Susan Aaron-Taylor: Endangered Species by detroitcontemporary.com

S U S A N A A R O N - TAY L O R

ENDANGERED SPECIES S E R I E S

S U S A N A A R O N - TAY L O R

ENDANGERED SPECIES SERIES

INTRODUCTION BY SA M ANTHA HOHM ANN P H OTO S O F A R T W O R K BY T I M T H AY E R

JOURNEYING TOWARDS WHOLENESS AND HEALING IN SUSAN AARON-TAYLOR’S BORDERLANDS: BETWIXT & BETWEEN Looking to the practices of shamanism, alchemy, and Jungian psychology, Susan Aaron-Taylor’s often otherworldly sculptures combine the study of the spiritual and subconscious with the manipulation of natural materials, namely wool, fossil, bone, minerals, shells, tree bark and other plant matter. At the crossroads of these elements, Aaron-Taylor acts as a hollow bone, channeling the creative energies of transitional space of the borderland to create stories which are telling of herself and mysteries of the realm between.

Polar Bear (detail) 19”x17”x13” Wood, felt, geodes, porcupine quills, cabochons, and beads

Though the influence and importance of nature is evident throughout the entirety of Aaron-Taylor’s oeuvre, it is the sole focus of her most recent Endangered Species series. The series features detailed felted sculptures of a variety of critically endangered species throughout the world. Seeing these sculptures, which diligently capture each animal’s beauty and unique energy, alongside the didactic labels which explain their reasons for near

extinction, is a jarring experience. It’s one thing to be vaguely aware of mass habitat loss and big game hunting, but entirely another to see its impact laid out bare. Endangered: Polar bear stands out as a particularly unsettling example, depicting an emaciated polar bear with sparse fur seeming to climb up a twisting blue ladder. Tying in Aaron-Taylor’s connection to shamanism, the work symbolizes the polar bear’s closeness to another realm—death. Knowing the grave impact of species loss within the environment, it is not just the fate of these animals, but humankind which hangs in the balance. However, despite the fragile state of these species being core to the body of work,

environmental, and health crises that will surely follow from the effects of climate change, the exploitation of both land and humans, as well as the lingering effects of a global pandemic, the question of how to move forward remains. Though Aaron-Taylor does not necessarily offer solutions to these pressing problems, she instead familiarizes us with the radical potential of this space in-between and shows us, that if we travel through it with care, there are fantastic and important discoveries to be made. In a moment where culture feels particularly spiritually bereft, Aaron-Taylor’s thoughtful and touching meditations on the crossroads of body, spirit, and nature act as a spiritual salve,

Aaron-Taylor is also careful to point out their resilience. Tucked off to the side of the gallery and perched on top of a mass of seashells sits a small spotted amphibian. Previously assumed to be extinct in the wild for the past 30 years, scientists have recently rediscovered the Starry Night Harlequin Toad. A tiny sprig of green growth bursts from the tiny toad’s back, symbolizing not only its strength, but the opportunity for hope should we choose to correct our course and situate ourselves within rather than above nature.

sending us away on a journey towards becoming whole.

After a string of tumultuous years and the promise of an uncertain future, Susan Aaron-Taylor’s Borderlands: Betwixt & Between feels especially poignant. As we face the inevitable social,

– Samantha Hohmann

Christmas Island Frigate Bird (detail) 8”x13”x3” Cholla cactus, tiger eye

ENDANGERED SPECIES SERIES The Endangered Series portrays creatures that are at imminent risk of extinction. Wild habitats that are critical to their survival are being destroyed. Many of these amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles are also menaced by animal predators and big game hunters seeking exotic trophies. This emergency has moved me to create this series of sculptures. My goal is to inform viewers of these rapidly disappearing species and to encourage the life-giving support needed to put a stop to these tragic losses.

ENDANGERED: SUMATRAN RHINO The Sumatran Rhino is declared extinct in Malaysia because of poaching, predators, and habitat loss. Rhino horns are in high demand in Vietnam and China. They are used in traditional Asian medicine (effectiveness scientifically unproven) and are signifiers of wealth and status.

Endangered: Sumatran Rhino 10”x27”x17” Wood, bark, handmade felt, ivory

ENDANGERED: BOREAL TOAD This large warty toad is experiencing dramatic population declines in Colorado and New Mexico due to habitat destruction, pesticides and other pollutants, and a deadly amphibian fungus.

