Heikki Seppä


Heikki Seppä was a Finnish American master metalsmith, educator, and author. Born in Säkkijärvi, Finland. In 1941 he studied metalsmithing at Goldsmith's School in Helsinki, and later at the Georg Jensen silver factory in Copenhagen. In 1950 he emigrated with his first wife to Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Then they moved to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where he attended Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Career

Seppä taught art in Louisville, Kentucky then at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis from 1965 till his retirement at 1992 as Professor Emeritus. He is a founding member of the Society of North American Goldsmiths. His metal sculptures are in private collections, as well as in museums including the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Replicas of Seppä's sculpture "The Search" are given to awardees of the Eliot Society's "Search Award" at Washington University.

Personal Life

For much of his childhood, Seppä lived in a children's home until leaving at age 14 to attend the Goldsmith's School. His first wife emigrated with him from Finland and they stayed together until her passing in 1993. In 1998, he moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington and married metalsmith Laurie A. Lyall. He died at his Bainbridge home at age 83.

Awards