Susan Taylor Brown

AQ is our series of hardcover catalogs celebrating extraordinary women artists. Available on Amazon. Visit the AQ Catalog Webpage to learn more.

Susan Taylor Brown, featured in AQ Volume V, is a fiber artist who creates highly textural art you want to reach out and touch. Nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains of California, Susan draws deep inspiration from the natural world around her, bringing the untamed beauty of nature to life through her signature Wildscapes—miniature, wild landscapes that beckon you to imagine walking barefoot across their green fields and rolling hills.

Texture is the heart of every Wildscape. Working primarily with hand-dyed wool yarn, Susan begins each piece with hundreds of French knots, meticulously building a tactile experience that mirrors the diversity and richness of nature. Her handcrafted fiber landscapes offer a way to physically connect with the textures of the earth, providing a tangible sense of the balance we all crave in our lives.

As a self-taught artist, Susan continually experiments with a variety of fibers and techniques, allowing each Wildscape to evolve organically.

Her work has been exhibited at the Pamela Salisbury Gallery, Teravarna Gallery, Las Laguna Gallery, and Moni Reyes Arte.

Brown has been featured in The Turquoise Iris Journal, Artsin Square, New Visionary Magazine, Paint Talks, and Fibre Arts Take Two.


SusanTaylorBrown.com

What inspired you to become an artist, and how did you decide to commit to this path?

My journey to becoming a fiber artist began long before I ever picked up a needle. I spent over 20 years immersed in the world of books—writing for young people, teaching writing, and encouraging hopeful creatives. Connecting with others through words was incredibly fulfilling, but after my last book was published, I felt an inner shift; I knew that chapter of my life was closing, and I was unsure what lay ahead.

For a time, I turned to gardening hoping to bring the dead dirt on our property back to life and create a home for wildlife. Eventually, I created a thriving home for wildlife. It took time and patience before the tiny seeds took root and grew into plants to feed all the critters that came to visit. It felt a bit like magic. This transformation in nature mirrored my internal shift, showing me that art was not just something I wanted to do but something I needed to do in order to grow. And while it was satisfying to dig into the earth with my bare hands, to see the plants flourish, to watch the birds, bees, and butterflies return, gardening was solitary and I missed sharing a connection with other people.

I began to play with art, but I didn't take it seriously until I picked up a needle and thread and began to explore embroidery. I felt a pull toward a more tactile, hands-on way of expressing myself, something that let me engage with the world through my senses, much as I did when I was turning over the dirt in the garden. When I began to push the boundaries of traditional embroidery and fiber art, something clicked. The process of working completely by touch, letting intuition guide me, echoed the way I felt about creating my native garden.

Deciding to commit to being an artist who told stories with fiber and stitch, instead of words, was about trusting that inner call to create pieces that feel right to me and, hopefully, connect with others in meaningful ways. My Wildscapes series, for example, aims to make people feel more grounded and connected to nature. I realized that through my art, I could encourage others to pause, find a moment of calm, and perhaps see the world differently. That purpose fuels my inspiration.


Could you share the story or concept behind your recent work?

My recent work has been about capturing a connection to nature in a way that feels deeply personal and universally relatable. With pieces like my Wildscapes and the Wild Moments series, I’m inviting viewers to experience art you want to reach out and touch. These pieces are small and intimate, a glimpse into a world of calm amidst the chaos of everyday life. I want each piece to serve as a reminder to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the natural world, even in a small way. At its core, my recent work is about the intersection of nature and emotion, reminding us of our own resilience, beauty, and the importance of feeling grounded in an ever-changing world.


What was the most challenging part of your path so far? How are you navigating this obstacle?

The most challenging part of my path so far has been navigating the transition from creating with a focus on sales to making art that reflects my own growth, purpose, and vision, especially as I move into exhibitions. This shift requires a different mindset—it’s no longer about making something that I think will sell but about creating work that feels authentic and speaks to the themes I find most meaningful. Letting go of the need for immediate external validation and trusting that my work will resonate on its own has been difficult but necessary.

Another challenge has been managing the feeling of being in limbo, waiting to see how my work is received while reminding myself that its value comes from the joy it brings, first to me and hopefully to others. I navigate this by focusing on the process itself, embracing the evolution that comes with each piece, and leaning into the community I’ve built around my work. Each piece teaches me something new, and each connection I make with others who resonate with my art reinforces my commitment to this path.
Ultimately, these challenges are part of my transformation, both as an artist and as a person. I try to remind myself to stay present, to keep creating from a place of intuition and authenticity, and to trust that the right connections and opportunities will follow.


What role does experimentation and exploration play in your artistic practice?

Experimentation and exploration are at the heart of my artistic practice. I’ve always felt drawn to create intuitively, working completely by feel, and letting each piece unfold naturally. This approach keeps me connected to the materials, the colors, and the textures, allowing me to discover new ways to express the stories and emotions I want to convey through fiber.
Every piece I create is an opportunity to experiment with something new, whether it’s a different texture, technique, or colorway. I’m constantly asking myself, ‘What if?’ What if I blend fibers in this way, or add layers of texture? What if, instead of unpicking stitches, I just keep stitching over them again and again? The process of discovery, of what might happen next, keeps my work evolving. For example, Wildscapes evolved from my unwillingness to unpick hundreds of French knots after I had used a color that didn’t ring true.

Continual experimentation allows my work to grow with me. It’s about honoring where I am as an artist and where I want to go, creating space for transformation and the unexpected along the way.


Do you have any start or stop rituals before creating?

I’m not consistent with this, but often before I begin working I like to take a moment to remind myself that I AM an artist—often just by walking around my studio, looking at the various works in progress, finished work, and perhaps even putting a few things away. Organizing my materials is grounding for me, pulling out the fibers I intend to use, threading multiple needles, securing my background fabric, and pouring a cup of coffee. I might spend a few moments walking around my native garden, which reminds me of the cycles of growth and transformation I try to capture in my work.


What message do you hope your art conveys to the world?

I hope my art invites people to slow down, breathe, and reconnect—with themselves, with nature, and with the quieter moments of life. In a world that often feels rushed and chaotic, my work aims to be a gentle reminder of the beauty in stillness and the importance of taking time to pause. I also hope to convey the idea that everything is connected. Just as every fiber and texture in my art plays a role in the whole piece, I believe we’re all part of a larger ecosystem. If my art can remind someone of that connection, helping them feel more rooted and aware of their place in the world, then I feel like I’ve accomplished something meaningful.

Ultimately, my work is about creating a space for reflection and appreciation—a moment to see beauty in the small things, to let go of stress, and to carry a bit of that calm into everyday life.


Share a mantra or favorite quote that keeps you going.

A reminder I carry with me is: Everything is connected, and joy is my map. This phrase keeps me grounded, reminding me that each piece I create is part of a larger journey, an ongoing story of discovery. When I follow what brings me joy, I feel that natural connection not just to my art, but to the world around me. It helps me trust my intuition and believe that what I’m creating can ripple out to touch others in ways I might not even realize. Joy guides my process, and that’s the energy I hope others feel in my work.