Boreal Toad 3x12x6” Wood, coral, beads

ENDANGERED: SAOLA/SPINDLE HORN The Saola is a critically endangered long horned bovine from Laos and Vietnam. They are one of the world’s rarest large mammals and live in wet evergreens or deciduous forests. Very few have been studied alive. There are less than 250 in the wild due to habitat loss, human snares, and trophy prized horns. Their main predators are humans, leopards, and tigers.

Saola/Spindlehorn 10”x23”x15” Wood armature, handmade felt, tiger eye, sea urchin spines,

ENDANGERED: EASTERN CORAL SNAKE The highly venomous Eastern Coral Snake can be found in the southern coastal plains from North Carolina to Louisiana. The population of these secretive snakes is being reduced by human destruction of habitats. They are most endangered in North Carolina and are threatened in Texas.

E. Coral Snake (detail) 33x1x7” Cholla cactus, beads, coral, labradorite

ENDANGERED: STARRY NIGHT HARLEQUIN TOAD This critically endangered 2” toad is found only in Columbia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, one of the tallest and most remote mountain ranges on earth. They are threatened by habitat loss and an infectious amphibian disease that has led to dramatic population decline and perhaps extinction.

Starry Night Harlequin Toad 4”x20”x12” Rock, seashells, wire, plastic, beads, handmade felt

ENDANGERED: ANGONOKA PLOUGHSHARE TORTOISE This Madagascan tortoise is at extremely high risk of extinction due to poaching (for food, medicine, and illegal trade), predators, habitat loss, and logging. Only around 200 remain in the wild. It is the most threatened tortoise on earth. A single adult can sell for $50,000. In an effort to protect them from poachers, environmentalists have carved letters and numbers into their beautifully patterned shells.

Angonoka Ploughshare Tortoise (detail) 5”x16”x18 Wood, inlaid beads, cabochons, paint, handmade felt

ENDANGERED: RED WOLF Historically, the red wolf ranged from SE Texas to Central Pennsylvania. Today, the only place they can be found in the wild is North Carolina’s Albemarle Peninsula. These critically endangered animals play a valuable role in keeping the deer population in check. They are threatened by human interactions, climate change, habitat fragmentation, and coyote cross breeding.

Red Wolf 10”x26”x20” Wood armature, handmade felt, cabochons

ENDANGERED: BLACK FOOTED FERRET #1 The vocal, nocturnal, and mostly solitary Black Footed Ferret survives primarily on prairie dogs for sustenance. They burrow into prairie dog tunnels and consume one prairie dog every three to four days. Prairie Dog habitats are shrinking due to loss of habitats, poisoning, plague, and intolerance by humans. This also threatens black footed ferrets. However, interventions by Smithsonian Conservation are leading to a slow recovery of both the ferrets and the prairie dogs.

Black Footed Ferret #1 10”x6”x10” Cholla cactus, handmade felt, cabochons.

ENDANGERED: BLACK FOOTED FERRET #2 These long, slender animals rely on prairie dogs for sustenance and were thought to be extinct until rediscovered by a Wyoming ranch dog in 1981. However, due to the mass poisoning of prairie dogs, the plowing of their habitats by ranchers, and plagues, these playful ferrets are severely threatened.

Black Footed Ferret #2 10”x27”x17” Wood, handmade felt, turquoise cabochons

ENDANGERED: EAST BONGO ANTELOPE The East Bongo Antelope of Africa is an herbivorous, mostly nocturnal, forest animal. They are one of the largest antelopes and considered the most beautiful of all antelopes. Populations are diminishing because of habitat loss for agriculture, uncontrolled timber culling, and trophy hunting.

East Bongo Antelope 24”x29”x17” Handmade felt, hand stitching, needle felting, wood, stones, shells, crystal, cabochons

E. Bongo Antelope (detail) 24”x29”x17” Handmade felt, hand stitching, needle felting, wood, stones, shells, crystal, cabochons

ENDANGERED: POLAR BEAR Polar bears are not yet endangered but they’re vulnerable and facing a high risk of extinction due to arctic warming, melting icebergs, and habitat loss caused by climate change. Oil drilling in the arctic is polluting polar bear environments directly and the chances of an oil spill are increased thus impacting polar bears and their prey. Rising arctic temperatures means less time for polar bears to hunt for food. Less food is resulting in smaller litters with fewer cubs surviving.

