This Spotlights honors one of our members as part of our 75th Anniversary Celebration.
- by sandy mclain hochmuth
Suzanne Williams is responsible for your favorite website: illinoisprairieweavers.org. Quiet, methodical, well-reasoned and generous, Suzanne has been a core member of our ops team for nearly twelve years.
“You can’t make trees that color!” Small Suzanne held her crayon and said (under her breath, but fiercely) “and why not?” When a kindergarten teacher reacted to her choices during a coloring activity, Suzanne’s creative life turned independent. She stuck her chin out, hung on to the crayon, and has been working to eradicate the echo of that unfortunate voice ever since, and never, ever inflict it on anyone else!
Suzanne joined Illinois Prairie Weavers in 2012. She did a bit of weaving in high school, then waited another 40-ish years to come back to it, after meandering (like some of us) through a period of other artistic pursuits such as making jewelry in her 20s and drawing in her 30s, and then taking a break from most things artsy in her 40s. Serendipity led her to become good friends with guild member Nancy W, followed by an opportunity to acquire a floor loom from someone else, and suddenly, weaving was back in full force on the creative menu.
Fast-forward another decade — several looms have come and gone. Suzanne enjoys tinkering with looms and finding solutions to functional problems, but space constraints limit how much of that she can do, and she has sent several looms on to new owners over the years, while acquiring others that better meet her needs.
Her weaving interests have expanded to include tapestry, bands, and kumihimo braiding. She discovered spinning a few years ago and is eager to marry her pursuits of spinning and weaving to create one-of-a-kind pieces that capture the spirit and mood of the moment, whether they are artistic, decorative, wearable, or accessory.
Suzanne became the guild’s webmaster several years ago when Cheryl H retired from that position. As she winds down her professional life, she looks forward to having more time to dream, to create, and to explore, without deadlines and workloads pressing down on her. She’s planning on sounding her own voice and making her own way!
Illinois Prairie Weavers Guild 