Sue Benner
While pursuing a degree in molecular biology and master’s in biomedical communications, Sue Benner transformed her vision of the microscopic universe into batiked quilts, soft sculpture, and paintings. These early efforts drew her to a new path; and by 1980, Sue was working full time as a studio artist in Dallas, Texas, primarily in the medium which later became known as the Art Quilt.
Sue is a recognized innovator in her field, having developed new techniques in fused quilt construction to further the expression of her ideas. She creates her richly layered quilt canvases by collaging her dye-painted and printed silks with found fabrics that she rescues from the obscurity of attics and thrift stores.
Sue is also well known as an educator; lecturing and teaching workshops internationally in the areas of surface design, textile collage, fused quilt construction, and artistic inspiration. Exhibiting widely for thirty years, her work has been juried into Quilt National eight times and she has served as both a juror and curator for several exhibitions.
Sue has been commissioned many by private collectors to create artwork for their spaces. In the past ten years, she has created commissioned work for BNSF Railway (Fort Worth, Texas), Green Bay Packers Collection (Lambeau Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin), and several works for Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota). Her artwork is in private, corporate, and institutional collections including the International Quilt Study Center, the Neville Public Museum and the National Quilt Museum.
“The act of creating is a fascinating process of choice and discovery. The work has taught me to respect intuition, persistence, and the happy accident.”
