Editor’s note: This is the second in a series focusing on the artists of the Suring area, in honor of Suring’s centennial celebration.
Mavis Suring and her late husband, Rodean, are both direct descendants of Johann Suring, the father of
Julius (Joe) Suring, the man who gave Suring its name. Johann is their great-great-grandfather.
Mavis Suring is a multi-talented individual and has always loved to learn. She can sew, knit, crochet,
embroider, weave baskets, make cane chairs, do woodworking projects, paint in watercolors and oil, and
carve. At present, painting and carving are her main interests.
In the 1950s, Suring was a 4-H leader and taught woodworking to 4-H members enrolled in that project. Through 4-H she went to Ellison Bay to train to teach leather craft, basket weaving and chair caning. At the workshop she heard about painting classes being taught in Rhinelander and was intrigued.
Although she and her husband were still farming, she attended painting workshops for five days in Rhinelander for two years. Joan White, an artist with a studio in Townsend, has been influential over the years. In 1985, Suring retired.
“For entertainment, I painted pictures, did chair caning, upholstered furniture and whatever else tweaked my fancy,” Suring said. “The county fair was asking for exhibits from amateur artists and crafters. This gave me an incentive to participate in and display my handiwork.”
Her paintings, carvings and crocheting are still exhibited at the Oconto County Fair each year. She has won many blue ribbons and best of show awards.
Carving has always been an interest for Suring, but she didn’t take classes until 1999. She took classes from renowned local wildlife artist Betsy Popp at Townsend and still takes classes when offered. She has given her carvings as gifts and donated them to fundraisers at church and at the library. Woodcarvings have also been traded.
At a church silent auction, a wood carving of loons sold for $340. She prizes her loon carvings as some of her best work.
On Feb. 18, Suring turned 92. She said she has always loved to learn and hopes to keep learning. As a testament to her talents and abilities, she has been asked to teach painting at St. John’s Lutheran School this spring.
What keeps Suring creating is the excitement of seeing the finished product.
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