Polar Bear 19”x17”x13” Wood, felt, geodes, porcupine quills, cabochons, and beads

ENDANGERED: GREY WOLF Grey wolves are endangered because they are hunted like pests and killed by ranchers who believe wolves are killing their livestock. In 2022, following a court order, grey wolves are once again protected under the Endangered Species Act except for the Northern Rocky Mountain population.

Grey Wolf 29”x29”x26” Aluminum and epoxy armature, handmade felt, bones

ENDANGERED: GIANT ARMADILLO The South American Giant Armadillo is listed as vulnerable to extinction due to hunting and loss of habitat to human settlements and agriculture. Coyotes are the primary predator of armadillos, followed by bobcats, cougars, wolves, and bears. They survive in undisturbed savannahs or forests. The Brazilian Giant Armadillo Conservation Project has been successfully working to conduct research and raise conservation awareness.

Giant Armadillo 6”x21”x16” Handmade felt, basketry, hand stitching, beads, and bones

ENDANGERED: DARWIN’S FOX Darwin’s Fox or Darwin’s Zorro is an endangered canid that lives in Nahuelbuta National Park in mainland Chile and in the forests of Chiloe Island. Possible predators are pumas. Darwin’s Fox is classified as endangered, and its numbers are decreasing. In 2021, there were about 640 adults left. Last year, the Guardians of the Forest Conservation Project was launched to help save the Darwin’s Fox from extinction.

Darwin’s Fox 10”x21”x6” Felt, wood, Jasper, bones, beads

ENDANGERED: GIANT KANGAROO RAT The Giant Kangaroo Rat of the San Joaquin desert of California is the largest of some 20 species of Kangaroo Rats. They play an important part in ecological communities by feeding on and dispersing seeds and digging burrows in the soil. Their pouches are on the outside of their cheeks and are used for carrying seeds back to their burrows. Predators are owls, snakes, badgers, coyotes, and household cats and dogs.

Giant Kangaroo Rat 16”x11”x18” Handmade felt, stones and stitching,

ENDANGERED: KANGAROO Kangaroos are not endangered, but they are vulnerable to many human activities such as hunting and vehicle accidents. Kangaroo populations have grown and farmers view them as pests. The Australian government permits license holders to cull or shoot kangaroos. Some chefs are now serving kangaroo meat despite the ingrained reluctance of many Australians to eat their national emblem.

Kangaroo 7”x30”x20” Handmade felt and stitching

ENDANGERED: GREAT LAKES PIPING PLOVER The Piping Plover is federally registered as an endangered species. It’s known to nest along the Great Lakes predominantly at the Sleeping Bear Dunes shoreline on Lake Michigan. They lay their eggs in the open, on pebbly beaches making them vulnerable to predators such as crows, racoons, falcons, dogs, and humans. In 2021 there were only 35 nesting pairs. Climate change-induced sea level rise threatens the Plover, especially where there is beach erosion.

Great Lakes Piping Plover 5”x15”x7” Wood, shells, Chimayo holy dirt, beads

ENDANGERED: SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN These almost exclusively arboreal-living orangutans are located in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra. They have experienced a sharp population decline. Those confiscated from illegal trade or as pets are being reintroduced to Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in eastern Sumatra. They number about 70. They are critically endangered due to habitat loss, forest fires, and conversion of forests into palm oil plantations. Many are killed and traded for meat or because farmers believe they are a threat to their crops.

Sumatran Orangutan 9”x9”x9” Wood, bark, beads, metal screening, paint

ENDANGERED: HAWKSBILL TURTLE The Hawksbill Turtle is the most endangered of the seven species of sea turtles. Their population has declined by more than 80% over the last century. Hawksbills are harvested for meat. Large fish, sharks, crocodiles, octopuses, and humans are their main predators. Their patterned shells are highly valuable. The tortoise shell trade is a pervasive threat in the Americas and Asia. If Hawksbills go extinct, dune vegetation would lose a major source of nutrients resulting in increased erosion.

Hawksbill Turtle 7”x10”x9” Wood, beads, paint

ENDANGERED: PYGMY RACCOON These friendly creatures are only found in Cozumel off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is estimated that there are only 300 existing today. Their numbers have declined due to Imported mainland predators such as feral cats and dogs, transmitted diseases, and starvation.

