Susan Paczek

 Artist Statement 

I have loved to sculpt since a young age and I guess it is my way of feeling connected to the world around me.  Process is important to me, and I treat my art making as a meditative practice that forces me to be present.  My subject matter tends to be wildlife; so I feel that although I'm no longer working as a biologist, I'm constantly celebrating nature.  I like to work in clay, mainly mid fire stoneware, and papier mache.  I don't use molds, so each of my pieces are made individually, even the small figurines that I like to make.  As well as sculpting, I enjoy the challenge of creating art pieces that also serve as functional pottery which the user can interact with.  Community art is another passion of mine and I love any opportunity to entertain people with giant puppets, sculptures or installations.

Brief Biography

Susan Paczek was born in Richmond, British Columbia in 1972 to Polish immigrants of farming stock.  Obsessed with animals from a young age, Susan earned a BSc in biology, with a focus on animal behavioural ecology from McGill University in 1994.  While studying at McGill Susan began making many large papier mache animals.  In 2002 she earned her MSc in Conservation Biology from the University of British Columbia.  In 2001 she started working in clay, taking many community centre courses.  After working a variety of biology jobs, in 2005 she concluded she'd rather sculpt animals than write reports about them, and she moved to Saskatchewan to study ceramics at the University of Regina.  During this time, while living and studying in the Cathedral area of Regina, she started her papier mache cottage industry "Pulp Creatures".  In 2008 Susan moved to Halifax, and learned to throw and glaze from Carol Smeraldo at Atlantic Pottery Supplies.

In 2002 Susan began volunteering with the Public Dreams Society in Vancouver where she learned how to build giant lanterns.  Through Public Dreams, she met puppet maker Andrew Kim who taught her to build giant parade puppets.  She has since been involved in community art projects and parades in Vancouver, Washington State, Taiwan, Regina and Halifax.