Susie Warran-Smith

susie's current work

siBefore setting up the Breakthrough Funding brand which she sold to EY in a multi-million pound deal in March 2020, Susie began as a graphic artist and illustrator in London. She attended the University of Creative Arts from 1980 to 1984 alongside Tracey Emin and Karen Millen. Lecturers included David Hockney, Ian Dury and Zandra Rhodes and Quentin Crisp was famously a male model for life classes. 

She spent three decades working in London advertising agencies and some of the world’s biggest international companies as a renowned designer, illustrator and brand specialist. Susie is highly influenced by the work of Peter Blake, the typographer Neville Brody and the album cover designs of Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell. She retired from the corporate world after her sale to EY to continue her social impact work and concentrate on developing highly collectible limited editions for private investors. 

At last, Susie now has the time to return to her artistic roots and classical graphic design training. The energetic and witty style used to such successful effect to create her own Breakthrough Funding brand, employs a range of techniques from drawing, collage, painting and digital illustration. As ever, her work pays homage to the 'Old Masters' alongside everyday objects, pop art and music legends.

THE RETOLD MASTERS COLLECTION

THE CRYPTOCAKES COLLECTION

Highly collectible, rare, limited edition, digital artworks for private investors, created by Sue Nelson. Inspired by the dot paintings of English artist Damien Hirst. The originals are 420mm x 594mm and each comprise 589million pixels. This is a one-time digital art creation project with only 20 originals in the cryptocake series. No more originals will be added to this series. Each has a limited edition of no more than 150. At a distance they appear to be dots or oblongs, but close up these rare works celebrate our century's old obsession with flour and sugar.

COLLECTOR NOTES

CHOCOLAT - there are just 4 chocolat originals in the cryptocake series with a limited edition of 100 each. At a distance they appear to be dots but close up, these rare works celebrate the French love of les chocolats. French is the language of love and chocolate is the divine indulgence of self-love. Each edition highlights the prized nature of white, milk and dark chocolate as they vainly nestle in their individual paper cases.
CUPCAKE CITY - there are just 4 cupcake city originals in the cryptocake series with a limited edition of 125 each. At a distance they appear to be triangles but close up, these rare works celebrate the recent obsession from our childhood and as adults, with the cupcake still the most popular form of cake in the world. Their sculptural quality and highly coloured decoration is exaggerated so they almost become a caricature of themselves.
DOUGHNUT DOTS - there are just 4 doughnut dots originals in the cryptocake series with a limited edition of 100 each. At a distance they appear to be circles but close up, these rare works commemorate the importance of the doughnut as a cultural icon. Each one is outrageously decorated to dramatically emphasise their saccharinity.
MOLTI MACARONS - there are just 4 molti macarons originals in the cryptocake series with a limited edition of 75 each. At a distance they appear to be oblongs but close up, these rare works commemorate the history of the macaron in 8th century Venice. The unnatural colours contradict the natural process of baking and the expertise to produce these expensive celestial bites of heaven.
BISCUIT BARREL - there are just 4 biscuit barrel originals in the cryptocake series with a limited edition of 150 each. At a distance they appear to be dots but close up, these rare works celebrate the fetishisation and ritual of the very English tradition of afternoon tea with accompanying biscuit.

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