Pygmy Raccoon (detail) 4”x15”x9” Birchbark, handmade felt, bone

Pygmy Raccoon 4”x15”x9” Birchbark, handmade felt, bones

ENDANGERED: AFRICAN WILD PAINTED DOG #2 This highly social and monogamous animal occupies S. Sudan, N. Kenya, and N. Uganda. It is almost extinct in Rwanda and Burundi. Their pelts have the most varied colors of all mammals. Lions are the major source of mortality for this rapidly declining population of wild dogs.

African Wild Painted Dog #2 10”x29”x17” Wood, handmade felt, cabochons.

ENDANGERED: AMUR LEOPARD This critically endangered leopard is from Eastern Russian and Northern China. There are fewer than 50 in Russia and 10 in China. Amur leopard pelts are very popular but it’s now illegal to poach these animals. The leopard’s habitats have been disrupted due to glacial melting and climate change. Logging, road building, fires, and farming have led to habitat destruction resulting in population decline.

Amur Leopard 26”x34” x16” Handmade felt, hand stitching, needle felting, wood, cabochons, porcupine quills.

ENDANGERED: GUAM KINGFISHER The invasive Brown Tree Snake was introduced to Guam and has nearly driven the Guam Kingfisher to extinction. There is a small remaining population of Kingfishers in zoos and conservation facilities. These facilities are working to save the species from extinction.

Guam Kingfisher 4”x18”x9” Handmade felt, beads, cabochons.

ENDANGERED: GALAPAGOS PENGUIN These Ecuadorian penguins are threatened by pollution and climate change. Predators include cats and disease-carrying dogs. Up to 77% of the penguin population was wiped out by strong El Nino events.

Galapagos Penguin 6”x12”x7” Wood, handmade felt, geodes, amber cabochons, hematite

ENDANGERED: TIGER The Tiger species is considered endangered with some tiger sub-species totally extinct. Trophy hunting for pelts and bones and habitat loss are the biggest threats to tigers. In China it is thought that tiger bones provide medicinal properties. This is scientifically unproven. Black market poachers can sell a dead tiger for $60,000. There are roughly 5,000 tigers today in the world.

Tiger 12”x19”x10” Handmade felt, wood, geodes, cabochons, porcupine quills

ENDANGERED: CHRISTMAS ISLAND FRIGATE BIRD Critically endangered Christmas Island Frigate Birds are found on the Christmas Islands in the Indian Ocean. Only 1,000-2,000 pairs remain on the island due to human disturbance and habitat forest clearing.

Christmas Island Frigate Bird 8”x13”x3” Cholla cactus, tiger eye

ENDANGERED: BLACK PANTHER AND EASTERN MASSASAUGA RATTLESNAKE By the mid-1950’s the Black Panther or Black Jaguar was almost extinct. Today, habitat loss and fragmentation contribute to dwindling numbers. Just over 200 are left in the wild swamplands of Southern Florida. The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake can be found in the wetlands of Michigan. The population of this timid and poisonous snake has declined due to habitat loss and fragmentation, human persecution, indiscriminate killing, and illegal collection.

Black Panther and Eastern Massauga Rattlesnake 12”x13”x13” Glass bottle, wood, gampi fiber, religious medals, beads, seeds, handmade felt

ENDANGERED: GALAPAGOS PENGUIN AND GALAPAGOS RACER SNAKE The Ecuadorian Galapagos Penguins are threatened by pollution and climate change. Predators include cats and disease-carrying dogs. Up to 77% of the penguin population was wiped out by strong El Nino events. Galapagos Racer Snakes are extinct from Floreana island in the Galapagos Islands. The eggs of these shy snakes have been foraged and decimated by pigs, cats, and feral goats. There is a conservation movement to reintroduce the snakes to Floreana Island.

