http://www.everhopedesignstudios.com
Everhopedesigns@gmail.com
Fused and Stained Glass, Drawing, Glass Jewelry, Handwoven Textiles
Susan grew up on a sheep farm in the mountains of New Jersey where her love of simplicity, solitude and rural life were grounded. Drawing began at an early age and she followed the path to eventually graduate from University of Tennessee, with a BFA in printmaking. She became a Scientific Illustrator at UT and a certified Botanical Illustrator at UNC years later, when the family moved to North Carolina. The arts of spinning and weaving were learned from local mountain women and with these skills she has produced innumerable rugs, blankets other textiles over the years.
Glass found her... and the powerful dance of light and color has captured her attention for more than 30 years. Glass has been the medium through which her imagination could create and it has taken many forms from traditional stained glass and mosaics to the fluid, more impressionistic, fused and cast techniques.
Everhope Farms and Studio are located in rural Orange County, NC overlooking serene pond pastures dotted with horses, cows and a small flock of sheep. Her studio is the 'ideas lying all over' sort of place with spinning wheels, looms and wool balancing the energy of the glass, tools and kilns. Amidst it all, she enjoys teaching and mentoring newcomers to these arts and sharing the joy of creating.
"In my work I try to capture the essence of creatures, plants and trees, old houses, barns...because they all have a compelling story to tell us of life that could easily be missed in our fast paced society. There is an incredible beauty in the simplicity of life, the joy of intense work and the deep spiritual connection of it all..."
~Susan Hope
