My latest article for Fine Art Connoisseur magazine just came out! It's a four page spread on Philadelphia wood carver Susan Hagen. Click on the individual photos, then drag to your desktop to bring them up to readable size (or just go out and buy the issue!)
I have been following Susan's career with great interest ever since we met about a dozen years ago. We had both been selected as participants in a program generously sponsored by the Main Line Art Center to assist local emerging artists in their career trajectory by connecting them with a nationally-known art critic, and I guess, also each other. It was an intriguing concept. It was a selective program and I was honored to be chosen, and did very much enjoy talking at length with the art critic, Gerrit Henry, but unfortunately he died unexpectedly about six months after this endeavor, which was extremely sad and also pretty much stymied what was probably one of the art center's main goals for the project. But it was indeed beneficial to meet a bunch of other artists at a similar stage in their careers and see their work. Susan's aesthetic spoke to me very strongly, so it's been a real pleasure to have this opportunity to interview her and examine her work more in depth.
Susan's show at The Center for Art in Wood entitled "Social Studies" runs through July 20. Go take a look!
