Susan in the Raw~ Contemporary Artist

Each figurative sculpture begins as a cast from the artist’s own body, making every piece inherently autobiographical. These forms are more than anatomical studies—they are vessels of personal truth, shaped by lived experience.

Through a deeply introspective lens, the work examines and challenges societal norms, reinterpreting them with vulnerability and strength. The resulting sculptures become both mirror and map: reflecting inner landscapes while charting a course through the complexities of identity, femininity, trauma, and transformation.

What emerges is not just a figure—but a voice, a stance, a reclamation.

Raised in Southern Maryland amid the undercurrents of world politics, I grew up with a front-row seat to the consequences of global conflict. Conversations about war, human suffering, and its aftermath weren’t abstract—they were daily realities. These early experiences shaped my worldview and my life’s purpose: to contribute to healing through art.

Today, I am a sculptor working at the intersection of rehabilitation, environmental stewardship, and neo-feminist expression. My medium is metal, stone, and glass—materials that carry the weight of history and the potential for transformation. Through them, I create organic, figurative forms that reflect the resilience of the human spirit and the quiet, stubborn strength found in brokenness.

My practice in rehabilitative arts spans from hands-on workshops with veterans to permanent hospital installations designed to instill a sense of peace, grounding, and hope. Whether I’m guiding trauma survivors through a creative process or shaping metal into flowing lines of movement, the core of my work remains constant: restoration.

My aesthetic is raw, rugged, and intentional—avant-garde in spirit, yet rooted in deep mindfulness. I hand-cut, laser-cut, and personally assemble each piece in my 1,800-square-foot studio, nestled on 32 acres of midwestern land. The space is not just a workshop—it’s a sanctuary. I honor every resource I use, cleansing my materials with sacred smoke to realign their elemental energy after industrial processing. For me, art-making is not just a technical process; it’s a spiritual ritual that respects the earth and the legacy each sculpture will leave behind.

This philosophy extends to Art Farm Studio, my primary base in the Midwest. Open to other sculptors for extended residencies, the studio offers a nature-immersed space for creativity and collaboration.

Each piece I create is a message—a challenge to iconographic norms, a celebration of resilience, and a call to authenticity. I believe art should not only adorn a space, but elevate the consciousness within it. That belief guides every cut, every weld, and every moment I spend at the forge.

And while my work is grounded in the personal, it is meant to be shared. My sculptures ship internationally, traveling beyond borders to speak to something universal: the need to heal, to speak, and to rise.