Susan Medyn Art in Collaboration with Bees
To see more of my work, head on over to my new website:
Poppy Pods by Susan Medyn
This artwork is a composition that merges the precision of geometry with the wild intelligence of nature. Rattan shapped forms, resembling orbital diagrams, serve as the foundational structure—rigid, planned, and mathematical. Poppy seed heads were added as this is a source of pollen for bees. Note how one was attached by the bees and the other delicately decontructed. Bees were invited to interact with this scaffold, gradually filling the voids with honeycomb, creating an interwoven layer of wax cells that soften and blur the boundaries of the human-imposed design.
Suspended within the piece are delicate crystal drops and organic poppy pods, cherry brances with resin, a compound bees use for medicinal purposes as well as to entomb intruders. Each element was chosen for its visual and symbolic resonance. The juxtaposition of sparkling glass, dried botanical forms, and organic wax speaks to cycles of transformation: blooming, decay, and rebirth.
Set within a wooden frame, the work becomes a window into a shared creative process—an ecosystem of intention, intuition, and improvisation. ©Susan Medyn 2025.
Susan Medyn Art in Collaboration with Bees
The Unbroken Thread by Susan Medyn
This work is a collaboration between human intention and natural instinct. Starting with a textile base of burlap and linen, and silk thread from The Ukraine. This piece intricately embroidered with geometric and botanical patterns was introduced into a hive where bees were invited to participate. Over time, they built honeycomb directly onto and around the fabric, blurring the line between craft and colony, design and instinct.
The vibrant threads and detailed stitching contrast with the raw, organic texture of beeswax and honeycomb, creating a dialogue between structured artistry and the unpredictable elegance of nature. The result is a living tapestry—part artifact, part ecosystem—that explores themes of coexistence, transformation, and the shared language of pattern. ©Susan Medyn 2025.
