Lighting Up the Dead
Installation by Sue Moerder
“My Skull Assemblage Art is a combination of ethically sourced animal skulls and bones with antiques and found objects – “Frankensteined” creatures that are sometimes lit to take them into another dimension, casting shadows and patterns from cut out metal pieces – as well as the effect of lighting in the skulls – making them glow with an inner light.
My sculptures will light up the window and draw you in at night – the best time for the dead to shine. And make sure you look closely and enjoy a virtual “Seek and Find” of antique objects making up each piece.
If you want to see more of my Art in their natural habitat – my home/art studio is right at up the street at 214 W Wildey and I welcome visits! Just call or text 215-292-8189 to make sure I’m home.
You can also see my work at Sue Moerder.com and follow on gram and TikTok @suemoerderskullart” – Sue Moerder
Artist’s Statement
All through my life as an Artist, I’ve always been impatient and messy – getting more inspired by the decision making and not so much the physical creating or the outcome.
I’ve used a number of mediums and techniques… and had a couple successful Art careers, but nothing really felt like a good fit. I went to College for Illustration, and ending up in Advertising, doing some Soft Sculpture and Glass Blowing along the way. I was dumped out of Advertising and ended up in Tattooing – enjoying it, but struggling for years and now successful with my own shop… and as much as I love the art form of tattooing and the therapy connected with it, it’s a stressful medium with sometimes way too much client interaction… and I never seem to be completely happy with anything I do, even though the client is. I always find fault and always feel like I could do better.
I started painting skulls as a little side thing to relieve stress, which quickly evolved into sculpting with found objects – enhancing and working with the skulls. I didn’t even know that Assemblage Art was a thing before it turned into a way of life. Now I’m on a constant treasure hunt where everything I see turns into inspiration – I see skulls on everything now and objects are only seen as possible body parts or things I can use. It’s all about making decisions in placement of shapes and textures – constant problem solving and fitting puzzle pieces.
My Art is hard and rough and complicated in its style – even when I use elegant, ornate antiques – I like mixing in an opposing texture or rusty industrial object to exaggerate the contrast. I enjoy layering details til you can’t tell where one stops and one begins – uncovering lots of little discoveries as they are viewed and explored. I get lost in the intricacy and detail of each piece until it’s perfectly balanced and I’m completely happy with the composition and flow.
Every time I start a new piece, it’s different sometimes I have an idea in mind, and other times I just start with an object and let it take me where it will. It’s so much fun to turn old objects and skulls into new creations – bringing new life to the dead and discarded.
