Susan Michod, a Chicago-based painter known for her prominent role in the Pattern and Decoration movement and as a co-founder of the Artemisia Gallery, died on August 8 at the age of 81, her family confirmed. She passed away of natural causes at a skilled nursing facility in Chicago.
Michod specialized in large-scale, vibrant paintings characterized by geometric patterns and expansive designs. Her work was part of the Pattern and Decoration movement that emerged in the 1970s as a response to prevailing art world biases, which often dismissed decorative elements as feminine or non-Western. This movement embraced ornamentation and abstraction, challenging traditional distinctions in modern art.
Born Susan Alexander in 1945 in Toledo, Ohio, Michod was raised in the suburb of Ottawa Hills. She attended Smith College before transferring to the University of Michigan to study art. After completing her Master of Fine Arts degree at Pratt Institute in New York in 1969, she initially worked in New York City creating abstract geometric paintings. Following her marriage to Charles Michod, she relocated to Chicago, settling in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
In 1973, Michod joined forces with 20 other artists, including Vera Klement and Margaret Wharton, to establish the Artemisia Gallery. The cooperative, which operated for three decades, provided a dedicated platform for women and outsider artists, emphasizing feminist ideals and expanding opportunities in a male-dominated art scene. Michod and fellow Artemisia artists engaged in politically charged projects, notably the 1985 show “Critical Messages,” which presented public artworks addressing sexism, racism, women’s health, and nuclear issues, though some pieces faced rejection by the Chicago Transit Authority for their provocative content.
Michod’s career reflected a commitment to both artistic innovation and feminist activism. She was closely connected with influential female artists such as Joyce Kozloff, Miriam Schapiro, and Ellen Lanyon. Her paintings were exhibited in numerous galleries and institutions, including Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bronx Museum, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. In 2019, her work received renewed attention at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles during the exhibition “With Pleasure: Pattern and Decoration in American Art 1972–1985.”
In 1992, Michod suffered a grand mal seizure linked to a rare brain tumor, which necessitated relearning basic skills including walking, speaking, and painting. Despite this challenge, she continued to create and exhibit art until the mid-2000s. Throughout her life, Michod also wrote about art and embraced cultural influences from her travels in Mexico and Guatemala, integrating ancient patterns into her work.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Charles Michod; their three sons, Alec, Mike, and Rick; and three grandchildren. A celebration of her life is scheduled for October.