Mauro featured in Weaver art gallery

Bethel professor Suzanne Mauro is currently featuring her show called “The Flower Girls” in the Weaver Art Gallery in the third of three “Artist Spotlights.” According to the marketing and communications department, “The pieces of the show (the actual flower girls) will be visually interacting and working together rather than being independent sculptures that are viewed separately from one another.” Mauro’s artwork will be in the gallery until Dec. 18 and can be viewed everyday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding Sundays. Mauro grew up in the South Bend area and was inspired by her first art teacher, Patti Varner. She inspired Mauro to work more with her art. After graduating from Riley High School and the Elkhart Career Center where she “attended vocational school for commercial photography” she went on to attend Purdue University. After that she went to the University of Notre Dame for graduate school. After graduating from ND she taught in the South Bend Community School Corporation and then finished her teaching license at St. Mary’s of the Woods. Before coming to Bethel she worked in the South Bend schools for four years. “I became involved with ceramic sculpture during my first ceramics class as an undergrad at Purdue University,” said Mauro. “I loved it so much; I changed my major to ceramics.” Since she has been involved with ceramics many things have influenced her work. “I feel I am inspired by God, nature, and natural processes,” said Mauro. “My children and my experience of becoming a mother (have) a lot to do with my work.” Although Mauro likes creating her own art she said her favorite thing is teaching others about it.