Susan Ann Rhodes

2025 Terradise Environmental Artist in Residence
Prospect, Ohio (Homesteading Arts & Painting)

Where do you come from in the world? How do your roots — your family, upbringing, community, homeplace or neighborhood — influence the artist you are today?

Hello, my name is Susan Rhodes, I live between Prospect and Green Camp. I am married to my husband Dan and have three children and 10 grandchildren. I have grown up in the Prospect community my entire life. Living near the Scioto River and in Ohio has always brought change and excitement into my life. The different weather on a daily basis, from flooding to the wonderful excitement of all the changing seasons.

How did you come to your particular artmaking practice? Did any people or experiences put you on the path to working in your particular genre or combination of genres? What motivates you to make the work that you do, in the way you do it?

The people that have been the main influences in my life have been my mother- Marjorie Houseworth, my grandparents – Clyde and Blanche Behrens and teachers that I have had in school. But of course , I do accept that everyone that has ever been in my life have left marks (some good and other not so good). My mother and grandmother taught me how to preserve food and to not waste things. And my art teachers and my grandmother helped to encourage my crafting and artistic talent.

My ability and knowledge of preservation, was learned first from watching and helping my grandmother and mother. They would preserve a lot of different things together. My grandparents and parents always had a large garden. We always had lots of fresh vegetables and berries to eat. Things have changed a lot since when I first started learning , but lots have stayed the same. Up until 2 years ago I still used the same water bath pot that my grandmother and mother used! And still have some of their canning equipment.

The motivation to keep going is from my kids and grandchildren. They still enjoy eating grandma’s pickle and zucchini relish and salsa! Growing up our children never had store bought relish.

Growing up my Grandmother was very crafty. She knitted, embroidered, quilted, sewed clothes and crocheted her whole life. My Mother sewed a lot of our clothes and loved to made seasonal decorations. So , I guess you could say , I was just following a family tradition. I love to try new things and was encouraged by art teachers in high school and college.

What’s one of your favorite things about the arts community in North-Central Ohio region? What’s one thing you’d really like to see that might build capacity for artists, or expand access for arts livelihoods, in the future, for our region?

What do I love about Ohio? What can you say , it’s so diverse! The weather is ever changing, never the same , so you can’t get bored! We have traveled some and people say they love our accent (guess I never thought Ohioans had accents)! I love green grass in the summer and all the beautiful trees and flowers. And we are in the middle of a great country with so many interesting places to see and visit. I love the small town living and the small town activities that Prospect has.

I am active in our local Prospect Farmers Market and other local craft shows. Our family also has a farm stand during the season which is self- serve.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
My name is Susan Rhodes, I am 67 years old and have lived in the Prospect area my entire life. I am a retired Medical Assistant, retired Battle Run Fire Department member. I took art classes at Elgin High School and at OSU ~Marion . I have 3 children and 10 grandchildren. I have always had a interest in art and crafts. I am currently in charge of the Prospect Farmers Market and also am a vendor there and at other local vendor shows.

I grew up in Prospect, and learned canning from my grandmother who had a huge garden. My parents always had a large garden, and understood both the pleasures and importance of growing our own food. I have taught in the Pioneer Days programs in Prospect sharing everything from making homemade ice cream to sharing old traditional hand kitchen tools and their use.

— Susan Ann Rhodes, Gardener & Homesteading Artist

Works coming soon..

The Terradise Environmental Arts Residency 2025 has been made possible by the generous support of an Ohio Arts Council’s ArtsNEXT FY2025 Grant: supporting changemaking community arts projects & programs across Ohio. Thank you to Ohio Arts Council for your support of artists in North-Central Ohio, & across all 88 counties of Ohio!

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