Incandescent and Undivided
Susan Simpson and Terence McFarland
in Conversation
April 30, 2021

Resident Artist and Automata Co-Artistic Director Susan Simpson previews her project “Incandescent and Undivided” - a multi-media exploration of queer identity and botanical aesthetics, employing puppets, sculptural costumes and prosthetics. Susan is joined in conversation by Terence McFarland. The two will be talking about this work as well as the work of other artists investigating similar territories.

Susan Simpson is a Los Angeles-based, multidisciplinary artist and designer and Co-Artistic Director of Automata. Her practice includes puppet theater, dioramas, and animation. She makes performances and interactive public artworks that engage viewers in intimate viewing. Her works often investigate the history, mythology, and social dynamics of the sites where they are located. Much of her performance work has been focused on the history of liberational thought and action in the queer communities. She has received funding from Creative Capital, The MAP Fund, The Center for Cultural Innovation, The Jim Henson Foundation, The California Community Foundation, and The Durfee Foundation. She is a recipient of Center Theatre Group’s Richard E.Sherwood Award.

Terence McFarland is a Catalyst, Co-Creator who believes our collective freedom and joy flows through our connection to creativity, expression, and harnessing our unique impulses. For 35 years, he has worked with individuals, brands, and organizations at the intersection of how we see ourselves and understand one another in the world, most recently as the Associate Executive Director at The Soraya, a 1700 seat performing arts venue at CSUN (2015 - 2020) and for the decade prior as the CEO of LA Stage Alliance, Los Angeles’ largest performing arts service organization. In May (2021?), he will launch a coaching and consulting practice. McFarland teaches in the Masters of Arts in Arts Administration program at Goucher College. He holds a BFA and MFA from CalArts and certificates in executive education programs at Stanford University and Harvard Business School.