Galapagos Penguin and Racer Snake 13”x11”x11” Glass bottle, beads, religious medals, handmade felt

Founded in 1998, detroit contemporary is more than an art gallery; it is a dynamic force dedicated to transforming lives through art, culture, and community engagement. At the heart of the organization lies an unwavering vision—to create a world where the arts are celebrated as a potent catalyst for positive change. In the words of Lillian Genser: “It’s through the arts that we experience our collective humanity.” detroit contemporary’s mission is to transcend the conventional boundaries of galleries by hosting immersive exhibitions, representing artists in unique and meaningful ways, fostering innovative residencies, and providing youth education.

detroit contemporary: A CATALYST FOR TRANSFORMATION

In pursuing these endeavors, the organization aims to deepen its members’ connection to culture and community while embracing the transformative power of the visual, literary, and performing arts. What sets detroit contemporary apart from the standard commercial gallery is its unwavering commitment to inclusivity, social impact, and holistic well-being. The organization’s core values emphasize accessibility, using art as a tool for social change, and celebrating diverse artistic expressions. Its unique approach includes curating educationally immersive exhibitions, offering artist representation to support the growth of both established and emerging talents, and providing holistic health and healing programs that extend beyond art into physical and emotional well-being. By actively engaging with its community and advocating for positive change, detroit contemporary challenges the traditional gallery model, demonstrating that art can be a powerful catalyst for unity and transformation.

Photo by Jeff Cancelosi

SUSAN AARON-TAYLOR Susan Aaron-Taylor is a storyteller whose mixed-media sculpture evokes a personal as well as a universal mythology. In referencing myriad sources--Jungian psychology, dream imagery, ancient cultures, shamanism and alchemy--Aaron-Taylor crafts an intrinsically narrative and autobiographical art whose goal is to inspire a sense of wholeness. Her work, comprised of various series, which have spanned over four decades, the most recent of which is Endangered Species Series, unifies the world of nature with the world of humanity. The artist effectively combines minerals, gemstones, bones and found wood with metal, handmade felt and kozo fiber in an art, which, as the artist has said, “…illuminates the darkness of matter and reconnects it with the spirit.” Susan Aaron-Taylor was a Professor at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. She served as Chair of the Crafts Department from 1980 to 1990, and as Section Chair of the Fiber Design Department from 1973 to 2013. She is currently Professor Emerita in the Crafts Department. Aaron-Taylor earned her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art with concentrations in fiber design and sculpture. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries across the United States, and is included in numerous collections, including Cranbrook Art Museum, Wayne State University, Kmart Corporation, and Westin Hotels.

CUR R ICULUM VITAE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

June-Aug 1997 Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI

2013-Present Professor Emerita, Crafts Department, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

1973-2013 Professor and Section Chairperson,

Nov 2023 Annex Gallery, Curiosities, Highland Park, MI

Fiber Design Department, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

Sept 2023 Garage Mahal, 6x3-D Naturals, Royal Oak, MI

1980-1990 Chairperson, Crafts Department, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI

2023-2018 Form & Concept Gallery, Group Shows Featuring Gallery Artists Santa Fe, NM

E D U C AT I O N

June 2023 Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Michigan Fine Arts Competition, MFAC Award

Master of Fine Arts, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI

Oct 2022 Scarab Club, 7 + 7, Detroit, MI

Bachelor of Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

Apr 2022 Extinction: Save the Planet 2022; International online group exhibition

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

Dec 2023 Detroit Contemporary, The Actual Size, Detroit MI

June 2021 BBAC 40th Annual Mich. Fine Arts Competition, Corinne Maillard Robinson Award, Birmingham, MI

Sept 2022 Detroit Contemporary Gallery, Detroit, MI

Mar 2020 Detroit Artists Market, Annual Scholarship Exhibition featuring Cranbrook Academy of Art, Detroit, MI

Sept 2017 Connections Gallery, North Campus Research Complex,

July 2018 Annex Gallery, BIG Highland Park Show, Highland Park, MI

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

June 2018 Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, 37th Annual Michigan Fine Arts Competition, Birmingham, MI

Sept 2016 Robinson Gallery, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI June 2015 Rose Gallery, N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, Detroit, MI Mar 2012 Fine Arts Gallery, Mott Community College, Flint, MI Sept 2010 River Gallery Fine Art, Chelsea, MI June 2009 Elements Gallery, Detroit Artists Market, Detroit, MI Apr 2006 Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, MI Oct 2004 Batista Gallery, Ferndale, MI Apr 2004 Downriver Council for the Arts, Taylor, MI Apr 2002 Detroit Contemporary, Detroit, MI May-June 1998 Anderson Gallery, Pontiac, MI

Apr 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2011, Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Teapots! Invitationals, Pittsburgh, PA Nov 2016, 2014, 2012, Eastern Michigan University Gallery, New Fibers 2016, Pat Williams Award, Ypsilanti, MI Mar 2016 Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center, Threads: A Sampling of Fiber Art, Dowell, MD, Juror’s Award Dec 2014 Snyderman-Works Galleries, Animal Imagery: Five Person Show, Philadelphia, PA Mar 2014 Snyderman-Works Galleries, 9th International Fiber Biennial, Philadelphia, PA Jan 2014 Davenport Gallery, Wayne Art Center, Craft Forms 2013, Wayne, PA

Feb 2013 River Gallery Fine Art, No Plan B, 10th Anniversary Group Exhibition, Chelsea, MI Nov 2012 Del Mano, A Gallery of Fine Contemporary Craft, Hot Tea! Nov 2012 Eastern Michigan University Gallery, New Fibers 2012, Ypsilanti, MI Oct 2012 Long Island Children’s Museum, Chaos and Containment, Garden City, NY

Jan 2002 Au Courant, Three Person Exhibition, Ferndale, MI Jan-Mar 2001 Christensen Heller Gallery, Three Person Exhibition: Reflections, Oakland, CA June 2000 Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Colorado, Women in Allegory, Colorado Springs, CO

June 2012 Racine Museum of Art, Animal Nature, Racine, WI

Oct 1999 William Havu Gallery, Women in Allegory Four Person Exhibition, Denver, CO

Feb 2012 Detroit Historical Museum, The First 80 Years: Detroit Artists Market, Detroit, MI

Feb 1999 Craft and Folk Art Museum, Cranbrook: Postopia Alumni Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA

Summer 2012-2010 River Gallery, Group Exhibitions, Chelsea, MI

Nov 1999, May 2000 Christensen Heller Gallery, Group Shows, Oakland, CA

Oct 2011 Southwest Artists Network of Detroit, Members’ Exhibition, Detroit, MI

Sept 1996 Muskegon Museum of Art, Tornado Warning Invitational, Muskegon, MI

Mar 2011 Detroit Artists Market, Cranbrook Scholarship and Exhibition, Detroit, MI

June 1996 Bunting Gallery, Group Exhibit, Royal Oak, MI

Jan 2010 Sisson Gallery, Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, MI

June 1995 Detroit Institute of Arts, Interventions, Detroit, MI

Sept 2009 Work Detroit Gallery, Migration, Detroit, MI

June 1994 Xochipilli Gallery, Choice Objects, Birmingham, MI

Jan 2009 Work Detroit Gallery, Fear, Detroit, MI

June 1993 Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Earth, Air, Fire, & Water: Elements of the Permanent Collection, Bloomfield Hills, MI

June-Nov 2007 Cranbrook Art Museum, Hot House, Bloomfield Hills, MI Jan 2007 Center Galleries, Sabbatical Exhibition, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI Oct 2006 Berkowitz Gallery at University of Michigan, New Fibers 2006, Dearborn, MI Aug 2006 Devos Art Museum, New Fibers 2006, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI Apr-Oct 2005, 2004, 2003 Ram Dass Library, Group Exhibitions, Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY

Nov 1992 Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, The Cranbrook Collection: New Acquisitions, Bloomfield Hills, MI Jan 1992 Gilman/Gruen Galleries, New Talent 1992, Chicago, IL 1989-1993 Mobilia Gallery, Work on Exhibit, Cambridge, MA 1989, 1990 Miller/Brown Gallery, Work on Exhibit, San Francisco, CA Mar 1989 Institute of Culture, Motor City Review, Zacatecas City, Zacatecas, Mexico 1988, 1989 Objects Gallery, Work on Exhibit, Chicago, IL

Apr 2005 University of Akron, Man & Beast, Akron, OH

Summer 1986 Osaka University of Art, A.I.C.A. 10 Exhibition, Osaka, Japan

Oct 2002 Janice Charach Epstein Gallery, Limitless Visions, West Bloomfield, MI

June 1980 Bass Museum, Artist/Artisan Traveling Exhibition, Miami, FL

2001-2004 Hand Artes Gallery, Group Exhibitions, Truchas, NM

Oct 1980 Maryland Institute College of Art, Visiting Artists Exhibition, Baltimore, MD

Feb 2002 Guadalupe Fine Arts, Ravens in Winter, Santa Fe, NM

Apr 1979 John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Unpainted Portrait, Sheboygan, WI

S E L E C T E D E X H I B I T I O N S (continued)

LECTURES May 2019 My Creative Process, Essay’d Lecture Series, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI Nov 2016 My Creative Process, Potomac Fiber Arts Guild, Potomac, MD

