Eileen Sutton

Artist’s Statement

I was born and raised in New York, on Long Island. When I pierced my first piece of copper plate at age 17, I was instantly hooked. I was somewhat of a metal purist until my last semester at Tyler School of Art. It was then I began working with epoxy resin. Incorporating other elements is sporadic, whereas the constant interest of resin remains. When I finished school I stayed in Philadelphia, because there was a great community of artists and craftspeople.
My first studio was in the space of the late Olaf Skoogfors, a pioneer in the field of art jewelry. It was a shared space with some graduate students from Tyler School of Art. This workspace was more than just memorable, it was an experience that paved the way for where I would go with my work.
There is also a strong bicycling community in and around Philadelphia, which became almost equally important to me. Some of my earliest pieces were from lines I saw painted on the road while cycling. It was a thoughtful place to live. I realised then, I didn’t have to go back to N.Y.C. to get inspired.
My forms are definitely influenced by the color and materials I use, along with what I see in the world around me. Now that I have a family, I don’t travel as far to see the world, but presently going to an arboretum, or working in the garden is enough to spur some vision.