Susanne Henry
Jeweller
Published: 29.10.2026
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Bio
Susanne Henry is an American jewelry artist and metalsmith, in Chicago. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Industrial Design. Susanne works primarily in steel adapting traditional jewelry techniques and forms. She is a self-taught artist who has exhibited in many juried and curated exhibitions, including MAD About Jewelry at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City. Susanne’s work also appears in New Earrings Volume II by Nicolas Estrada, and Creating Steel Jewelry by Bette Barnett.Statement
My jewelry is my art. It is sculptural and structural, finished black and made from steel. Much of it is based on chain-making, where I work my way through concepts of connection, pattern, scale, and form. My necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings and brooches, interpret the things I see that are at the intersection of the industrial and the natural (such as trees and buildings) and their decay. The result is evocative, edgy, elegant industrial jewelry.Balance series
This jewelry series, I call Balance, came about during the pandemic at a time when I was working in my basement with only a bench and hand tools. It was driven by the goal to create a chain with a self-contained means of connection, and no soldering or heat of any kind. It is the product of experimentation with heavy steel wire. The resulting point of connection for the chain on each link sticks out in a “form follows function” way as a twisted circular protrusion. The final connected chain has both a mechanical and tribal appearance, and one that grows from itself like branches on a tree.
At a time when it seems that “more is more” is the trend in art jewelry, and technical virtuosity garners the most vocal recognition, this series has a quiet and calm presence. The point of it is to focus on form and structure. And so, the work has a minimalist aesthetic. The complexity of the pieces in this series is hidden and serves to underlie the final work. The decisions are subtle. I have named it the Balance series because every aspect of a piece is considered and weighed, such as: which direction to twist the wire to form the protruding eyelet; how long the link should be for the chain to hang; which way and how dramatic is the curve to lay on the body; or where to add gold highlights for impact and contrast.
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