Vinnie Sutherland

"As an artist living in the woods of west Michigan, I am amazed and inspired, on a daily basis, by the natural world that surrounds me. While I endeavor to explore this world even more intensely through my art, I keep in mind the vision expounded by the artisans of the Arts and Crafts movement—that moral and spiritual uplift will come with the creation of art by hand."

One of Vinnie Sutherland's earliest memories is walking along rural Wisconsin roads with her father, picking wildflowers and weeds. One hand holding her father's and the other clutching a huge bouquet. This is the memory she carries with her as she scavenges fields, woods, and roadsides for the materials she uses in her artwork. Her work is a tribute to both her father and her deep love for the natural world.

Sutherland rolls sheets of pewter layered with grasses, roots, seeds, and other natural materials by hand through an etching press to create her two-dimensional wall pieces. She often works with aluminum and copper as well, and always incorporates enameled copper tiles into her compositions. The use of an etching press provides her the ability to highlight the intricate details of her subject matter.

Sutherland earned a BFA in photography from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Her fascination with the natural world was honed behind the camera lens and in the darkroom. Craving a more hands-on approach, she traded film for metal and began adding enameled copper "tiles" and "eggs" to her pieces. Her work pays homage to the environment.