Suzanne Reed is a native Arkansan living and working in Eureka Springs. Her imaginative and often whimsical sculptures in metal and glass are inspired by her love of nature and the places she has lived around the world. More of Suzanne’s work can be found at her website art-niks.com.

AAS: Suzanne, tell me about your background. Where did you grow up?

SR: I’m an Arkansas native but spent most of my adult life elsewhere. I had the rare opportunity to work and live overseas for many years. That experience shaped my life in ways I may never fully understand. While working in International Development in well over a dozen countries, I met so many wonderful people living in completely different circumstances than how I live in the US.
After traveling the world, I ended up in Eureka Springs. What a quirky, cool town!! I had been living in Berlin, Germany where I established a glass studio business when I discovered I had breast cancer. It was a significant diagnosis, so I came back to the US for treatment. After that entire experience, I ended up in Eureka Springs where my parents had previously moved. I quickly found my place in this lovable community and happily live, create and thrive in my art studio.

AAS: When did you develop an interest in sculpture and art construction?

SR: I obtained my master’s degree in landscape architecture from North Carolina State University School of Design. A professor once told me that landscape architects are problem solvers, and I took that to heart. As a landscape architect, I went the not so traditional route of community development. I loved working with communities to help envision the environment and facilitate people working towards a common goal.   
Prior to going overseas, I created stained glass for many years. While I enjoyed it, I knew I was looking for something more/different. While living in Kosovo I had an opportunity to attend a half day class in fused glass from a wonderful artist living in Macedonia. It was a very simple class of making a fun piece that you could take home. I loved the process! Right then and there I decided to get back into glass - but into fusing. That’s how I ended up in Berlin with a glass studio. Loved it!!
While in the midst of creating that lovely life of an artist in a super hip city like Berlin (all way cooler than me!!) I realized I wanted to do more with fused glass than what I was creating at the time. I thought combining it with metal would make truly interesting pieces, so I went on the hunt for a place to learn metal fabrication. Amazingly, after searching worldwide, my mom mentioned this art school in Eureka Springs (Eureka Springs School of the Arts). This small art school offered just what I wanted. I began taking classes there and had a wonderful instructor, Wayne Summerhill, who graciously taught me everything I know about metal.
This experience moved me toward where I am today. I currently enjoy creating somewhat larger pieces, particularly for the outdoors. I love the hard edges and structure of the metal and the seemingly dainty side of glass within the structure. I create all sizes and shapes of sculpture, but I truly love sharing the pieces with the public. Whether that be actual public art or an individual sharing a piece in their yard with friends.

“I think of my sculptures as this representation – the metal structure creates the outline while the glass can swirl, mesh, ooze into something fantastic.”

AAS: How have the places you’ve lived in and traveled to influenced your art?

SR: Having the opportunity to experience so many developing countries truly influenced my approach to art. I watched artists who lived in some of the most desperate situations continue to create art and use their circumstances to inspire their creativity. I tried to see the world through their eyes and what I saw was chaotic beauty. There are plenty of Eastern European gray, monolithic buildings…but look. The mayor of Tirana, Albania painted them all vibrant colors creating an amazing patchwork effect that inspired people. I’m still in awe after working with Iraqis to design a space for them to create and thrive as artists in the midst of war. Or Zimbabwe where the crumbling economy opened artists’ creativity to use whatever medium they had available, but they still created.
I began thinking the structure within the chaos felt like an outline. It’s the geometric forms that allow everything inside to mesh into something fantastic. I think of my sculptures as this representation – the metal structure creates the outline while the glass can swirl, mesh, ooze into something fantastic.

AAS: Let’s talk about some of your work. I am a big fan of glass and metal and I especially like the way you use them together. One of my favorites is All Squared Up. Tell me about that piece and its construction.

SR: Thanks, I really enjoyed creating All Squared Up! This tabletop sized sculpture came together sort of around the glass. I created this piece of glass by using frit (ground up glass) in layers that create an underlying pattern and color allowing you to peek through the grid. This process requires multiple firings but creates a depth that emerges when using a variety of frit sizes in layers.
When I’ve created a special piece of glass such as this one, I want to highlight the glass piece. In All Squared Up I didn’t want to “frame” the glass because that would have overwhelmed it. Nor did I want the glass to be centered within the sculpture. My goal was to surround the glass piece with metal using strong lines yet creating a softer edge which you see due to the offset.
Once my design decisions were made about how I wanted to highlight the glass, then the fun starts with building the sculpture around those decisions. This piece demonstrates the structure within chaos that I mentioned earlier. It can initially seem a bit haphazard, but it truly does “Square up” through the balance of the glass and metal.

AAS: Unmasked is another terrific piece. It is from your Unshattered Strength series. Tell me about Unmasked and that series.

