ABOUT

Susan Ward believes that "the subtle impact of beauty on individual lives leads to deeper, more permanent changes in society. This starts with our visual perceptions, which are influenced by our environment. By endowing functional objects with beauty, we not only feed the soul, but reinforce a sense of basic integrity in our lives."

Ms. Ward creates unique limited edition glass platters, bowls, trays and paperweights as well as desk blotters and tables with painstakingly applied hand-crafted original designs. Her mixed media compositions are free-hand painted or can combine collaged images accented and embellished with drawing and painting. Like all good original art, the viewer is drawn into the images on the piece, finding something new and intriguing with each viewing. Her designs reflect a classical sensibility with a contemporary edge; she is intrigued by the juxtaposition of traditional art elements with more abstract applications of painting and drawing.

As a fine artist, a recurring theme in some of her paintings was beautiful bowls executed in mixed media on paper. In changing her creative process from making a single original image once to making designs that were repeatable in series, Ms Ward reoriented her vision, but kept her mixed media technique. Her designs are dissected after creation so that her chosen images and hand applied painting and drawing can be collaged, layer by layer, in her studio by her artist staff. The resulting piece is an original Susan Ward design individually executed, and as each is entirely handmade, there are subtle variations in every one. This hand-crafted technique is critical to maintaining Ms Ward's concept of product as art. To simply duplicate her designs as a single image would destroy the uniqueness that is the hallmark of original art. Protected by seven coats of lacquer, these beautiful pieces are meant to be used as well as admired.

Ms. Ward designs two collections of signed and numbered bowls, plates, platters, tables and decorative accessories a year, in addition to many one of a kind pieces.