Baltimore Sonnets

Artistic Research Residencies In Sequent Toil, 2024, handmade book by Suzanne Coley Some residencies are life changing and put you on a path you never imagined for yourself. They inspire creativity and offer opportunities to meet and work with scholars you have only read about in textbooks. These scholars love what they do and their approach is joyfully rigorous! They enjoy talking about challenging literary works and explore complex themes and characters. They patiently listen and review your art based on these readings and offer you insightful feedback. They introduce you to more books and scholarship. Your mind spins and your hands get to working, producing art and books you never imagined possible. I am forever thankful for my wonderful residency at Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies and my continued work with their scholars.

 Coded Threads: Translating Shakespeare Through Art Folger Library Sat, Nov 16 from 11:30am - 4pm Free registration required for talks at 11:30am and 2pm. Join us for a day of presentations by a group of leading Maryland fiber artists who have been working with Folger Institute Artist Fellow   Suzanne Coley  on modern needlework designs inspired by Shakespeare’s  Measure for Measure . In 2023, the group completed a collaborative textile book project with each page inspired by the play. The group will share their work on the next book, with inspiration drawn from the minor characters of the play. Beginning at 11:30am, artists will offer insights to their processes. At 2pm, Suzanne will give a talk highlighting conceptual and technical aspects that are essential to successfully translating Shakespeare through art. And at 3pm, visitors will get a rare opportunity to touch textiles, embroidered pages, and speak with the makers. Schedule of Events *11:30am – 12:45pm ...

What a joy to announce my upcoming exhibition and community event at the Folger Shakespeare Library .  A few of my books will be exhibited from 16 September 2024 through 9 February 2025.  The community event will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024 from 11am - 4pm.  Both are FREE. Hope you can attend!

After researching the history of embroidery, needlework, textiles, printmaking, and Shakespeare, I am ready to make new books.   Vintage painted embroidery canvas by Royal School of Needlework, 2024 I am especially excited to find this lovely vintage painted canvas by Royal School of Needlework .  I wasn't able to find the year it was printed (or another one like it), so if anyone reading this knows, please put information in comments. 

When Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I) was 11 years old, she laboriously translated the text of "The Mirror or Glass of the Sinful Soul" from French rhyme into English prose.  The French poem was " Miroir de l'âme pécheresse,"  a devotional piece written in 1531 by Marguerite of Navarre. It is very likely that Princess Elizabeth stitched the intricate cover design of gold and silver thread on blue silk.  Princess Elizabeth gifted this book to her stepmother, Queen Katherine Parr in 1544.  In the center of the cover are Queen Katherine's initials.

I've been so busy with projects that I haven't had time to post what I am doing.  So here is one of my favorite embroidered book bindings from the Love Sonnets from Shakespeare to Baltimore series.   handmade book by Suzanne Coley Then let not winter's ragged hand deface, In thee thy summer, ere thou be distilled: Make sweet some vial; treasure thou some place With beauty's treasure ere it be self-killed. That use is not forbidden usury, Which happies those that pay the willing loan; That's for thy self to breed another thee, Or ten times happier, be it ten for one; Ten times they self were happier than thou art, If ten of thine ten times refigured thee: Then what could death do if thou shouldn't depart, Leaving thee living in posterity?   Be not self-willed, for thou art much too fair   To be death's conquest and make worms thine heir.          Shakespeare's Sonnet 6