Born in 1946 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but raised primarily in Atherton, California, Susan Cummins specializes in contemporary art jewelry and spent many years as a gallerist in Mill Valley, California. She realized she had a strong affinity for art while on a youth trip around Europe the summer leading up to her freshman year at Scripps College in Claremont, California. After weeks spent in museums and churches, Cummins was inspired to pursue art history as an undergrad. Cummins relocated to Washington, DC, in 1969 after completing her BA. She lived there for several years and worked odd jobs before settling permanently in Mill Valley, California. For the next 10 years, Cummins partnered with fellow Scripps alum Beth Changstrom to run a small gallery called The Fireworks. Cummins managed the gallery, assisted Changstrom with pottery production, and helped sell at fairs and shows. In 1983, Cummins took over Horizon Gallery in Mill Valley, re-naming it the Susan Cummins Gallery. Noting a lack of representation, Cummins settled on American jewelry as a primary focus for her gallery. Eventually, Cummins relocated to a larger space in Mill Valley and became known for representing painters and jewelers in the same gallery space, blurring the rigid distinction between fine art and craft. Cummins maintained the gallery until 2002. During her 18 years as owner, she represented many significant artists including ACC Fellows Bruce Metcalf and Kiff Slemmons. In 1997, Cummins helped found Art Jewelry Forum, a nonprofit tasked with connecting people working across the field of contemporary jewelry and educating new audiences. She continues to be a frequent contributor and is currently serving as the board chair. Cummins has also served on boards for arts organizations such as the American Craft Council and the Headlands Center for the Arts. Her primary focus in recent years has been her work as director of the Rotasa Foundation, a family foundation that supports exhibitions and publications featuring contemporary art jewelers. Susan Cummins was elected a 2018 Honorary Fellow of the American Craft Council.