Meet Susan Maddux

Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Maddux.

Susan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born and raised in Hawaii on Oahu and left the Islands to go to the San Francisco Art Institute to study painting.

I moved New York and worked as a surface designer for many years. I always kept a studio and made time to paint, although I mostly did it for myself. I considered it necessary for my mental health to have an art practice and spent all my free time in my studio for years.

In 2012, I was married with a small child we finally moved to LA. When we arrived and I started working in my studio, I had a complete creative explosion, breaking through blocks I had been struggling with for years in my work. I still haven’t worked through a fraction of the ideas I came up with during that time. I felt like things were really happening in an exciting way.

Then my husband suddenly left our marriage. This threw my life into chaos for a few years, as I tried to grapple with the overwhelm of living in a new city without many friends, the question of how to support myself, having a small child, sadness and disappointment.

I took classes to work in UX Design on websites and pursued that for a few years. It did not go well. It was difficult in every way, and eventually for my mental health and dignity, I made a decision to stop doing that kind of work.

At that time, to keep myself going at all in this new low, I started meditating and decided to do something that made me happy every day.

I started working on some ideas I had laying around that I had not really developed. One of these ideas was the folded pieces, and I started having fun with them and wanted to see where they could go.

Soon I made my first human-sized piece and called it Desert Friend. The coloring reminded me of the markings of animals that live in the desert. And I didn’t know it at the time, but it was the thing that led me out of the desert that I was in.

Then things started happening. I had shown some work in the LA Design Festival in 2018, and when I reached out in 2019 and showed them what I was working on, they offered me a gigantic space to show my work in, with three 18′ long walls. I could see this was an incredible opportunity, and wanted it more than anything, so I agreed.

So with six weeks to work, I made the largest, most ambitious work I had ever made plus pieces to fill the rest of the space. I didn’t drink alcohol, I took good care of myself, and kept my energy high. I knew that to deal with the stress and hard work, I would need to cut out all distractions, so I could really focus on making my work great.

The response was amazing and put in motion so many things that exceeded my expectations.

This year, I’ve been working on a very special boutique hotel project in NYC and have commissions in the works for a hotel in Miami and a commercial space in Orange County. Even with the difficulties with the lockdown, wonderful opportunities have come my way, for which I am so grateful.

Has it been a smooth road?
After my marriage ended suddenly, I tried to do the “practical” thing and change careers to something I thought would give me some stability, a regular job. That really did not work for me for many reasons but in the end, I think the most powerful was because I didn’t love it. I did not care enough about the work to become excellent at it.

This led me to a crisis that was a culmination of all I had been through: the heartbreak, the disappointment, the trying to move forward with some dignity. Trying to do the responsible thing.

My resources were exhausted.

I felt like I was “over the edge”. I had no more bright ideas about how to fix my life. I felt like the bottom just dropped out like there was no limit anymore.

And that was what I needed to finally let go of the idea of doing what I “should” with my life.

I also let go of thinking that I could be logical and know what was possible and what wasn’t.

And I followed the path of being an artist full time that I had always been terrified to even consider, having been told all my life that it was not possible.

Having my son to take care of made all of this very heavy, in a way I had never experienced.

But when you ask yourself what your legacy will be, it’s actually quite clarifying.

I have seen that success is far more accessible to me every day when I do what I believe in, what excites me, and what I put my heart into. And I’m happy to have that as my legacy, along with whatever I achieve along the way.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Susan Maddux Studio – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I make folded canvas wallhangings.

I created this form, and I think people are often surprised to see something they haven’t seen before.

In this work, elements of painting, fashion, and sculpture are referenced and color is very important.

I specialize in large custom work, and all work is made in my studio by hand and with the utmost attention to detail. With my work, you know you will get something unique, beautifully made and created with pride.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love: LA is such a beautiful city, I never realized it until I lived here. The neighborhoods are so sweet, each one is totally unique. I love exploring the city and feel like there are so many hidden cool things you could never find them all.

I dislike: The East / West divide. It still confuses me. I’m also frustrated that it’s so hard to get to the beach and that it’s usually cold.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://susanmadduxstudio.com/
• Instagram: @susanmadduxstudio
• Facebook: Susan Maddux Studio

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