I am a fiber and ceramic artist whose artwork is inspired by Byzantine and medieval art.
My circuitous career has taken me through weaving and metals studios, classrooms, and theaters. In my teaching, I share my varied skills with students of all ages.  
Theatrical costume work allows me to use all of my skills in a collaborative, creative effort.
So what is it that I do?




I make art. I teach. I sew.

ABOUT MY ART

    I blame it on my parents. It is their fault that I am interested in so many things. Mom taught me to sew as soon as I could thread a needle.  From my dad I learned that you can never have too many tools.  They both had a talent for taking old things and giving them new purpose.
    It’s their fault. They read Dr. Suess aloud. Mom made up stories. They encouraged me to imagine, to learn and not to be afraid to be different.
    When we visited our grandparents, they took me to the Russian Orthodox church that my father grew up in. The church with a ceiling painted like the sky, with stars and angels. It was the place where I saw my first icons.  It was a magical place where there was wonder and beauty in the midst of so much coal dust.
    So here I am; embroidering warped illuminations and icons by hand in the 21st century.  I use clay and found objects to construct architecturally inspired frames that owe as much to the dear Dr. Suess as to art history. My studio is filled with bits of flotsam and jetsam that find their way into embroidery and frames. I endeavor to recycle both stories and objects for our crazy times, attempting to make sense from nonsense.  

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ABOUT ME

​      In addition to making my own artwork, I have developed a dual career life. I am a teaching artist and I work in theatrical costume.
  Teaching has been a constant component of my artist life.  I have taught  everyone from children to adults in a wide variety of settings. 
   These days, I primarily do residency work in schools.  I am on the roster of  Young Audiences of Maryland. I am also on the Maryland State Arts Council Artist in Education roster.  In this capacity I have  been actively working in arts integration, helping teachers and students to integrate the arts across the curriculum.

​        My theatrical costuming career began in high school when a friend recruited me to assist in wardrobe for the school musical.  It continued in college with a job in the costume shop of the theater department.  Upon graduating with a BA in fine art/art history, I got a job in a hand weaving studio, where I met a colleague who worked as a dresser in Baltimore theaters. This colleague recommended me for my first professional costume job. I have been working in theatrical wardrobe ever since. In recent years, I have added work in film and television.

CONTACT ME

Suzanne Herbert-Forton, Catonsville, MD  
[email protected]
​ 410-747-1706
​©Suzanne Herbert-Forton