SUSAN MARKOWITZ MEREDITH
Website: www.susanmarkowitzmeredith.com
Email: info@susanmarkowitzmeredith.com
Instagram: @susanmmsculpture
STATEMENT
I have long been inspired by the natural world, from its wondrous array of life forms and their ingenious adaptations to Earth’s complex cycles and interweaving systems. This fascination extends from the subatomic world to the farthest reaches of space—and we humans are inextricably linked to it all.
Deeply curious by nature, I continually seek insight into the interconnectedness of all that exists. Making art allows me to grapple with these questions in a tangible way. The sculptures I have created reflect my evolving worldview and have given form and rhythm to the feeling states that have most influenced my life’s journey—quiet resolve, tranquility, and joy.
In terms of process, each of my works begins when a visual idea intersects with a concept I am exploring. From there the dialogue between the two develops. It’s a continuous problem-solving endeavor with each stage a movement toward resolution. Along the way, I often experiment and add new materials, especially when unexpected insights alter my course. When successfully completed, the work stands as an integrated whole. The vision that guided the process is infused in the sculpture’s physical materials—presenting a creative marriage of spirit and matter.
BIOGRAPHY
I have been developing my skills as a sculptor since 2011 when I began taking classes in wood and stone carving at The Art Students League of New York. My principal instructor and mentor has been artist Leonid Lerman; I studied with sculptors Seiji Saito and Silya Kiese as well. Over the last decade I have further supplemented my technical knowledge with outside coursework and training in woodworking. My explorations have also led me to pursue other materials including metals, clay, plastics, paper, and lighting. In addition, as a winner of the Art Students League’s Works-In-Public program competition, I was given the opportunity to create a large-scale work based on my small model. This 11-foot painted steel and plexiglass sculpture, Life Dance, was installed in Riverside Park South (61st Street) in July 2023. In the summer of 2024 it will be permanently installed in Key West, Florida.
These combined experiences have cemented my commitment to sculpting and helped refine my own particular artistic approach. I am honored to have received some recognition for my evolving efforts. In 2023 I was invited to become a member of the New York Society of Women Artists. I’ve also won numerous awards at the Art Students League, including the 2017 Trudy & Henry Gillette Sculpture Scholarship along with several “best in show” and “honorable mention” awards between 2013-2023.
My Backstory:
The current chapter in my creative life is built upon a foundation of arts education and decades of work experience in educational television, print, and the classroom. In short, the sculptures I produce today are the culmination of a lifetime’s spiritual journey and the avenues of thought and feeling that have propelled me along the way.
My degrees include an M.A. in Aesthetics Education from the University of Northern Colorado’s School of Educational Change & Development, and a B.S. in Art from Skidmore College’s University Without Walls. Prior to this, the holistic educational experience that greatly influenced my life’s trajectory was studying and becoming a teacher of the Science of Creative Intelligence and Transcendental Meditation. During these academic years my art practice focused largely on two-dimensional work. My diptych painting Static/Active was included in the 1975 “Third Colorado Annual” at the Denver Art Museum and, in 1977, I had a solo exhibit of my paintings and drawings at M.I.U, Fairfield, Iowa.
Books: From 2002-2016, I wrote over 70 books—both fiction and non-fiction—for elementary school-aged readers. Educational publishers included Benchmark, Chelsea Clubhouse, Scholastic, Trillium, and Rourke, among others.
TV: I spent 25 years in the television field engaged in all aspects of production and program development. My specialty was children's educational television. I worked on programs for Children’s Television Workshop, Home Box Office, and Consumer Reports TV, among others. I also developed several television projects through my company, Stone Circle Productions, Inc. As a producer, I received numerous awards, including an Ace Award (National Academy of Cable Programming), a National Primetime Emmy Nominee (NATAS), and a Gold Award (Corporation for Public Broadcasting), among others. I also served 10 years as a judge for the International Emmy Awards, Children’s Programming Category.
Classroom: My ancillary work with children in school-based programs deepened my overall knowledge and enhanced my ability to produce TV and write books. My direct work in visual arts content with young people began in 1972 and continued until 2004. Of special note are my teaching experiences in enrichment programs within the NYC schools, including: (1) art history/visual literacy instructor (volunteer) for Art Works, a partnership of Learning Leaders and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; (2) co-teacher of “The Art of Film and Television" project at the Professional Performing Arts School; and (3) instructor for the "Writing Into Animation” program via The Knowledge Project.