Collaborating with Susan Hostetler: A Lesson in Movement and Space
Susan Hostetler has an incredible knack for making art feel like magic. Her bird-themed installations are anything but ordinary. They don’t just sit there on a wall like most art; they move. Well, not literally, but the way they interact with light makes it seem like they might take flight at any moment. Depending on where you’re standing—or what time of day it is—you might see one bird or a whole flock multiplying across the wall. It’s a visual game of “now you see me, now you don’t,” and it’s absolutely mesmerizing.
I’ve had the privilege of working with Susan on a few projects, and let me tell you, she makes the process feel less like work and more like a creative jam session. She’s very collaborative, the kind of person who listens to your ideas and actually makes them better. She has this gift for taking a space and turning it into something you didn’t even know you needed.
Her work is all about birds, but not in the way you’d expect. They’re not hyper-realistic replicas you’d find in a nature guide. Instead, her birds are abstractions, capturing the movement, the rhythm, and the sheer joy of flight. They’re elegant and dynamic, somehow managing to feel both grounded and ethereal. And when they’re installed, they seem to float.
What’s even more fascinating is how her installations play with light. During the day, as the sunlight shifts, so does the work. Shadows stretch, overlap, and merge, creating an entirely new composition every few hours. It’s like her installations have their own little personality, changing with the mood of the room.
What I’ve always admired about Susan, aside from her ability to turn a simple concept into something breathtaking, is how seamlessly she blends the natural world with the built environment. Her work feels organic, like it belongs wherever it lands. And while the birds are her focal point, the underlying themes are universal. Migration, freedom, connection—all of it resonates on a human level, even if you don’t know a finch from a sparrow.
On top of all this, her installations have a way of sneaking in some environmental awareness. Without being preachy, they make you think about birds and their delicate place in the ecosystem. It’s subtle but effective, the kind of art that whispers instead of shouting. And somehow, even with this layer of meaning, her work never feels heavy. There’s a lightness to it, both literally and figuratively.
For me, one of the most rewarding parts of working with Susan has been seeing how she brings people into her process. Every step feels intentional, from the initial brainstorming to the final installation. And yet, no matter how much you think you’ve contributed, the final result will still blow your mind.
Seeing Susan’s work in person is an experience. It’s about the way the entire space transforms around them. The light, the shadows, the sense of movement—it all comes together to create something that’s alive