Studio Jeweler Artist Profile Susan Sarantos

I consider myself one of those lucky few who have always known what they wanted to do.
Jewelry has played an important role in my life.
Starting at the age seven, I was selling the handcrafted jewelry that I made. Instead of a lemonade stand, mine had jewelry that sold to all the neighborhood children. This progressed to local art fairs and shops until eventually I found people were searching me out to have things custom created and designed for them. The materials may have changed along the way and become more precious but the inspiration is still the same.

1968 Business is booming in Newport - selling my bead earrings and necklaces on the street to the neighbors.

1970 Recycling telephone wire into jewelry with my sister Dorcie.
My jewelry was sold at local shops. I fashioned earrings, necklaces and rings from the multicolored wire. Among my customers were Newport Crafts at Brick Market Place, Derring Do on Bellevue Avenue owned by Alexis Kirk, Njema Fashions and the local surf shop. I sold at all the island craft fairs. My dad would cut ten inch sections of the telephone wire cable for me which I would sell to other kids at school and teach them how to make jewelry from it. I was 12 years old at the time.

In Newport, Rhode Island I was involved in the first Earth Day fair at Touro Park in 1970 as well as the first Christmas in Newport Craft Show at the Viking Hotel in 1971. I later created a brooch with the angel logo that was given to founder Ruth Meyer when she resigned in 1981. I was apprenticing to a local goldsmith at the time.

In 1975 at the age of 17, I had private lessons with local silversmith Corky Ackman. During my high school summer vacation my father would drive me to her metals studio at 7am once a week for silversmithing classes.

1981 to present time - independent studio jewelry designer creating designs for private clients, galleries and local jewelry shops.

1983 Commissioned to design and create an 18 karat gold Australian opal jewelry line during the America's Cup Races in Newport, RI USA

In 1999, I launched Metalcyberspace a resource site about Contemporary Jewelry Designers and Metalsmithing specializing in precious metals which grew out of my love for the medium. This enabled me to share the information that I have collected over the years and network with other jewelry artists.

Numerous Art Gallery Exhibitions and more work experience details are listed in the artist's resumé section.