Susan Newquist
Gallery
1-2 of 6
Artist Statement
After trying her hand at some old handicrafts, such as tanning leather, Susan was introduced to quilling. This Native American art dates back hundreds of years. Indians used sinew (tendons from deer and elk) to embroider dyed and natural quills to leather in intricate decorative patterns in times before they had glass beads.
Horse hair hitching is a more recent folk art, practiced by cowboys in the Old West. Jailed cowboys perfected the technique of weaving horse hair in geometric designs because they had unlimited time to work on their crafts.
Susan morphed these primitive crafts into modern jewelry that utilizes deer bone, salwag, and glass beads that are reminiscent of those traded to the Indians by European fur trappers. She works and studies various beading and crafting techniques in Easton, Pennsylvania where she resides with her children and husband.
