Continuing Her Craft

exhibition reception on sunday, january 12, 2025, 4 - 6P, craftstudies studio & school

necklace by susan m. gallagher

Susan M. Gallagher was a celebrated jeweler and beloved member of the CraftStudies community. After her passing in 2023, our jewelry studio inherited her tools, equipment, materials, and collections. Inspired by this gift, we created a jewelry collection in tribute to her generosity and artistry, crafted by a group of teaching artists and volunteers—including Gallagher’s first jewelry teacher and several former classmates.

Meeting on Monday nights, the group explored Gallagher’s design notebooks, exchanging ideas and techniques for completing her unfinished pieces, reviewing her materials and collections together, and imagining new pieces inspired by her sketches and photographs. Through this process, the group formed a community bound by a shared dedication to honoring Gallagher’s creative spirit. The resulting collection is both a reflection of her influence and a testament to the deep connections forged within our studios.

Proceeds from the sale of pieces from the collection support the Susan M. Gallagher Scholarship Endowment, established by her family to ensure access for all to the tools, materials, and processes of craft.