SUSAN ALLEN
By using the finest diamond-plated bits in dental drills, Allen transforms natural quartz crystals in to fantastic miniature worlds. Allen's mastery of microscopic detail and the power of imagination are unrivaled; making her one of the most widely collected internal carvers in the world. Allen's goal is to balance and complement, not detract from, the natural beauty of the mineral. Starting with a carefully chosen then polished crystal, she sometimes studies a stone for years before making a carving. She then begins the painstaking process of hollowing out her tiny, intricately textured images so that they appear to float behind a magic window. While carving, the formation of continuous a milky slurry of mineral waste necessitates constant cleaning and drying in order to keep the working area visible. It is a never-ending challenge to reach the area of the crystal she is working on while still maintaining steady hands and correct lighting; she often finds herself in very contorted positions. A medium-sized internal piece can easily have 50 to 80 hours of work in the carving alone while a larger piece can take hundreds of hours to complete. Each is a treasure combining the beauty of nature with Allen's own rich imagination. Allen's work appears in private collections and has been displayed worldwide, including in exhibits at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in
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