O’Donnell

Sue O’Donnell

sueodonnell.net
Sue O’Donnell’s work combines experimental book arts, graphic diagramming, and conceptual narratives. She earned her MFA at SUNY Purchase in 2002 after having worked as a freelance graphic designer for many years. She joined the faculty at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 2007 where she teaches graphic print/book design.

My Route / My Roots

I collected this wood during a visit to North Carolina for a family reunion. It was salvaged from a black walnut tree that grew on family land. I have moved twenty-one times in my life so far. The connection I have with place may seem brief, but each holds special meaning. This installation applies the shape of my moves – the google map route that connects each place – with the amount of time I spent living in that place – the length of the route. Mounted between each cut are hand written memory stories, a reflective “Looking In” that requires “Looking Out.”

9" x 216" x 1"
Variable cut black walnut wood panels with handwritten text pigment prints and plywood backing.
2016

Cat's Cradle

This artist book was created as a result of an ideation exercise looking for connections between two unrelated topics. A variety of connections were made that ultimately resulted in a structure that became a memorial for my sister who lost her battle with cancer, a childhood string game we used to play, and the lyrics from a CD she left behind. The book’s structure revealed itself during the process – it was a book that wanted to be a puzzle. On reflection, this book required the act of looking, both inward and outward.

7" x 8"
Mixed Media (book board, cotton tape, tracing paper, drawing, typewritten words). Magic Wallet Structure.
2017