Susan Mahlstedt
“My jewelry expresses the peaceful and ethereal qualities of nature”
Susan Mahlstedt received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Kansas and a Master of Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Both degrees were in jewelry design and metalsmithing. In 1985 she founded R/M Studio with her husband, Bill Ruth. They collaborated for more than 22 years, receiving many awards and showing in numerous galleries and fine art and craft shows throughout the country. After her husband passed away in 2006, she continued to honor their partnership while expressing her own voice.
Susan finds deep joy in the process of hand-fabricating metal, where technical problem-solving becomes a pathway to artistic expression. Her work is inspired by the natural forms and textures of leaves, sand dollars, shells, bamboo, and pebbles—used either individually or in combination. To create rich surface detail, she employs techniques such as carving with burrs and stamping with steel tools of varied shapes.
Susan works primarily in sterling silver, 14 karat and 18 karat gold, often incorporating precious and semi-precious stones as accents. Her finishes include depletion gilding, which brings out a soft white tone in silver, as well as oxidizing, satin textures, and polished highlights. Each design is carefully refined to achieve a sense of flow and intentional shape. Through her thoughtful use of texture, pattern, and finish, she aims to create jewelry that feels graceful yet strong—artistic in spirit and comfortable to wear. Susan is based in her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri.