About the Artist

Sue Anne knew from a very young age that she wanted to be an artist. Her parents supported her desire and encouraged her growth with private art lessons, and when it came time for college, they took it upon themselves to take her to various art schools to help her make a decision. Her path led her to New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she pursued fine art and her creative drive flourished. It was here where she had her first jewelry class under Lisa Norton who told her that she had a “jeweler’s eye”.

She moved on to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas where she finished her bachelor’s degree in Jewelry and Metals under Robly Glover. Rob took her under his wing and she has to yet to find a more inspiring instructor to this day. Her undergraduate body of work consisted of massage tools and a teapot that won national recognition. She was often teased about the sexual nature of her work and told that it had a sinister edge. After she graduated from Tech, she took one semester of post-undergraduate time to explore her ideas a little further. It was at this time that she decided she wasn’t finished with school, and she applied to graduate school.

Sue Anne received scholarships to both of the schools in the northwest to which she had applied. However, her ultimate choice was the University of Washington. Here the challenges and obstacles she met changed her objects from those that invoke pleasure to those that invoke pain. Her graduate thesis show included several torture devices. Once she had achieved her master’s degree, she was free to create and was able to enjoy the process of making art again. However, without access to the jewelry shop and the expensive tools she turned to another media: rubber. She created wearable pieces of clothing as well as several rubber objects and environments from bike tire inner tubes. She showed this work in Chicago.

Until recently, Sue Anne taught the art of jewelry at Pueblo Community College in Colorado. This year she let go of teaching to focus on her jewelry and her business. In her own studio she produces one-of-a-kind pieces of gold and silver jewelry as well as a solid line of production pieces.