Biography...
Jon Sutter is a maker of artistic furniture inspired by industrial and mechanical forms. He began designing and building as a youngster, making things from scratch using his father’s tools. As a teenager, his talents became known when his 3 ounce model balsa wood bridge held 350 pounds in a statewide physics competition. He went on to the University of Maryland to study science and engineering as well as fine art and writing. In 1990 he enrolled in the Genoa Institute in upstate New York, a school dedicated to cultivating a new generation of avant-garde furniture makers, where he graduated in 1992. Afterwards, he spent a year as a resident artist at the Appalachian Center for Crafts in Smithville, Tennessee, then opened his own studio in Maryland.
Jon’s work which is influenced by his scientific background exhibits a fluency with many types of materials including wood, concrete, metals, plastics and numerous found objects. Combined with his humor and a knack for color and flair, Jon's furniture is easily recognized and remembered. Commenting on his work Jon said, "I love bridges, bulldozers, and trains, and I like to put reflectors on my furniture so you won’t bump into it when you are crossing the street."
Jon has been the recipient of numerous honors, including the "Emerging Artist Award" at the 1996 Philadelphia Furniture Show, a recent acquisition of his clock Under Continuous Monitor by the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery, as well as grant awards from the Maryland State Arts Council in both 2001 and 2003.