SR: Creating Unmasked, I accessed a hopeful viewpoint emerging out of the pandemic. It was the last piece created within the Unshattered Strength collection, which explored how time spent in isolation, along with the fear of the unknown, threatened to shatter lives and psyches. I wanted to create pieces with strong architectural lines as the inner strength, which kept us intact through the challenges of the pandemic. In Unmasked, I wanted the whimsical sculpture to inspire people to persevere in a positive manner as they lived through the nightmare of the pandemic. How can you look at this piece and not think “We will survive and become stronger”?

AAS: Can all of your pieces be used outside and withstand the elements?

SR: Not every piece is appropriate for the outdoors, due to the metal structure coating. Most pieces which have been powder coated can withstand the elements. I typically think of a piece as being either an outdoor or indoor piece, but any of them can sit beautifully inside.

AAS: Your outside installations blend in so well with nature. Architecture of Nature, part of the installation at Harmon Park in Eureka Springs, is really lovely. What inspired that piece and the installation as a whole?

SR: I am so honored to have been selected as a grant recipient from the Eureka Springs Arts Council to create this installation for the Harmon Park Arts Trail. This group of three sculptures sit at the entryway for the park trail. As public art, there were some practical considerations as well as aesthetic considerations. Ultimately, I wanted the structure to serve as a strong element. I see the architecture representing the strong lines of nature: trees, topography, stone, etc. And while not a literal representation, the glass pieces give a nod to the ever-changing seasons. 
The way I design was very present in this process. I had the structures laid out on the floor (each piece about 5’ x 3’). I began to lay pieces of glass onto the structure. I finally had this lovely set of glass that showed as soft, wispy, almost elegant. What??  No! That wasn’t what I wanted these pieces to say. I took all the glass designs away and started over. I wanted bold, eye-catching colors. These pieces needed to say, “Welcome to the start of something fun!” I redesigned the glass and love the outcome.

AAS: Quiet Season has beautiful elegance about it. What was the inspiration for that piece?

SR: My work tends to include lots of bold color and striking architectural lines. Quiet Season was a part of the collection Unshattered Strength. This particular piece meant to tap into a more reflective aspect of our lives. I felt people needed something soothing to rest their minds within. I love the soft color combination and the more delicate metal structure.
Each piece of art is a new experience for me. I sometimes generate a small sketch of a shape, detail or size before I start creating. Seldom do those sketches end up as reality! I tend to do the same thing with both the metal and glass. I find scrap pieces and start laying them out on a table. I find a shape or color that intrigues me and I build from there. It’s very much an evolution of a design. Sometimes I have a premade piece of glass I want to highlight. Sometimes I start with a metal structure. It completely depends on what I feel and see as I play around with the materials.

AAS: Many of your sculptures have strong rectilinear forms softened, really, by your use of glass. I think Shining Through is a good example, but did you do something special with the glass?

SR: Shining Through really stretches my typical, more recognizable, style. While still showing strong architectural lines through the kiln carved glass, I used gold leaf rather than colored fused glass. I was surprised when it was the first piece to sell from my Unshattered Strength collection. I love the outcome, but I admit it was an unfamiliar design process for me. But that’s what we do as artists, we continue to explore and find new ways to express ourselves.

AAS: Your studio must be a fun place to create.

SR: My Art-Niks studio is a very happy place to create! My wonderful dad, who is an excellent wood carver, had this studio built for me – although it was because he kicked me out of his studio space. He said I was taking up too much room. What a generous gift that will be a part of my creative life for years to come.
As you can tell from the photos, I’m not afraid of color. I find it motivating and active. My art wall outside was a fun project created with several friends. I pulled a little Tom Sawyer on them and had a paint party!  Hahaha!
Art-Niks provides me with the opportunity to create artwork that speaks to me, and hopefully others. I have always enjoyed having what I call an “open studio” where friends, clients and interested people can come and participate in the design process. I’m very open about sharing what I do and how I do it with people. I love when a client asks for a commissioned piece and they want to come help in the design decisions. I encourage them to select glass colors or participate when I’m laying out the metal structure. I believe that kind of involvement in the design process generates a feeling of ownership. This style probably emanates from my community development days which focused on open dialogue, sharing of ideas and a collective effort for the outcomes. I’m looking forward to offering classes at my studio in the near future. 

AAS: What is it like living, working, and creating in Eureka Springs.

SR: I freely admit I never thought I would be back in Arkansas. As an 18 year old heading off to college I believed my life was elsewhere. And it was, for a large portion of my adult life. But settling in Eureka Springs has been a wonderful experience. This community has welcomed me and supported me as an artist and as a friend. I wondered if living in a small town would provide an environment that would allow my creativity to grow. It has far surpassed my expectations. Being a board member of the Eureka Springs School of the Arts has allowed me to grow as an artist and also offer my skills as a community development professional. Eureka Springs is home to so many wonderful artists. They have offered guidance and support in ways I can’t really imagine happening in a larger city. I can’t envision a better place to create art than in this funky little town!!