The collage and mixed media assemblages of Susan R. Carlson are remarkable for their unique constructions, their sophisticated use of color and pattern, their sheer power to engage the viewer in the act of storytelling. Each piece encapsulates a world, or at least a boisterous neighborhood—a place where rules and norms are still being worked out, where composed elements perch tensely at the edge of meaning. Stripped of their familiar contexts, objects and signifiers—numbers, words, phrases, textiles—have been cohesively reassembled in a manner that celebrates mystery, humor and tenderness. While themes emerge, we are never confronted by a didactic message; rather, Carlson’s pieces remind us of the certainty of change— from past to present, whole to broken, valued to discarded. — Lisa Simon, owner of Radius Gallery Susan R. Carlson is a self-taught artist living in Missoula, MT, where her distinctive found-object assemblages have been shown in numerous venues and exhibitions over the past 20+ years. Represented by Radius Gallery since 2014, she is one of the ten artists whose work appeared in the gallery’s Grand Opening exhibition.