Susanna Lewis Explained

Susanna E. Lewis
Birth Date:1938
Death Date:July 15, 2021
Death Place:Monroe, New York
Nationality:American
Occupation:Fiber Artist
Years Active:1970s–1980s
Movement:Art to Wear

Susanna E. Lewis (1938 – July 15, 2021) was an American fiber artist, teacher and author known for her contributions to the Art to Wear movement.[1] [2]

Biography and Work

The daughter of an Army Air Forces officer, Lewis received a BA from University of Michigan and an MA from the Teachers College of Columbia University. She later attended the Pratt Institute.

Lewis was active in Art to Wear movement in the 1970s and 1980s. Inspired by Mary Walker Phillips she bought a knitting machine (the Passap Duomatic 5) in 1971[3] and taught herself, beginning to create hangings and garments in the late 1970s. She is known for her highly decorated textile wearable pieces, a direction she was encouraged to take by Julie Schafler Dale, her gallerist.[4] For instance, the Moth Cape represented a nightmare, "wherein a feeling of death enveloped her like the wings of a giant moth". The weight and shape of the piece meant the wearer could share that experience.

Lewis was also an author of knitting books, and contributor to knitting magazines,[5] including A Machine Knitter’s Guide To Creating Fabrics (with Julia Weissman), considered foundational to the craft, and Knitting lace. She taught at Parsons School of Design about machine knitting in the 1980s.[6]

Collections and exhibitions

Lewis' work can be found in the collections of:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Capturing your life, stitch by stitch: The art to wear movement on display at Philly art museum. August 30, 2021. WHYY. en-US.
  2. Book: Off the wall : American art to wear. 2019. Dilys Blum, Mary Schoeser, Julie Schafler Dale, Philadelphia Museum of Art. 978-0-87633-291-7. Philadelphia, PA. 1107150573.
  3. Book: Dale, Julie Schafler. Art to wear. 1986. Abbeville Press. Otto Stupakoff. 0-89659-664-8. 1st. New York. 13761146.
  4. News: Saenger. Peter. November 1, 2019. When Art Was Made to Be Worn. en-US. Wall Street Journal. August 30, 2021. 0099-9660.
  5. Web site: June 7. --Deb on. Classics. 2010 in. How-To. Lace. Books. Pattern. Dictionaries. Stitch. June 8, 2010. Review: Knitting Lace. August 30, 2021. Knitting Scholar. en-US.
  6. Web site: Playing with Texture. August 30, 2021.
  7. Web site: Oz Socks. August 30, 2021. philamuseum.org. en.
  8. Web site: Ensemble, 1977, Susanna Lewis. August 30, 2021. www.metmuseum.org.