Susan Ryder

 Artist Susan Ryder's passion for innovative problem-solving and craftsmanship translates across various art and design disciplines. Focusing her creative career on footwear design for 40 years has now led to a career in art. More recently, Susan has been exploring the creative process through the fine art of paper cutting. Her art is created by meticulously cutting and layering crisp white paper, distanced just a few millimeters apart. This technique allows for a full spectrum of colors to emerge solely from the shadows. The use of all white paper is important to allow the shadows to exist without distraction. The result is a dynamic sketch, rich with overlapping shadows that shift and change with the movement of light.

Ryder draws inspiration from the everyday objects in her home: cherished gifts from friends and family, each one evoking vivid memories and a deep sense of joy.  Susan’s artistic journey starts with crafting an image in Adobe Illustrator, meticulously working pixel by pixel. To grasp scale, composition, and the interplay of light and shadow, Susan often creates quick prototypes. This process is akin to the process of shoe design. After settling on a design, the digital information is sent to a desktop cutting machine, which precisely cuts each piece from white Strathmore Bond paper. For smaller, more intricate elements, she relies on traditional methods, using blades or scissors for hand-cutting. Assembling the delicate paper layers requires precision, often utilizing tweezers and a glue-filled syringe to ensure everything fits perfectly.