Sue McNenly - the artist

I have always had a love of precious, sparkly objects, and have pursued the creation of art in many mediums since I was a child.  In a jewelry class at the Alberta College of Art and Design in 2000 it all came together.  I discovered the beauty of  heating up precious metals and watching solder flow…a wonderous step in the process of creating something special…and sparkly!

Then came 2002.  Over a period of 18 months I got married, became a stepmother to 2 (along with my 2, this made 4 kids between the ages of 10 and 12!), gave birth to our fifth child,  turned 40 and moved 3,400 km across Canada to a newly built home near Toronto!   No longer having the space in my home for a full metal studio led me to research a ground-breaking silver product developed in Japan, Precious Metal Clay.  It would allow me to create detailed art pieces in fine silver and gold that might be impossible, or time prohibitive using traditional techniques, and could be done in a much smaller space.  The possibilities seemed endless, and I was hooked.

I especially enjoy pushing the limits of this innovative material and exploring and refining techniques to incorporate text into my designs, creating truly personal works of art to wear or to behold.  Each piece is handmade, so no two are exactly alike.

I like to think that I have instilled a love and appreciation of precious things in my children.  A few years ago, my daughter grumbled that she wanted to go shopping but had no money.  My 14 year old son pulled out his wallet, handed her $5 and said: “Here.  Pick me up a pop.  Keep the change and buy yourself something shiny.”