way. All so that he could drown in the sea.
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ExodusAt least they don't send dragonfly mothers pictures of their squished sons on Volvo trucks.
King
Please read my blog posts for more details.
Poetry for King
when i grow up i want to be king
with body guards dressed in red
on horses with royal names
shielding me from bullies
no more broken bones
when i grow up i want to be king
like the one on postcards my teacher
sent me: King Goerge VI
i don't care about castles, a mud brick
house will do. i don't need electricity
i see through darkness
when i grow up i want to be king
to have a team of doctors,
to take care of my whole family.
to stop my brother from throwing up red.
when i grow up, i want to be king
when people see me, they will say hello
even if the sun isn't shining.
when i grow up
tell them to water
the hurt
grow i,
girls can
be
girls can
be
i, kings
when
- Suzanne Coley
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Girl Kingswhen i grow up i want to be king
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KingTitle page of handmade book King, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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King George VImixed media fiber art, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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King Georg VI, cover imagewhen i grow up i want to be king to have a team of doctors to take care of my whole family to stop my brother from throwing up red
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Chartreusewhen people see me, they will say hello
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Feathers to flyGirl King
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Fractured Shadowsmixed media fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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Fractured ShadowsKing George VI stamp
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The Sunhandmade textile page, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
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The Hurtmixed meida fiber arts, 16.5 x 25.5 x 2 inches, 2017
Selected Artworks 2002 - 2023
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Look In Thy GlassMixed media fiber arts, 6.5" x 9", 2019 - page from handmade textile book Look In Thy Glass
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365 Painted SongsPainted Songs: In 2015, I created a book a day. This is an image of the books from January 2015. ** All books measure 8.75 x 11.75 x .5 inches, have at least 20 pages, and no two are the same.
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Dreamsmixed media fiber arts, 22 x 25 x 1 inches, 2017
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Dreamsmixed media fiber arts (book), 14 x 11 x .5 inches (closed), 2017
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Mouthmixed media fiber arts,22 x 25 x 1 inches, 2017
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Mouthmixed media fiber arts (book), 22 x 25 x 1 inches (opened), 2017
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Hopemixed media unique book with matching clamshell box, 15 x 13 x 1 inches, 2016-2017
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Once Upon a Timemixed media fiber arts (book), 8.75 x 11.75 x .5 inches, 2015
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Supersonic Realitiesmixed media fiber arts, 8.75 x 11.75 x .5 inches, 2015
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CygnetsHandmade Textile book page, 2017