Mary Ellen Sisulak & Robert Bussler

WHETHER WORKING IN LEATHER OR 2 DIMENSIONAL MEDIA, MY THEMES ARE INSPIRED BY THE NATURAL WORLD. I WORK IN A STYLE THAT DEPICTS SUBJECT MATTER, BUT DISTILLS IT. COLOR , SHAPE, TEXTURE AND DETAIL ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT VISUAL ELEMENTS OF EACH PIECE.

I START WITH A DRAWING OR IDEA FOR SURFACE DESIGN, THEN SYLIZE AND SIMPLIFY UNTIL IT TRANSLATES AS AN EMBOSSED DESIGN INTO THE LEATHER. THE DRAWING IS ETCHED INTO A PLATE, THEN PRESSED INTO VEGETABLE-TANNED LEATHER. THE IMPRESSED LEATHER IS THEN LEFT AS IS, OR PAINTED TO GIVE DEFINITION TO THE DESIGN. I SOMETIMES WORK IN A VIGNETTE, SOMETIMES AN OVERALL DESIGN. THE BAG IS DESIGNED AROUND THE ARTWORK, WITH FUNCTION IN MIND. I USE A VARIETY OF LEATHERS TO GET THE EFFECT I WANT, ALL DOMESTIC, SUCH AS COW, PIG, GOAT, SHEEP. THE INSIDE OF THE BAG IS DESIGNED WITH LEATHER AND FABRIC POCKETS. HARDWARE IS KEPT MINIMAL AND FUNCTIONAL, ALL TOPPED OFF WITH MY SIGNATURE TURTLE CHARM.

NARRATIVE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF EACH PIECE THAT I PRODUCE. THERE IS A THEME AND A PHILOSOPHY THAT ACCOMPANIES MOST OF MY WORK. AN EXAMPLE MAY BE AN EMBOSSED LEATHER DESIGN, WHICH CENTERS AROUND THE BEECH TREE, THE SHAPES OF SEEDS AND LEAVES FOUND SURROUNDING THE TREE BECOME A PART OF THE DESIGN, MAKING THE THEME COMPLETE, BY DESCRIBING A SAMPLE OF THAT PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT.