Susan Rawls

Susan obtained her bachelor’s degree in Commercial Art from Concordia College at Seward, Nebraska in 1989. She spent 20 years as a designer, art director and production manager for the nonprofit publisher, Math Learning Center in Salem, Oregon. 

Her most notable project, Bridges in Mathematics, a K–5 curriculum was adopted by districts throughout the United States. Outside of work Susan pursued a growing interest in ceramics, taking numerous courses/workshops in hand building, the wheel and a variety of firing methods. 

In 2010, she began volunteering at her daughter’s preschool introducing children to clay. The students’ joy was contagious and a new career was born. Susan began teaching art enrichment classes and summer camps. 

In 2013, she was contracted to teach middle school art and later K–8 art at Trinity Lutheran School in Portland. She was artist in residence in 2014 at the Marylhurst School in Oregon City. In 2015 Susan began integrating STEM, sewing and basic carpentry lessons into her art curriculum. Her middle school students competed in the annual art show at the Lutheran School Educational Tournament (LEST) winning a multitude of blue and red ribbons. In 2016, an eighth grade student was awarded best in show at LEST for a project created in art class. Susan left Trinity in 2019. She is currently teaching art camps and workshops.

The majority of Susan’s current work consists of sample projects created for use in her classes.  

Susan lives in West Linn, Oregon with her husband, daughter and their 3 rambunctious pets.