Susan (Sue) Simensky Bietila (born 1947) is a Milwaukee-based artist whose protest art includes art and illustration for underground newspapers (including ''

RAT Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include ''Neotoma'' ( pack rats), ''Bandicota'' (bandicoot ...

'' and ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'') as well as giant street puppets. She became active as a student in the mid-1960s, when she joined with members of the

Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell W.I.T.C.H., originally the acronym for Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell, was the name of several related but independent feminist groups active in the United States as part of the women's liberation movement during the late 19 ...

(W.I.T.C.H.) to protest a bridal fashion show in New York City; this experience was Bietila's introduction to the power of art and art-making as a political force, and she chronicles the experience in a comic that is available in the ''This is an Emergency!'' print portfolio published by

Justseeds Justseeds Artists' Cooperative is a decentralized, worker-owned cooperative of thirty artists throughout North America. Justseeds members primarily produce handmade prints and publications which are distributed through their website and at confe ...

, as well as on her blog. She has also worked in puppet-making, constructing giant puppets for demonstrations related to Latin American Solidarity. As an illustrator and designer, Bietila continues to be involved with the collective that publishes '' WW3 Illustrated.'' Along with artist Nicolas Lampert, she curated ''Drawing Resistance'', a traveling exhibition of political art that included many ''WW3 Illustrated'' artists. As an artist and activist, Bietila was deeply involved with organizing against the

Crandon Mine Crandon mine was a mine proposed for northeastern Wisconsin, USA. It was to be situated near the town of Crandon and the Mole Lake Ojibwe Reservation in Forest County. The mine was the center of a multi-decade political and regulatory battle bet ...

in Wisconsin in the late 1990s. Her participation in this work includes creation of signs for marches, giant puppets, as well as a series of tombstones that were placed in public locations and which included messages such as "R.I.P. Crandon Mine." These tombstones later became part of an art installation at the Riverwest Art Center in Milwaukee. Simensky then created a poster to celebrate the 28-year struggle to prevent the creation of this mine, as well as a 24-foot mural called "28 years of People Power," created as part of the ''Seeing Green'' art show. Simensky is also active as a curator, including her collaboration on the exhibition "Carlos Cortéz and Allied Artists" at Walker's Point Center for the Arts. This exhibition highlights the work of revolutionary artist Carlos Cortéz, as well as artists he influenced.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bietila, Susan Simensky 1947 births Living people Artists from Milwaukee 20th-century American women artists 21st-century American women artists American women illustrators American women curators American curators