Art in Healthcare: Syringa Chalet in Blackfoot, Idaho /  by Susan Madacsi

This summer we added another artwork to our ever-growing client list in health care! With both my mom and grandmother having careers as physical therapists, art in healing environments is an important and personal favorite category for the studio. This newest project is located in Blackfoot, Idaho, at the recently completed Syringa Chalet, a small state-owned skilled nursing facility.

We were contacted by Colorado art services group Gallun Snow to design and create an artwork that would greet clients, visitors and employees as they enter the main entrance of the building. Gallun Snow presented concept ideas that were related to Idaho's landscape. The client wanted to celebrate the natural beauty of the region, so we gathered design inspiration from the noble Sawtooth Mountains and the spring blooming state flower, the Syringa.

Also, as part of the collaborative process, we worked closely with local and lead architect Brent Davis at TreanorHL Architects to determine installation details and a studio visit to get final approval for the design.

We're really proud of the the final results and hope "Sawtooth's of Idaho" brings joy and a sense of place to those who engage with it.

Video: Bridging the Source: Public Art and Payette Lake /  by Susan Madacsi

Bridging the Source

A short video about the installation of our recent public art commission Lardo Bridge, McCall, Idaho

Integrating artwork is a creative way to enhance public spaces as a vital part of a community. It provides a unique sense of place for visitors, and a positive influence on how residents feel about where they live, work and play. We were honored to have had the opportunity to work with The City of McCall, the McCall Arts and Humanities Council, and the Idaho Transportation Department on this public art project that was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Our Town program.

To learn more about this project visit the Lardo Bridge Project on our website

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US Army Garrison, Pyeongtaek, South Korea /  by Susan Madacsi

Big Red, 34" h x 74" w

We collaborated with art consultants Great American Art who partner with local, state, and federal branches of government to provide art that encourages, thanks, and honors the men and women who have served and those who are currently serving in the U.S. Military. Historically located within U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, Seoul, South Korea, this brand new, state of the art medical facility provides medical care to the more than 60,000 service members and families assigned in Korea.

Big Red (detail)

This work, Big Red is installed at the Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital which is located on the US Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, the U.S. Army's Home in Korea.

To learn more about our custom commissions visit our website or send us an email

The MS Iona, P & O Cruises, England /  by Susan Madacsi

Into the Cerulean, 3 1/2' h x 19' w

This triptych is based on my work relating to natural bodies of water and how their color is influenced by temperature, depth, and the presence of minerals and algae, such as salt, sulfur, cyanobacteria, and halophiles. I source my own photographs of oceans, rivers, and natural hot springs and utilize images of aerial and drone photography as inspiration. My research into these liquid bodies has influenced me in new ways of employing color.

Into the Cerulean (with Susan and Tito), 3 1/2' h x 19' w

My work embraces bold color, abstract form, and an exploration of texture to reconsider the traditional treatment of material in blacksmithing. Typically, forged works are utilitarian and aesthetically masculine. I have spent my time as an artist veering away from these forms to employ the same traditional techniques to create pieces that reveal the organic nature of the material and breach concepts of what blacksmithing is and what it can be. My intention is to contribute and influence the craft contemporarily with a neo-traditional approach.

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This piece was specially designed for the MS Iona, a cruise ship due to enter service in May 2020. She will be the largest ship ever to enter service for the British market, operated by P&O Cruises, a Carnival cruise line based in Southampton, England. 

To learn more about our custom commissions visit our website or send us an email

NeighborWorks® Boise: 40th Street Garden City, Idaho /  by Susan Madacsi

78” h x 22” w x 2”d

I was invited to design and install outdoor sculptures in a contemporary Garden City, Idaho neighborhood. A collaborative enterprise with NeighborWorks® Boise, a national non-profit organization whose mission is to lead in creating innovative housing solutions that contribute to building stronger communities. I wanted to create a unique artwork that integrated nicely within the pocket neighborhood located on 40th Street. Something that worked well with the landscape and also offered a sense of place in the community.

This design was inspired by a trip I had recently taken through Italy. I have always loved the whimsical, playful prints of 1960s Italian textiles, and these images were fresh in my mind when I began designing this work. Pucci’s colorful, geometric style was a touchstone for the concept and layout of this public art installation which is comprised entirely of upcycled materials.

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Recent Public Art Installation, Lardo Bridge, McCall, Idaho /  by Susan Madacsi

The City of McCall, the McCall Arts and Humanities Council, and the Idaho Transportation Department partnered with Madacsi Studios to commission public artwork for the Lardo Bridge, which spans the outlet of beautiful Payette Lake. This project was made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Our Town program.

We worked closely with the City of McCall to engage the local community in the design process, encouraging comments and recommendations, giving a collective direction to the City’s final selection. Through public outreach—workshops for students, as well as public educational presentations and online surveys, we facilitated a collaborative approach to infusing an expression of the community’s relationship with Payette Lake into the artwork.

We took all that we had learned from spending time in this community—about who the people are, and what they value about where they live—back to our shop and we created a custom a design of forged steel and glass that represents each of the four seasons; their colors illuminated in glass and their elements forged in steel. Designed to withstand outdoor conditions with minimal maintenance, these four sculptures are comprised of 1.25-inch glass encased in powder coated 2-inch steel frames. Seasons was installed in September, 2019.

American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C. /  by Susan Madacsi

Photos courtesy ArtMatters - Art consultant, Washington, DC

These sister pieces are a result of a successful collaboration with art consultants ArtMatters and their client, the American Petroleum Institute. API was looking to commission original artwork for a conference area in a new east coast location.

Photos courtesy ArtMatters - Art consultant, Washington, DC

A vestige of earth and water, these works combine elements of contrasting color with a continuation of form and texture. A composition that creates subtle visual motion. In this bright, modern lobby outside a conference room, the work instills a sense of place and provides memorable direction for way finding. 

Photos courtesy ArtMatters - Art consultant, Washington, DC

Addressing the installation was of particular concern due to the tile wall substrate. We designed each artwork and its hardware in four sections in which the medallions weave and interlock seamlessly once installed. By breaking up the work into sections we addressed weight concerns, ease of hanging, and allowed for smaller crating of the pieces for ArtMatters' in-house installers.

2019 CODAawards /  by Susan Madacsi

The 2019 CODAawards jury has selected Madacsi Studios as a Top 100 finalist! The People's Choice Voting is now open, please cast a vote for us!

Stewardship of the Creation; a project for Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Nampa, Idaho, was nominated for the CODAworx People's Choice award representing the best design + art projects. 435 projects from 27 countries were submitted to the awards, which recognize design projects demonstrating the most successful integration of commissioned art into an interior, architectural, or public space. This piece is a two-story feature wall composed of forged steel and cast glass that reflects a regional landscape.

The top 100 design entries are featured on CODAworx and are available for Public Voting. Voting in the People’s Choice campaign is simple and easy. Just click the "Vote" button below a project on their website. Of course we want you to vote for the Saint Alphonsus feature wall, but you can vote for as many projects that fancy you. Thanks for taking time and making an effort to support us.  Learn more about this project at madacsistudios.com.