Artist Susan Stover

Susan Stover is a multidisciplinary artist whose work draws from a deep foundation in textile traditions and contemporary painting. Originally from the Midwest, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a Master of Fine Arts from California College of the Arts in Oakland, California—both degrees emphasizing her dual passions for textiles and painting.

With a professional career that spans several decades, Susan has cultivated a unique voice that merges cultural textile practices with modern abstraction. She spent ten years working with Jacquard Products, a leading manufacturer of textile paints and dyes, where she gained technical expertise that continues to inform her practice. In addition to her studio work, Susan has served on the faculty at the University of California, Davis, and on the staff of California College of the Arts. She has taught extensively across the globe with workshops in Australia, India, Italy, France, Mexico, and throughout the United States.

After many years in Northern California’s wine country, Susan recently relocated to the Hudson Valley in New York. Her work is represented by Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson, NY, and Cura Contemporary in Morgan Hill, CA.

"My work investigates the tension between fragility and stability, control and chaos, through stitched structures that bridge the arenas of painting, textiles, and sculpture. The works are composed separate elements made of wood or cardboard and are joined together with heavy threads. I use stitching not only as a method of construction but as a conceptual framework: a way to explore how things are held together and the tenuous reliability of the structures we rely on. Whether social, political, or cultural, the systems that shape our lives are rarely as solid as they seem. The stitching is a powerful symbol of both repair and vulnerability. It is a metaphor for how we try to hold things together, the interdependence of individual elements, and the constant strain of maintaining a cohesive union. They are held together by provisional means — by people, agreements, routines, and norms — each a kind of stitch in the fabric of our collective existence. I consider each piece a quiet record of time, labor, and intimacy. Through the rigorous hand-stitching of individual elements, I create compositions where each piece interacts with the others, gradually forming a complex whole. Embracing the meditative act of repetitive labor, the process not only reflects the precision and patience inherent in textile traditions, but also allows the tactile exploration of space, form, and structure. Like assembling pieces of a puzzle, each component is contingent on the previous stitched piece, with the final form gradually reveals itself through the process."

Tell us a little about yourself (where you are from) and your background in the arts.

I grew up in a farm and factory town in southwestern Ohio. I had a grandfather and an aunt that were artists. One of my earliest memories is sitting for my grandfather for a portrait he wanted to paint of me. I was about 4 or 5 and it was really hard to sit still. He died around that time and I wish I could have known him as I got older. So, making art was always encouraged in my family.

I got my undergraduate BFA from Miami University, which is about an hour from where I grew up, after spending my freshman year at Purdue University. I started off as a painter, but found the textile department much more exciting. I had grown up learning to knit, crochet, sew, and embroider. I had a grandmother who was a very good seamstress and I would sew with her a lot. I like constructing and making with my hands.

After I graduated from Miami, I moved to California. I went to California College of Art for my MFA concentrating in textiles and painting. I’ve always approached my work from a painting perspective but love experimenting with materials as well. Flash forward, life goes on, marriage, a daughter, living in northern California, making time for art was harder. I worked for a textile paint and dye manufacturer for 10 years.

In 2012, I was able to quit my job and become a full time artist supplementing my income with teaching workshops. After almost 40 years in California, my husband and I moved to the Hudson Valley in upstate New York in 2023.

What kind of work are you currently making?

I’ve been working on a two bodies of work simultaneously. I tend to work 2D and 3D at the same time quite often. They incorporate similar processes in different ways. Both involve separate elements that are painted, cut, and joined together with stitching. The bigger wall pieces are made from wood, painted, cut into linear elements that are then drilled and sewn together. The smaller wall sculptures are made from painted cardboard which is more flexible that I can form a bit.

They both reflect my thoughts about mending, repair, fragility, and stability. Where they differ is where the larger wall structures I feel are addressing the larger outward issues of what is happening in the world lately, and the smaller wall sculptures are a more personal intimate experience.

What is a day like in the studio for you?

I try and get to the studio between 9:00-10:00 and work until around 5. Since I’ve been preparing for a show, I pretty much know what needs to get done and can stay pretty focused. When I don’t have a show coming up, I take more time to look at art, research, and experiment with other materials or techniques. That can sometimes be very challenging, not knowing what’s next, and feel like nothing is working. But I also keep the faith that at some point, it will break through to something new. I find that looking back on some of the experiments gone bad reveal new insight about where to go.

What are you looking at right now and/or reading?

I’ve got a few books going right now. How Painting Happens (and why it matters) by Martin Gayford, and a biography, Lee Krasner: A Biography by Gail Levin…. For color inspiration, I’ve been looking at Matisse and Vuillard, and for pattern and image, Thomas Nozkowski and Terry Winters.

Where can we find more of your work? (ex. website/insta/gallery/upcoming shows)

Website: www.susanstover.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanstoverart/

Upcoming shows: Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson, NY where I'm having a show June 6-July 27, 2025, Opening is June 7 from 5-7, and Cura Contemporary in Morgan Hill, CA