Visions & Voices
The Suzanne Aberly Collection
Art • Philanthropy • Wisdom
A Visual Dialogue
Turtle Creek in Autumn
A view of the winding creek from her high-rise home in Dallas, Texas, highlighting the changing seasons.
Morning Bird, Lake Michigan, 1999
A solitary bird on the shore, reflecting the quiet beauty of Lake Michigan, Union Pier, Michigan at Far Niente Cottage.
Beijing News, 2000
A glimpse of daily life in Beijing, preserving a moment in time.
Candyland, Barcelona, 2002
This eye candy was photographed in the Barcelona Food Market and focuses on a spectrum of colors and textures.
"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to BE great."
— Zig Ziglar
Garden Chairs
Weathered chairs resting in a lush garden setting.
Morning Mist
Steam rises from the pool across the street from our old home. Birmingham, Michigan.
Tulip Radiance
A close-up of bright red tulips basking in the sunlight.
Interwoven Strength
A complex study of tree branches interwoven in a natural arch.
Harbert Pool, Harbert, Michigan, 1997
A reflective composition of an abandoned pool.
Boberg Cafe, Paris, 1996
A classic café scene, preserving the atmosphere of 1996.
Urban Rhythm
A study of repetition and color, documenting the vibrant patterns of city life.
"Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not, then it's not the end..."
— The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
"A woman is like a tea bag... you never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water."
— Eleanor Roosevelt
Watercolor Flora, 2025
A delicate watercolor study of flowers in a vase.
Artistic Vision
A showcase of creative expression.
"Do not ruin today with mourning tomorrow."
— Collection
Water Texture
Ripples and reflections in a stone fountain.
Suzanne & Chris
Suzanne with Chris Leeds, her Apple specialist and technology coach. Together, they brought this legacy book to life.
Florida Trees
A serene landscape embracing the vastness of the water and sky.
"Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as you ever can... Celebrate..."
— John Wesley
High-Rise Reflection
An abstract study of her home's reflection in the waters of Turtle Creek.
Field of Flowers
Wildflowers dancing in the breeze under a blue sky.
Banyan Tree
The intricate roots and branches of a majestic banyan tree.
"I hear you - M Marple - Are you okay?"
— Collection
Turtle Creek in Autumn
A view of the winding creek from her high-rise home in Dallas, Texas, highlighting the changing seasons.
"Loss of his parents left a hole in his heart. The loss of Ansel took her whole heart."
— Collection
Desert Bloom
Lavender bushes against a vast sky. Dunhill Ranch, Magdalena, New Mexico.
Queen Anne's Lace
Delicate white blooms in a green meadow.
Bench by the Pond
A peaceful spot for reflection by the water.
"It is impossible for you to go on as you were before, so you must go on as you never have."
— Cheryl Strayed
Captured Moment
The gardens at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas. In the background, young magnolia trees stand, donated and planted in honor of her late husband, Ansel.
Nature's Texture
Shadows on patio at Dunhill Ranch, Magdalena, New Mexico.
"How we spend our days is how we spend our lives"
— Annie Dillard
Light and Shadow
The interplay of natural elements. Dunhill Ranch, Magdalena, New Mexico.
Still Life
Beauty in stillness. Dunhill Ranch, Magdalena, New Mexico.
"I'm Not Scared to Reenter Society. I'm Just Not Sure I Want To."
— Collection
"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."
— Louisa May Alcott
Journey
The path forward.
"I NOTICE HOW AWESOME YOU ARE."
— Collection
"Are you O.K.? You're barely paying attention to your book, phone, show, laptop, and the crossword you started ten minutes ago."
— N. Dupille
Friendship
Suzanne with (late) Jeanne Rice, constant friends since high school days.
"AT LEAST WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DYING YOUNG."
— Collection
"if we climb to the top we can touch the clouds and we did then we can touch the moon ah and we did this is how you spell magical........."
— words from a wise and gentle child
"SUZANNE ABERLY Bloomfield Hills "East of Woodward, 1992" Honorable mention 175."
— Collection
"The strongest drive is not love or hate. It is one person's need to change another's copy."
— anonymous
"Question of the Day! When was the last time you did something for the first time?"
— Collection
"Kindness"
— Collection
"Patience"
— Collection
"Set your expectations appropriately, and you'll never be disappointed."
— Chris Leeds
Voices of Friendship
Adjectives to describe Suzanne
"Creative, articulate, humorous and supportive"
"Wear red lipstick and so they will know you're alive."
I will always remember Suzanne prodding me to attempt larger projects and supporting me in doing so. We cooked up many fun adventures together.
— Mary Wright
Compassion, caring, concern, constancy, nurturing, always a caregiver, making sure all is well. Appreciating friends and family. Her humor – seeing/imagining the depth in situations.
The one word she would use to describe Mom is resilient.
I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER—
Celebrating Barbara’s birthday at her “Hats Off” party. Spending any time together, no matter the varied subjects – always special!
How Mom “originated a series of cards of her photos for the purpose of fundraising at Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit in memory of a dear friend named Geri Lester.
How she appreciated and cared for Ansel. Holding Ansel’s hand in photos.
— Barbara Bloom
"Impossible to describe Suzanne in one word. I need many many words. Warm, generous, artistic, brave - just a few."
My family moved from Rome to Detroit in 1971, and I thought we had gone from Paradise to Purgatory. That is, until I met Suzanne. Our children were in the same class, so that was an easy entre. But her immediate invitation to dinner clinched a friendship that I hold dear to this day. We have laughed and loved, shared high days and memorials between Detroit and Michigan Shores and Chicago. May it last forever!
— Shari Tepper Mayes
"Exceedingly friendly, creative, a great cook, and a lover of good art."
I first had the pleasure of meeting Sue through “others” in Huntington Woods. She was fascinating. We both were among a very limited number of females on what was then called the “Huntington Woods Resident(s) Association.” I learned a lot from Sue then. Having been a young widow, I reached out to Sue after Ansel passed away and the rest is history. We’ve continued to stay in touch, though our friendship is a long distant one. I’m grateful for that friendship and think the world of her.
— Barbara Hillman
Suzanne Aberly talks to her group of fellow PR people during a lunchtime meeting to discuss the group support of COTS, which is the Coalition of Temporary Shelter. Shot at the Il Centro restaurant in Detroit, 1991. (Photo: Detroit Free Press)
About the Artist
Suzanne Aberly has spent a lifetime documenting the quiet beauty of the world around her. From the winding waters of Turtle Creek to the vibrant rhythms of city life, her photography reveals a deep appreciation for both nature and the human experience.
Together with her late husband, Ansel Aberly, she shared a lifelong commitment to supporting the arts and community causes that enrich the lives of others. A patron of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Dallas Museum of Art, and Gilda's Club, she believes in the power of creativity and compassion to connect us all.
Dallas, Texas • Detroit, Michigan
Share a Memory
We welcome friends and family to add their own recollections and stories to this legacy book. Please share your memories below, and they will be added to the collection.