Suz Andreasen

Suz Andreasen (born March 24, 1964) is an American Artist known for her writings, musical compositions and vocals, and museum collection jewelry designs.

She was born in Iowa, the fourth generation in a family of inventors and scientists. Andreasen began her interest in the arts at a young age. Her first published work was in the American JAMA, The American Medical Journal at the age of 10. She then began her interest in metalsmithing alongside her late father George Andreasen, the inventor of memory wire who died when Suz Andreasen was only 24.

She has studied music all her life playing many instruments including the piano, the trumpet and the guitar. Her vocal studies began at 12 and continue to this day. She is an avid composer and song writer.

Andreasen moved to New York at the age of 18. Educated at New York University between 1981 and 1984, she went on to apprentice from 1986 to 1991 by studying the renderings of Fulco di Verdura, an acclaimed Italian designer of the 1940s. Her work has been featured in many books on jewelry design, and her collection is referenced in dozens of published titles.

She is known for craftsmanship and jewelry design in 22 carat gold. The gold in her work is "her own special patent blend". Her brand Women Want Jewelry, which she launched in 1999, and her use of rare gemstones, before launching her own signature line Suz Andreasen American Couture Jewelry in New York City. She has received many awards, cited for her work including the Society of North American Goldsmith's "Golden Opportunity", exhibition along with Ethical Metalsmiths and the American Craft Council's Mentor Program award. She is a member of the American Craft Council, founded in 1943 by Aileen Osborn Webb.

Her work is expressionist in both form and content, influenced by the work of the late Dorrie Nossiter an English designer from the Arts and Crafts movement.

Andreasen is the founder, along with other notable experts, of The Couture Awards. She founded the awards to explore new frontiers in jewelry design, believing there was a demand for an award based on artistic merit alone. The award was held in New York City on December 7, 2007 and featured 44 jewelry designers from 20 states throughout the U.S. A book was published from this exhibition entitled American Couture Jewelry: An Exhibition in Print.

Before her career as a jewelry designer, Andreasen was well known as a backup singer for Elton John. Her first CD release, "Angels of Mercy" earned her a grammy nomination in 1993. She has also published two books, "Dreaming The Future," 1997 and "American Couture Jewelry," 2007.

Andreasen has won many awards including the Craft Council Mentor Award, the Spectrum Award Finalist in 2007 and 2008 and on April 29, 2007, Andreasen was awarded first place in the American Bench Jewelers Passion Awards for her "Tigerlilly" necklace. In 2007, Andreasen exhibited at Couture 2007 at the Wynn Las Vegas and at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.

She is a member of the Society of North American Goldsmiths, SNAG, the World Gold Council, the American Gemological Trade Association, the Contemporary Design Group and the Jewelers of America. Her works can be seen in many museums throughout the world including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC and the Schmuck Museum in Pforxheim Germany.