Susan Freda Studios Brings One-of-a-Kind Artwork to Tiverton Four Corners

Tiverton Four Corners is home to many unique, local artisan shops and studios. Home to the Tiverton Meeting House, and the famous , the Four Corners area of Tiverton has long been the center of art and culture in Tiverton.

Adding to that atmosphere, Gallery 4 sits nestled among its neighbors. It is the home to three art galleries: Wanderer Imports, Silk Road Traders and Susan Freda Studios.

Susan Freda is one of three partners who rent the space at Gallery 4. Originally from Providence, RI, Freda is an artist specializing in sculpture and jewelry making, using unique materials such as wire and metal. Freda attended Rhode Island School of Design, where she originally studied jewelry but switched her major to sculpture. For her graduate degree, she attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design and earned a Master’s degree in fine art. 

After college, Freda moved to San Francisco to further explore her artistic talents. She bartended at night, allowing her to make art all day.  

“I was on a pretty rigorous schedule. I would get up, make art all day and bartend at night,” explained Freda.

After a while, Freda began booking galleries. The transition from being an artist on the side to having art pay the bills was a difficult one. 

“I applied to a lot of things-grants, residencies, etc. I received the Pollock-Krasner grant which gave me money for a year to work and I got started,” said Freda. According to their website, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation’s mission is to “aid, internationally, those individuals who have worked as professional artists over a significant period of time.”

Freda’s work started out being about armor and body covering, but eventually developed into a more natural shape. She gets her inspiration from bee hives, birds’ nests, vines and flowers. She includes some of her hometown charm in her jewelry, using shapes and colors inspired by old mill spaces and textiles.

“I kind of love metal. I just like the glitter and the reflective quality,” stated Freda. “It can be really warm or it can be very cold.”

The malleability of metal allows Freda to create airy pieces that still hold their shapes. She uses a torch to get the exact contours.

In 2003, Freda was serving as the Art Director at the Four Corners Art Center. She heard that the space next door was vacant and asked her boss if they could open a temporary gallery for the month of August. The response from the community was so great they decided to remain open. Freda did not know her fellow gallery mates before they opened so it was by pure chance that all three partners got along well and their work complimented each other’s.

In addition to her jewelry pieces, Freda’s other specialty is nothing short of unique: she designs and creates wire dresses. Her creations hang on the walls of Gallery 4 and suspended from the ceiling, giving them a weightless look.

“When I was at RISD making jewelry, I tried to keep the jewelry technique but in sculpture-chain mail with linking. I wanted to use tiny, repetitive processes to make large pieces,” explained Freda. “I developed a method of weaving that worked for me to keep the shape of larger pieces.”

The dress shape is loose and floats gracefully above the floor. Freda explained that she wanted to capture the spiritual part of people. 

“The dress evolved because they’re not connected to the ground. The light interacts with them on the wall,” said Freda. “The shadows are like drawings.”

Freda can also create one-of-a-kind pieces for specific occasions. If a customer needs a unique piece of jewelry, Freda will meet with them, discuss what they are looking for and maybe even look at the dress. If a customer is looking for a piece for their home, Freda will oftentimes visit the space to get a good feel for what will work best.

All of the items showcased at Gallery 4 are for sale. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Gallery 4 is open everyday from 10am to 5pm.

Visit www.susanfreda.com and www.susanfredastudios.com for more information  and to view additional photos of Freda's work.