Sept 2017 Apel, Dora, Essay’d, “77 Susan Aaron-Taylor,” http://detroitartreview.com/2017/10/susan-aaron-taylor-ncrc-gallery-ann-arbor/ Nov 2016 New Fibers Catalog, Fiber Arts Network of Michigan, Color photographs

Oct 2016 Lecture on My Sculpture, BIG Sculpture @ The Factory, Highland Park, MI

Oct 2014 McNichols, Mary, Mixed Media Magazine, “Susan Aaron-Taylor,” Feature article, www.mixedmedia.rocks

Sept 2016 Lecture on Infolding/Unfolding, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI

Dec, Jan 2011 Green, Roger, American Craft Magazine, “Deeply Felt Creations” pp.30-31

June 2016 Gallery Talk, Scarab Club, Blooms, Bugs, and Beasts exhibition, Detroit, MI

2010 McNichols. Mary, Jung Journal Culture and Psyche, “A Conversation with Susan Aaron-Taylor” pp.110-122

May 2016 UBS Financial Studio Tour and Lecture, Pleasant Ridge, MI

2009 Fiberarts Magazine, “Sampling Section,” Color photographs and story, summer issue

June 2015 N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, Solo Show lecture, Detroit, MI Nov 2014 Studio lecture and tour, Palette and Brush Guild, Pleasant Ridge, MI Dec 2013 Gallery Talk, Wayne Art Center, Craft Forms 2013, Wayne, PA

Feb, Mar 1992 American Craft Magazine, Gallery Section, p. 74 1991 Mildred: A biannual journal of poetry and fiction, Volume 4, Number 2 and Volume 5, Number 1, Mildred Publishing Company, Inc.

Nov 2013 Detroit Society of Women Painters and Sculptors, Macomb, MI Apr 2012 Eastern Michigan University, Creative Process, Ypsilanti, MI

GR ANTS and AWARDS

Mar 2012 Mott Community College, One Person Exhibition, Flint, MI

Apr 1996 Tannahill Faculty Enrichment Award Recipient

Mar 2011 Needlework Textile Guild, Creative Process, Birmingham,

Apr 1993 Tannahill Faculty Enrichment Award Recipient 1981, 1983 Association of Independent Colleges of Art Grant

P U B L I C AT I O N S A N D R E V I E WS Aug 2023 Susan Aaron-Taylor: Endangered Species Catalog, Published by Detroit Contemporary Gallery

SELECTED WORKSHOPS

June 2023 Linford, Spencer, “Fabricating Dreams: A Closer look at Susan AaronTaylor’s Fiber Sculpture and Craft”

Jul 2003, 2001 Kozo Sculpture Workshop, Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY

Nov 2016 Sculptural Basketry Workshop, Potomac Fiber Arts Guild, Potomac, MD

Sept 2022 Hohmann, Samantha, “Journeying towards Wholeness and Healing in Susan Aaron-Taylor’s Borderlands: Betwixt & Between”

May 1999 Poetry & Art Workshop, with poet Robert Bly, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Oct 2017 DeGalan, Clara, Detroit Art Review, “Susan Aaron-Taylor@ NCRC Gallery,” http://detroitartreview.com/2017/10/susan-aaron-taylor-ncrc-galleryann-arbor

JUROR 2017 Student Exhibition, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI

2016 Blooms, Bugs, and Beasts, Detroit Scarab Club, Detroit, MI 2013 Ann Arbor Art Fair, Ann Arbor, MI 2011 Student Exhibition, Bloomfield Birmingham Art Center, Birmingham, MI 1986 A Rich Legacy: Contemporary Textiles by Women Artists: A National Exhibition, The University of Kansas 1982-1983 Detroit Focus Gallery, Exhibition Committee, Detroit, MI PUBLIC COLLECTIONS Kamm Teapot Foundation, kammteapotfoundation.org, Statesville, NC Wayne State University Art Collection, Detroit, MI Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Permanent Collection, Bloomfield Hills, MI K-Mart Corporation, Permanent Collection, Troy, MI Westin Hotels, Commissioned Wall Relief, Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI C R I T I Q U E S A N D D E M O N S T R AT I O N S Feb 2008 Visiting Artist Critique, Fiber Design Department, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI Dec 2003 Mixed Media Sculpture Demonstration, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI