Seeing, Reimagined.
Transforming overlooked materials into new ways of seeing.
Inner Landscapes
Found and discarded materials are layered and transformed to give physical form to the unseen landscapes of thought, emotion, identity, and memory.
Look Again
21×17×4 in
Top Heavy
21×17×2 in
Accumulation (SOLD)
15×12×3 in
Under Consideration
17×21×1.25 in
Transformational Studies
Degrees of Recognition
The Degrees of Recognition Series explores how perception shifts when familiar forms are fragmented, isolated, and reimagined. Created from the remains of horseshoe crabs collected along the Massachusetts coast, these works invite viewers to reconsider what they recognize, what they overlook, and where they find beauty.
Seahorses
15×12×4 in
Opisthosoma in Pieces
15×12×4 in
Opisthosoma Repair
12×15×4 in
Flamingoes
9×11×3 in
Paired Telsons
12×15×4 in
Winged Coral
6×6×3 in
Pterodactyl
6×6×3 in
Ichthyosiforms
9×11×3 in
Moth
11×9×3 in
All specimens were found deceased and were collected respectfully
Threaded Forms
Sculptural figures created from natural materials and woven thread. Branches, bark, feathers, and found objects are transformed into imagined beings, each with its own presence, personality, and story, existing somewhere between nature and invention.
Threaded Bough
70×47×10.5 in
Headpiece: A Mad Arboreal
19.25×9×10.25 in
Marked Dryad
31×12×4 in
Lady Weft
14×6×4 in
The Keeper of Small Joys
15×10×8 in
Assemblage Sculpture
By seeing familiar shapes, patterns, or faces in unrelated objects, I transform once-living materials into assemblages, creatures, and visual narratives. Through recontextualization and careful arrangement, fragments take on new identities and meanings.
May-Bee (SOLD)
9×9×3 in
Grace Under Pressure
9×9×3 in
Falkora
12×15×3 in
Tethered Heart
8×6×3 in
The Sensei
15×12×4 in
The Smug Monk
8.5×4×3.5 in
Merlinda the Mermaid
20×19×12 in
Smile Angler
8×7×5.5 in
Seated Mermaid
10×6×3 in
The Queen of Quite a Lot
13.5×10.5×3.5 in
The Prince of Quite a Lot
13×6×3 in
Admiral Bird
8.5×6.5×3.5 in
Before the Queen’s Command
12.5×4×4 in
Harold
10×10×4 in
Vyx
12.5×4×4 in
Birdfish
9×11×2 in
Illuminated Works
Using fiber optics as a creative medium, I incorporate light as an active element of the composition. Illumination reveals hidden details, alters perception, encourages curiosity, and invites closer observation.
Second Nature
13×16×6.5 in (with light engine and stand)
About the Artist
What if the extraordinary isn't created, but recognized?
I am drawn to what is easily overlooked. Through collecting, assemblage, and transformation, I explore the hidden lives within natural objects, the imagined worlds those lives might inhabit, and the inner landscapes they reflect back to us. My work invites viewers to become curious and look more closely—because recognition requires looking, and when we truly look, we begin to see.
That process of recognition begins long before I enter the studio. My work often begins with a walk—along the shoreline, through the woods, on city streets, or wherever unusual materials happen to catch my attention. I collect branches, shells, seed pods, stones, fibers, insect remains, and other objects that suggest a form, a gesture, or a possibility.
Back in the studio, these materials guide an intuitive process of making. Rather than imposing a form, I follow the suggestions already present within them, allowing hidden personalities, imagined beings, and emotional landscapes to emerge. Through assemblage, weaving, illumination, and experimentation, overlooked fragments become invitations to see the familiar in unfamiliar ways.
If you are interested in acquiring a piece, discussing a commission, exploring a collaboration, or learning more about my work, I would be delighted to hear from you.
@suteramartinelli_art
Email: suteramartinelliart@gmail.com
