Sue Willis was born in Chicago and received her MFA from The Tyler School of Art. Her work reflects her deep appreciation for animals and the natural world and the importance of biodiversity to the survival of our planet. She’s exhibited widely, and her current installation project will be exhibited at The New York Public Library this year.
www.suewillis.com

Professor Willis Teaches:

HFA 097 55A      Basic Sculpture

Current Project: 

Prof. Willis is currently working on an installation entitled “The Upper Worlds” for The New York Public Library, mid-Manhattan. Her concept will be installed in the giant display windows on 5th avenue and 40th street, and throughout the library’s installation space “The Corner Room”. The exhibit will consist of habitats of life-sized wildlife sculptures in porcelain and faux fur, and a few human sculptures. The installation will honor the exquisite beauty of life, and is a testimony to the people’s empowerment as a unified force to protect our world.

Teaching Philosophy:

Making art is one of the true joys of my life. I tell students to immerse themselves in the process without fear, and to experience the clay’s supple plasticity and sheer joyfulness in the process of sculpting. Self expression is one of the keynotes of my class and it’s magical to watch their expressiveness emerge. So many students tell me they didn’t realize how much they would love working with clay or how skilled they would become in modeling form! My students’ opinions are very important to me. Often I ask for their feedback on my own artwork concepts, as I feel it’s important that my work communicates to them, and our discourse teaches them how an artist thinks. I care deeply that they feel happy and fulfilled, and it’s thrilling to share one of the greatest joys of my life with my students.

Publications:
The Dodo
L’Huffington Post Italia
Oubliette Magazine
NHK Tokyo