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Artist's Statement
Statement of Work
Sue Willis
email: sasha3052000@aol.com
Artist’s Statement
The first thing I recall from the morning of September 11, 2001 was the giant fireball framed by my small southern window, blasting out of an upper story of the first tower to be hit by the jet. Immediately I screamed for Rudy, the photographer who shared my 5th floor Bowery loft who was still asleep in his studio. I recall my instant hysterics and sense of greater foreboding, despite the broadcasters’ speculation that the collision might be an accident.
On the roof Rudy and I gathered with our neighbors, and as others assembled on rooftops throughout our neighborhood we absorbed the specter of the burning tower, not comprehending that it was real.
I recollect running downstairs to call my mother in Chicago, who would hear the news and worry, and friends and I exchanged brief calls of disbelief and shock. Soon the phone lines would die. A collective scream echoed off the downtown of rooftops as the next jet collided with the second tower. Later my neighbor who owned the framing business on the 1st floor would set the binoculars down on his lap in disbelief. He had just seen someone jump from an upper story window.
The collapse of the first tower began with each tier of steel vanishing into a block of thick grey gas, until the entire structure from top to bottom was transformed into a giant edifice of transient smoke, a still living spirit of the once vital tower. Finally, after both towers had vanished I tried to turn and leave the roof but realized I couldn’t move my legs; such was the shock of it. There’s so much more to this story, but what I’ve told is the reason I began the small paintings, which I call The Disaster Series.
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SUE WILLIS
Email: sasha3052000@aol.com
website: www.suewillis.com
links: Brooklyn Museum: Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/feminist_art_base/gallery/sue_will…
Education
1977-1979 Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, MFA sculpture
University of Illinois, Champaign, BFA sculpture
Teaching
1989-present Adjunct Assoc. Professor: Sculpture; Basic Drawing; Life-Drawing; Basic and
3-D Design; Development of BFA program (2000), Acting Director of Sculpture (2002-2004). The Fashion Institute of Technology, Fine Arts Department,
New York, NY
Adjunct Professor: 2-D and 3-D Design, course formation and instruction.
New York University
1993 Visiting Artist: Portrait Relief Sculpture. Oxbow Program of The Art Institute of Chicago, Saugatuck, MI
1992 Instructor: General & Life-Drawing, Summer Session. The School of The Art Institute, Art Institute of Chicago
1983-1992 Instructor: “Creating Fantastic Images, Life-Drawing in Color,” course formation and instruction. Parsons School of Design, Continuing Ed. Department, New York, NY
1988 Instructor: “Site-Specific Sculpture,” course formation and instruction. Parsons School of Design, Continuing Ed. Department, New York, NY
1988 Instructor: 3-D Design, “Contrasting Forms.” Pratt Institute, Industrial Design Department, New York, NY
1978 Instructor: Life-Drawing. Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Commissions
1981 Site-Specific Sculpture: Design and fabrication of three sculptures in maquette (actual scale 35 ft. in steel, fabricated by Lippencott and installed in Richmond VA). Commissioned by Chermayeff & Geismar Assocs. New York, for Philip Morris
1981 Life-size seated plaster figure: Design and fabrication for Lederle Pharmaceuticals new drug ad-campaign, commissioned by Klemtner Advertising, New York
1983 Mobil Oil Bronze Pegasus Medallions: Design and fabrication for Mobil Oil sponsored track and field events at Madison Sq. Garden. Commissioned by Chermayeff & Geismar Assocs, New York
1984 Louisiana Pavillion Sculpture, Louisiana World’s Fair Exposition: Design and fabrication of all Pavillion sculpture in maquette. Commissioned by MetaForm Inc, New York
1985 Eastern Airlines Leadership Campaign: Concept Drawing
1983-1987 Kennedy Medallions: Selection of materials and fabrication, John F. Kennedy for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. Commissioned by George Stevens
1988 Twelve Murals, ranging in length from 6-12 ft: Mackays Stores Ltd, London. Commissioned by Tucci, Segrete and Rosen Consultants, New York, NY
Exhibits
2011-present Online Feminist Art Base: Brooklyn Museum: Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art
2010 “Lightness”, Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC
2008-2012 “Annual Members’ Exhibition”, Jane Hartsook Gallery at GHP, NYC
2007 British Airways Concorde Room, JFK airport, New York, NY
2007 Imagined Sites NYC, Museum of FIT, New York, Juried by Lyle Wexler
2003 Convergence of Art and Poetry: Museum of FIT, New York. Juried by Judd Tully
2002 Works on Paper: Museum of FIT, New York
1998 Bronze and Glassworks Assemblage: Museum of FIT, New York
1993-1996 President’s Choice, President’s Suite of Offices: The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York
1992 & 1995 Encaustic Works Installation: Museum of FIT, New York
1992 “Two Sculptors,” Cliff Room Gallery, Chicago
1990 Invitational: Bronze Works Installation, Mary Delahoyd Gallery, New York
1986 “Images of Power:” Ceres Gallery, New York
1984 “Self Portraits:” Beacon Street Gallery, Chicago
1983 Invitational: “The Horse Show,” Robert Friedus Gallery, New York
1977 Union League Club of Chicago: Third Annual Sculpture Competition (Honorable Mention Award)
1975 16th Annual Sculpture Competition: J.B. Speed Museum, Louisville, Kentucky
Television
2007 Reality Show pilot production (Copyright 2004)
Publications
1991 NHK Magazine, Tokyo: 4 page illustrated profile of my bronzeworks and teaching methodology
1993 The Commercial Record/Resorter, Saugatuck, MI: Profile of my teaching methodology and student work