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Leaf Series Necklaces

Road Map to an Artistic Life
Susan Marie David
Jeweler / Collagist

Susan began her artistic career as an custom jeweler. To This end, she studied design, technique, antique jewelry appraisal and gemology with Lisa Spiros, Marsha Davis, Edith Weber and others.

For her creations she frequently uses vintage stones, which she obtains from pieces of antique jewelry, which she disassembles and re-sets; or from job lots of old custom jewelry. She might even use old crystals or glass pieces from non-jewelry sources such as old chandeliers or even 1920's dresses.

A very strong influence on Susan was her Irish grandmother whose own grandmother immigrated to Iowa many generations earlier. In addition to her skills at crocheting, and dressmaking her grandmother practiced a handed-down, folk art technique of producing jeweled appliqués.

Artist: Susan Marie David

"Gold Series"

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These were composed of old costume jewelry and other "discarded" objects which caught her eye. One such piece of Grandma's creations is hanging in Susan's studio.

One year, Susan decided that it would be unique to create Christmas gifts for her family applying her grandmothers technique, from surplus materials in her studio which for one reason or anther she deemed not suitable for her custom jewelry. As some of her regular clients became aware of these works, she received and filled requests for them. Thus, from this early, relatively simple jeweled depictions of Christmas trees, Roman crosses, peace symbols, and butterflies and flowers grew Susan's obsession with large and more complex three-dimensional works. He mannequin series is but the latest of her themes. (continues below)

"Silver Series"

"All dressed up and no place to go"

More photos

"Venus"

More photos

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Process art involves the transmutation of items, which have outlived their original intended uses and are reprocessed into artistic formats. The underlying idea is that the original purposes of the objects and the wear from their use over the years contribute to the theme and message of the developed work of art. The subtle impressions of each “discarded” object are reborn in the context of Susan’s creations.

Susan Marie’s Process art projects a passionate ecological message about the immutability of otherwise disposable objects. There is something about a bent silver tray, a broken necklace or one earring
that conveys a timeless message. Each object provides a subtext reflecting not only its original function but also the scars of its use over time. Once new, then used up, rejected and discarded, and then reborn as an element in a work of art to please the eye and soul.