‘Make other people happy’: Former St. George librarian finds passion in laser art

ST. GEORGE —A former librarian once bound to her work began a new chapter filled with expressive art she now shares with the world.

Susan Taylor stands inside her workshop holding her laser art, St. George, Utah, June 15, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Susan Taylor stands inside her workshop holding her laser art, St. George, Utah, June 15, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Susan Taylor, an artist in a myriad of forms, said her artistic talents started at a young age when she took things apart and put them back together. As she got older, she fell in love with all sorts of crafts and was fascinated by the unique things she could create to express herself.

As a librarian at Bloomington Elementary for 20 years, Taylor said the expansive school library had no decor, which gave it a very sterile feel. Because of this, she and her husband took it upon themselves to transform the library into different themes every summer, just in time for the new school year. They created many immersive themes over the years, such as a full rainforest, a Harry Potter theme and more. 

“We just lived at the school, just decorating,” Taylor said. “And every year, the kids just loved to be there.”

Taylor said while many books at the library were thrown away for various reasons, she couldn’t allow herself to discard them. Instead, she chose to repurpose these books with a creative, artistic twist. She transformed the abandoned books into various items such as tissue holders and handcrafted 3D book art. The book art is an intricate form of art, where she creates her own patterns, marks each page, then either folds the pages or cuts them by hand.

Book art by Susan Taylor features a custom design that pops, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Susan Taylor, St. George News
Book art by Susan Taylor features a custom design that pops, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Susan Taylor, St. George News

“I just love being creative and making things out of other things,” she said. “You know, putting things together and always keeping my hands busy.”

Taylor said she began to see laser art creations in various places and was fascinated with both the process and the end result. After she left her career as a librarian, she was excited to continue her artistic path and branch out to try laser art for herself.

Initially, she purchased a small laser printer and when she realized the possibilities, decided to do to it full-time. She invested in a 100-watt laser printer, which she uses today. 

As she started her own business – Cactus Cuts Custom Creations – Taylor said she initially created her intricate designs out of a spare bedroom in her home. She and her husband had just turned a shed in their backyard into a fun getaway for her kids, complete with a king-sized bed.

They decided to make the hideout bigger by adding another unused shed to the outdoor haven. Ultimately, this set-up resulted in the perfect “she-shed” and full-time workspace for all her craft and laser creations.

Custom laser art by Susan Taylor sits on a table, St. George, Utah, June 15, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Custom laser art by Susan Taylor sits on a table, St. George, Utah, June 15, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“When people ask what I do, the reality is that I just love making things that make other people happy. So that’s what I do,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s laser art engraving includes 3-D items such as purses, bags, home decor, book nooks, dice rollers, jewelry boxes, earrings and more. On top of the already unique designs, she also hand-paints and stains her pieces. With a love for all different kinds of crafts, she also creates glue art, vinyl designs, 3D art with cardstock, woodworking and more. 

“I think that’s my problem, I get started on something, then start on something new,” Taylor said. “I just want to do it all. Luckily, I have a very patient husband.”

For more information on Cactus Cuts Custom Creations and to commission an art piece by Susan Taylor, find her on Facebook and Instagram. For a list of current laser items for sale through her online MoFACo shop, click here.

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!