Suzy Birstein is a figurative ceramic sculptor and painter whose self portraits evoke lineages amongst past women and goddesses, fused within a present self. They compound excess, as she channels an eclectic mix of female powerhouses including Frida Kahlo, Athena, Queen Nefertiti, Carmen Miranda and Alice in Wonderland.  Her fascination lies in the consistent power of the creative spirit to heal adversity across time and place. This she shares through her art, teachings and all she encounters. Suzy is an honours graduate in ceramic sculpture from Emily Carr University. She works with clay from her Kitsilano Garden Studio; she paints and showcases her art from her 1000 Parker Street studio. In her pursuit of knowledge and creating an authentic voice, she has travelled extensively throughout North America, Europe and Cambodia, attending and leading master workshops, visiting ancient sites, museums and all that is enchanting. This enchantment she shares with her students at Arts Umbrella, her Vancouver studios and as a visiting artist. Her “Mia Muse” ceramics workshop to Athens and Skopelos, where “Mama Mia” was filmed, was a biannual event from 2009-2017. Suzy has participated in well over 75 group and solo exhibits, across Canada, United States, Mexico, Europe and Japan. Some highlights are the Gardiner Museum, The Clay Studio in Montana, Art Brut in France, and her upcoming solo retrospective curated by Dr. Angela Clarke at Il Museo. Suzy participates annually in the Eastside Culture Crawl and is a SPLASH! AUCTION artist for Arts Umbrella.  Her commission to create “Motion Pitchers” gifted to Oscar nominees George Clooney, Kate Blanchette and Julian Schnabel garnered international media attention: her commission to create Ceramic Slippers for “Tap Grace Awards” celebrating excellence in dance merged Suzy’s passion for creating art and tap dancing.  Suzy has been interviewed on TV, radio and the press, including  Global TV News, CBC Radio, Ceramic Art and Perception, the 500 Ceramics Series, Venice International Art Fair, The Scribe Journal…. Suzy creates from a place of wonder, compassion and love with the desire to bring more of this to more of us, now and into the future.