L. Sue Szabo – “20 North / 30 Years”

L. Sue Szabo
Toledo, Ohio

L. Sue Szabo (photo courtesy of the artist)

Artist Biography
L. Sue Szabo began practicing medicine in 1988, receiving an M.D. through the Medical College of Ohio (Toledo, Ohio) while studying art through national workshops, the Toledo Museum of Art (Ohio) and The University of Toledo (Ohio).

Now retired from medical practice, Szabo focuses on metalsmithing and other art endeavors. With over 25 years of metalsmithing experience, Szabo’s artworks have appeared in scores of national and international museum shows, invitational and juried, receiving numerous awards, including First awards in the annual Materials: Hard + Soft International Contemporary Craft Competition and Exhibition (Denton, Texas) and Best Of Ohio Designer Craftsmen (Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio).

Necklace, sterling silver, forged and hand-fabricated by L. Sue Szabo

Szabo has completed impressive commissioned work, including a major sculptural work for the JP Morgan headquarters in London (UK) and a 750-piece enamel sculpture for the British cruise ship the MV Brittania. Szabo’s metal works appear in over 20 books and publications including Art Jewelry Today 4, Tales from the Toolbox and The Art of Fine Enameling 2nd Edition. Several of Szabo’s recent artworks were selected to appear in Out of This World: Jewelry in the Space Age, an exhibit at the Tellus Science Museum in Atlanta (Georgia).

In 2020, her work was featured in the solo exhibition, Intense Adornment: The Jewelry of Sue Szabo, at 20 North Gallery. This immensely-popular exhibit was the second all-jewelry show in 20 North Gallery history and the first show at the gallery to entirely comprise fine jewelry and metalsmithing. Further adding to this historical significance, as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, Intense Adornment continued to attract viewers and collectors to the exhibit virtually. 20 North Gallery successfully navigated this relatively new avenue for conducting business, due to the strength of Szabo’s artwork’s reputation and standing in the arts community. Szabo’s jewelry has additionally exhibited at 20 North Gallery in TFAS100+3: Juried Regional Exhibition (2020) and Treasures in Residence (2021), in addition to forming part of the stable representation of 20 North Gallery.

To learn more about L. Sue Szabo’s fine art jewelry-making process, visit the online gallery by The Blade at toledoblade.com.

“Stitch Series” brooch, sterling silver, enamel, vintage quilt and embroidery thread by L. Sue Szabo

“Stitch Series” brooches (detail view), sterling silver, enamel, vintage quilt and embroidery thread by L. Sue Szabo

Artist Statement
The challenge of creating art jewelry is to make something beautiful that functions beautifully.

I enjoy the planning, experimentation, and problem-solving that goes into each piece. I am mostly inspired by modernism, minimalism, and geometry. I want my designs to be bold and dramatic presentations of simple forms.