Bio

Susan Burwash is a beadmaker, occupational therapist, university professor and PhD student. Goethe wrote, "we are shaped and fashioned by what we love." After a 20+ year career in occupational therapy, Susan discovered glass and wire. Occupational Therapists believe that being "occupied" in personally meaningful daily activities is critical to health. As a therapist, Susan has seen the powerful positive effect that creating art has. Her hot glass teachers include Leah Fairbanks, Jim Smicich, Andrea Guarino-Slemmons, Janelle Zorko and Laura Donefer. While living in New Mexico, Susan studied wire-working, glass fusing and precious metal clay (PMC); she has also taken a PMC class at Kootenay School of the Arts with Joan Irvin. She is co-founder and current president of the Aurora Borealis Fireflies, an Edmonton-area beadmakers’ society.

Her artist, therapist and scholarly selves come together in exploring the evidence-based therapeutic aspects of working with glass and wire. Working with her business partner, Liz Webster, she is forming a new company called Purple Mangoes to offer jewelry workshops for women to promote well-being.

Susan particularly loves making glass beads with silver and gold leafs/foils/wire to create other-worldly looking “gems” and is drawn to techniques that create intricate patterns like those found in nature. She sees glass bead-making as a powerful medium for growth and invites you to join her on the joyful journey.