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Homage to Susan Elizabeth Wood
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Susan E. Wood
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I took my first and last painting class many years ago from the now renown artist, William T. Wiley. Mr. Wiley did not teach technique; he felt each artist had to develop his own technique by experimentation. I took my first design class from the late ceramic sculptor, Robert Arneson. He simply said, “Go for it and make it weird!” (My interpretation) So for a good part of my life, I thought true artists were those people who never learned technique nor followed the rules, but just created their unique style from within. Technique has always been important to me, so I always felt I could never be a true artist.
Lucky for me, when I decided about ten years ago to try metalsmithing, I had the good fortune to take several classes from Mendocino metal artist, Susan Elizabeth Wood. Susan was a wonderful teacher, showing her students precisely how something is done. Her work was so technically exquisite, inside and out, and absolutely perfect.
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Sunshine
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Nothing was left to chance. She expanded my concept of what an artist could be.
Absorbing Susan’s love of precision, attention to detail, and technicality, I made “Sunshine.” The last time I saw Susan before she passed away, I was able to wear this bracelet and show her what I had made, using what I had learned from her and adding my own touch!
“Sunshine” is fabricated from handmade jump rings of sterling silver and 18K gold wires. The sterling silver box clasp has a reticulated silver top accented with 24K gold kuem boo.
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