Artist Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord made her first Spirit Book in 1992 and coined the name for the series which now numbers 101. The Spirit Books merge her response to the mystery and miracle of nature with the long-standing tradition of books as testaments of faith and belief. Working with handmade papers, natural materials, beads, and stitching, she has created contemplative objects that straddle the boundary between sculpture and book. Acknowledging the strength and the fragility of nature, they are both celebration and elegy. Susan’s involvement in the arts includes roles as artist, teacher, speaker, writer, designer, and publisher. She works in multiple media with a focus on sculptural bookmaking and calligraphy. Her work has been featured in magazines and books and exhibited across the U.S. and Canada and in South Korea. When Susan lived in North Billerica from 1979 to 1985, she was very involved in the Lowell art scene.