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The Portrait in Clay Book

We’ve been lucky to meet some incredibly talented people during our time in Savannah, and recently had the opportunity to get to know Susie Chisolm, a sculptor who works out of City Market.

If you’ve spent time walking around the city, you’re probably already familiar with her most famous work: the Johnny Mercer statue at Ellis Square, where the famous songwriter immortally leans against a fire hydrant. She’s been commissioned for other public works as well, including a life-size sculpture of Charles Fraser, who was the developer most responsible for present-day Hilton Head.

For some reason, when I think “sculptor”, I think of an intense, morose and grimly industrious person. But that’s certainly not the case with Susie, who’s as warm and friendly as can be. We had a great time getting to know her, and learning her story. For someone so accomplished in her chosen art, Susie got a late start, only deciding to pursue sculpture in 1996 after participating in a local workshop. Almost instantly, she knew that sculpting was for her, that molding clay into shapes “made sense” to her in a way that other mediums didn’t, and she wasted no time in diving headlong into the practice. She even flew out to Cortona, Italy for a summer to learn from the masters.

What I know about sculpture could fit into a four-word sentence, so Susie’s detailed explanation of the process was instructive. While we were in her studio, she was working on the bust of a recently deceased man who had served in the army; a private commission from his family. She described how she forms the clay into a likeness of her subject, of whom she had multiple photographs pinned up. Though still in the beginning stages, the lump of brownish clay was already recognizably the man in the photos.

Suzie’s won a number of awards, and her work can be seen in Colorado, Texas and of course around Savannah. But even more than her accomplishments, what struck me was how sweet and down-to-earth she is. When we asked what her dream project might be, her eyes brightened and she said immediately that she’d love to do a statue of Forrest Gump for Chippewa Square. Now that’s a great idea… it’s kind of amazing the city hasn’t already done it! If you get a chance, swing by Susie’s studio, check out her work and say “hi”. In a city full of artists, she truly stands out.

Official Site
Location of Susie Chisholm’s Studio on our Savannah Map

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