Background
Susan Barth's fascination with three dimensional art and ornament was always there as a child but
her formal exploration began after being accepted into New York City's High School of Art and Design
where she studied sculpture for two years. Later on, she decided to take an intensive six month
course in jewelry making where she first learned about the Lost Wax Process, a technique where your
design is sculpted into a block of wax and is then cast into your preferred metal. Considering her
background in sculpture it turned out to be her ideal craft medium. She then apprenticed for five
years at a jewelry firm in New York City, after which she went to work for Barry Kieselstein-Cord,
a well known New York jewelry designer and stayed for six years working on the creation of new collections.
It was at the end of this time, that she switched back to freelancing once again, which allowed her
the time and flexibility to begin the development of her own work. A few years later Susan launched her
collection at the ACC Baltimore Craft Show. It was here, at her first show, that she was awarded the
1998 Award of Excellence for Jewelry by the American Craft Council. The award recipients were selected
by Jack Lenor Larsen, internationally known textile designer, author, and collector.
Inspiration
“In art and in nature it is always the simplest of forms that inspire me. Be it the subtlety of an
architectural detail or the perfect symmetry and beauty found in the arrangement of petals before a flower
blossoms. It's in this simplicity that the essense of something gets communicated which, in turn, sparks
a deep emotional response in me. I set myself this challenge in my own work: to communicate deeply through
grace and simplicity.”
Philosophy
Susan's work has been described as subtle, understated and elegant which was always her intention. “My
pieces are designed to be just one element in the visual story a person tells about themselves as they present
their individuality and uniqueness.” This philosophy was perceived by a woman who stopped in front of Susan's
display at a craft show and explained the following, “You know I didn't come here to shop for jewelry but
I just had to stop and take a closer look at your work. It's very beautiful but what really strikes me is,
well, ... it's not about the jewelry, it's about you.” Whether about Susan or about someone else, it should
always be about the person. For Susan, that summed it up perfectly. |
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