Artist Spotlight: Susan Lange Designs, Creations Through Faith
The artistic creations of Susan Lange Designs are born from an inspiration and journey of faith. From spiritual-themed designs to the open-hearted creative process, multimedia artist Susan Lange sees her art as her ministry, allowing God as the Holy Spirit to work through her and her acrylic and mixed media catalog.
“The whole point of my work is to help people grow in faith and to glorify God in the process. I think that He gives each of us these gifts, and you can use that to glorify Him. By doing that, by doing well, you're glorifying Him.”
A New Orleans native, Lange attended Dominican High School and then Louisiana State University, where she began her journey toward creativity and artistry in the professional world. From engineering to architecture to graphic design, Lange followed a path of creative fulfillment through her professional work.
Alongside her profession in corporate graphic design and her roles as mother, wife, and daughter, she continued her own creative projects across a variety of artistic media and handcrafts, from pottery and fabrics to woodworking, gold leaf, and acrylics.
At one critical juncture of her paths in career, artistry, and faith, Lange had been creating and selling some of her artwork to support a religious community in Baton Rouge. One day, the spiritual center’s leader, an influential religious sister and healer, asked Lange a life-altering question:
“What is your ministry?”
Lange retells the life-changing moment of her journey as an artist and in the creative expression of her faith:
“I said, 'Well, I'm a mother. I'm a wife. I'm a daughter. I serve in the church, I'm a Eucharistic minister…' “And Sister said, 'No. What is your ministry?' I said, 'I am an artist.'"
"And she said, 'Right. God gives each one of us a special gift, and He intends for you to use that gift to glorify Him. And so, your artwork is your ministry.'"
From then on, Lange fully immersed herself in her artistic inspiration and creations. This included exploring the handcrafts of woodworking as taught to her by her father, a creator of wooden toys, along with a deepened understanding of faith as guided by her mother.
Those influences from both of her parents can be seen and felt in the intricate and beautiful handmade items Susan creates today, from vases featuring the Blessed Mother and Madonna and Child to wooden and acrylic photo frames depicting rocking horses and the St. Louis Cathedral.
As she continues exploring themes of faith, hope, and gratitude through her artistic works, Lange keeps her heart open to what the Holy Spirit moves her to create. Faith guides not only the designs she brings forth, but the very process of inspiration and creative expression in her studio each day.
“And it's all God, it's all Him," says Lange. "Because I said, ‘Okay, I'll trust you. I'll trust you that I will make things that glorify you. I'll express my faith through my work and hope that that resonates with someone.'”