#7

Kandis Susol

298 Pinneo Rd

Kandis Susol works out of her barn studio known as Jakuan (Arbor of Tranquility), amidst her family’s heritage orchard trees, where she creates her encaustic paper sculptures as a form of spiritual practice. Inspired by her study of garden design in Kyoto, Japan; practicing tea ceremony at Shoseian in Seattle, Washington; and her study of Zen Buddhism, she is wholeheartedly present in the moment when she works, infusing each piece with a meditative quality and materials representing all four earthly elements: water, air, fire and earth. 

A visit to Kandis’ rustic and deeply personal studio sheds light on her entire process, including handmaking the paper from the pulp of Japanese mulberry trees, and what she considers the naked simple truth: each sheet of paper is unique even with all its flaws, beautiful in its diversity, and when brought together in a flowing movement with other sheets it creates a story to contemplate, a feeling to experience, a moment to be with it. This is Kandis’ humble offering to bring peace and joy to the world.