Suzanne Bruno of the Southern Maine (SoME) Chapter completed her third art collage book, Backyard Birds.
Artist Spotlight: Suzanne Bruno
Q: Tell us about your background in needlework and how you discovered EGA.
A: I come from a long line of sewing women and have been a member of the Southern Maine chapter (SoME) for 18 years. I learned about EGA from some of the women in my Crazy Quilters of Maine group, a chapter of the Pine Tree Quilt Guild. My first love is crazy quilting, and when I started seeing a lot of “junk journal” and “paper collage” online, it was a natural progression for me to attempt the same techniques with fabric.
Q: What inspired you to create “Backyard Birds” as your third embroidered book?
A: I live on a lake in a rural area of Maine surrounded by birdsong, so the bird idea developed naturally as I searched for free images online to interpret in fabric. I set aside fabrics and trims from my stash and came up with a suitable size where I could incorporate an embroidered bird and leaves section from an antique crazy quilt, plus a small piece of an antique paisley shawl.
Q: Can you describe your creative process for this project?
A: The pages came together as I started layering my materials. I often take photos of my work in progress before everything is stitched in place. The challenge for me was to use only what I have in my stash. The most enjoyable part of this project was attaching and embellishing the twig and branch “perches” for the birds. Backyard Birds took me over a year of planning, collecting, and stitching.
The challenge for me was to use only what I have in my stash. I love antique textiles and rescue the worn and torn whenever possible.
Q: What makes this book personally meaningful to you?
A: When I share this book with friends and family, I get very nostalgic about fabrics, trims, and embellishments from various quilts and tea cozies I’ve made over the years. Each piece tells a story and connects me to past projects and memories.
Q: What’s next for you creatively?
A: My next fabric collage book is in the “planning in my head” stage—it will take a while! I’m also working on my second crazy quilt, which I hope to complete for a milestone birthday in 2026.
Suzanne Bruno’s “Backyard Birds” beautifully demonstrates how traditional needlework techniques can evolve into contemporary art forms while honoring the past through rescued antique textiles.
