Suzanne Gunn and Mary Zicafoose

Suzanne Dunn and renowned textile artist Mary Zicafoose (bios below) will talk about craft and culture, tracing Gunn’s travels and her selection of pieces, and highlighting the artists Gunn met, both those preserving centuries-old techniques and those reimagining traditions.

Suzanne Gunn is a fashion designer, Family Nurse Practitioner, and owner of Tivona Naturals who blends her love for fashion and sustainability with community empowerment. Inspired by her upbringing in Kenya, Suzanne founded Tivona World to showcase handcrafted, culturally rich products while supporting African and local artisans through fair trade practices. She works closely with underprivileged communities and advocates for sustainable development and cultural preservation.

Suzanne’s fashion designs have been shown nationally, and can be viewed here: Gunn Fashion Design

Mary Zicafoose is an iconic textile artist and teacher renowned for her ikat tapestry weaving. Zicafoose explains that “my fascination with pattern and indigenous cloth began as a child, with a scrap of Indonesian fabric given to me by a traveling aunt.” Her tapestries and rugs blend contemporary vision with cultural icons and symbols, in what she describes as “a personal vernacular that speaks about my unabashed use of color and the power of symbols.” Collected internationally, Zicafoose’s works are featured in public installations, private collections, and exhibited in three United States Embassies.

www.maryzicafoose.com / Mary Zicafoose Textile Facebook page

In Conversation: A Curator's Journey and Exhibition Tour