Ladies and Gentlemen, Plus

RECEPTION: Sunday, October 15, 3-5pm

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Plus” is a whimsical look at the many faces of women and men, portrayed with fabric and glass. Suzy Bergmann, a long-time fiber artist, became fascinated by the concept of designing women’s facial features and hairstyles with fabric. When she showed fellow artist Sue Beardsley what she had made - immediately Sue proposed making men to match, using a fused glass technique. The two quickly decided to combine their talents into a show.

Susan Beardsley is an artist who works with glass, metal, wood, and fiber, using recycled material almost entirely. These “raw” materials have been found at the dump, in dumpsters, alongside the road, or in the woods. “As I look at a thrown-away object, I will often see how it can be re-used. I have found that the more I use recyclables, the better my eye gets at this,” says Susan. The art Susan creates is a personal expression of her value system: creating order from a pile of disposed materials, wanting to help “save the planet” by re-using as much as possible, and having fun at the same time.

Susan explains, “I enjoy redefining the once-functional value of a piece’s individual parts, making a unified whole and shifting the focus of original function toward a new purpose of beauty or practicality. I see others observe the work, puzzling out what an individual part was and what the whole now represents. They are being stimulated to think in new ways, and this is the essence of art.”

Susan has been a practicing social worker, psychotherapist, teacher, and workshop leader and has won many awards and honors for her artwork. Permanent displays of her work can be seen at Falmouth Hospital, Sandwich Medical Center, Cape Cod Hospital, Cape Cod Community College Tilden Art Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and many other venues.

Suzy Bergmann is the daughter of a seamstress, quilter, and granddaughter of a master knitter, so Suzy came naturally to sewing with a passion for fabric, needle, and thread. She enjoys blending traditional quilt patterns and using modern fabrics, as well as creating her own compositions. This exhibit includes pieces from her “Sorority Sisters” collection, many of whom have been inspired by books that Suzy was reading or listening to at the time she was producing these pieces. A former elementary school teacher and Executive Director of the Falmouth Art Center, Suzy is currently responsible for Programming, Events, and Outreach at the West Falmouth Library. When not at the library, she is happy in her garden or fabric studio.

The Gallery at FCTV is located within the Falmouth Community Media Center, which is at 310E Dillingham Ave., easily accessible by Rose Morin Lane. FCTV Hours: Mon: 2-10pm, Tue, Wed, Thu: 10am-10pm, Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat: Closed, Sun: 12-8pm.