Artwork copyright Susan Brandeis. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Artwork copyright Susan Brandeis. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Artwork copyright Susan Brandeis. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Morning Light, 1989

Susan Brandeis
American (born 1949)

Location: Office of the Washington State Auditor, Olympia

About the Artwork

Morning Light is a lush and complex textile construction created by artist Susan Brandeis. It is part of a series exploring the textural surface of forest and ocean floors. She created the composition by sewing together and assembling screen-printed fabrics and flexible materials. She screen prints all of her fabrics by hand. Though the construction obscures the imagery, the prints feature natural objects like tree limbs and leaves. The artist describes this piece as a celebration of “the elements of Nature which ultimately lead to ecological harmony: growth and decay, order and chaos, agitation and tranquility, the ordinary and the sublime.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Office of the Washington State Auditor.

About the Artist

Textile artist Susan Brandeis creates elaborate fiber compositions that explore and celebrate "the elements of Nature which ultimately lead to ecological harmony: growth and decay, order and chaos, agitation and tranquility, the ordinary and the sublime."