CBS Sunday Morning News

I am proud to be a #Gutsy #woman ." As the mother of two gutsy women and toddler granddaughter, I am #grateful that my #artwork was chosen for the segment from the CBS Sunday Morning Show featuring Hillary and Chelsea Clinton and their important conversation about their new Apple TV+ docuseries, "Gutsy."

Former Secretary of State and her daughter interview skilled and #determined women from all walks of life - while also sharing their own personal experiences - that, combined, reflect the power of women who #persistence .

TEXTILES IN THE GARDEN

On July 24th, 2022 , Shelter Island Resident and award winning artist, Susan Schrott, will be exhibiting her celebrated Textile works in her vast open Garden. From 9:30am to 1:00pm ticket holders will be able to stop by and soak in the beautiful garden scenes with her intricately designed textile pieces placed throughout her enchanting garden setting. Hosted by the Shelter Island Historical Society, the Textiles In The Garden exhibit evokes joyful and meditative moments.

In May of 2022, Schrott unveiled her newly commissioned textile piece entitled, “The Seven Sisters” at The Montauk Library and this piece will join this show as well. Susan was recently invited as a guest speaker and exhibitor at two Arkansas university campuses where she spoke about the healing power of her art.

She tends to her garden day and night, while choosing the best of her pieces to showcase in this special exhibition at her home here on shelter island. Schrott describes gardening and textile work as two of her biggest passions and she notes that, "Working with textiles and nature inspire me. It's a beautiful marriage."

Textiles in the Garden is a highly anticipated event that is sure to be an inspiring, uplifting, and colorful experience. Schrott is truly honored to be able to do this event with the Historical Society and our shelter island community as a whole.

Tickets are on sale with the link below and all ticket sales go to the Shelter Island Historical Society. We look forward to seeing you there.Purchase tickets here: https://www.shelterislandhistorical.org/textilesinthegarden.html

Rehearsing artwork for “Textiles In the Garden” Exhibition.

The Seven Sisters

To commemorate the reopening of the Montauk Library, THE SEVEN SISTERS, a large textile

art quilt by textile and mixed media artist, Susan Schrott, a Shelter Island resident, will be

unveiled at the Ribbon-Cutting ceremony at the library on May 22, 2022. The work will remain

on public view at the library until further notice.

With reference to the constellation Pleiadas, Susan Schrott’s THE SEVEN SISTERS depicts

seven women surrounded by elements that form the unique beauty of Montauk: the sea, the sky

and our abundant native flora and fauna. Ms. Schrott’s artwork also incorporates images of seven

cottages along a bluff overlooking the ocean. Known colloquially as “The Seven Sisters,” these

private residences in the Montauk Association Historic District were built in 1881-1884 as

summer homes. Designed by the legendary architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White,

according to a site plan prepared by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903)

whose bicentennial is being celebrated around the world this year.

The Seven Sisters (On permanent loan to the Montauk Library, Montauk, NY)

MASKED BLESSINGS

At the start of the COVID pandemic I turned my studio into a mask making workspace creating and donating over 1100 cotton masks to seniors, medical staff, ferry and essential workers, friends, and family. A friend suggested I keep one of each mask inspiring me to think about how I could use them to tell a story about this traumatic time. In February my father passed away. In the spring butterflies filled my garden which I took as a sign of my father's presence. To help me through my grief I combined the masks I made with love and a butterfly to create Masked Blessings focusing on all who worked tirelessly, caring for so many around the globe. Included in the thread work are the words: hope, courage, breathe, kindness, and gratitude. 78 original masks create the heart.  It measures approximately 5 feet by 6 feet.

 

Jewish Authenticity and Identity

I am thrilled that my piece Nine Faces of Women has been juried into “Jewish Authenticity and Identity” Exhibition curated by Ori Z. Soltes. The exhibition runs from April 6-May 2021 at Adas Congregation, 2850 Quebec St NW, Washington, D.C. Exhibition Director Robert Bettmann.

I was happily taken aback when I opened the catalog to find my artwork featured as a spread at the beginning of the catalog which is filled cover to cover with so many talented artists. I am very grateful.

IMG_5920.jpeg
IMG_5921.jpeg

Tree of Life for Pittsburgh

On Saturday October 27, 2018, at 9:45 A.M., our world as we knew it changed forever, again.Feeling hopeless, shocked and filled with deep anguish, my thoughts ran immediately to “what can I do?” As a psychotherapist and a textile artist, my two worlds combine hope, love, creativity and creating a sacred space for healing to take place. For decades, I have been making textile Trees of Life and I knew instinctively, that if ever there was a time for me to create one, this was it.

On Sunday evening October 28, I emailed Kathleen Lynch, my dear friend and Vice President of the Shelter Island School Board, where I live part-time. I asked Kathleen if she could help me gather Shelter Island students, to work with together with me to create the Tree of Life for Pittsburgh Synagogue.

My instinct to want to include innocent, untainted, unbiased words from children was something I felt was urgently needed to be a part of this Tree of Life. I envisioned creating eleven branches, eleven birds, and hand created leaves filled with messages from our hearts to the families and friends from the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue Community.

Without hesitation, that Sunday evening, Dr. Christine Finn, Principal of the Shelter Island Union Free School School, immediately coordinated with her art teacher Stephanie Sareyani, and by Monday morning, my vision was embraced and fully supported. My reaction to these murders was to take my pain and loss of control, and turn it into something beautiful in the face of anti-Semitism and hatred.

The outpouring of love, basic goodness and support from this small, caring community was overwhelming. My passion for this project took me through the dark, cold winter months, and involved literally hundreds of people, from all walks of life.

I am forever grateful to each and every one of them.

Together, we have created, expressed and are sending love, hope, compassion, peace, prayers and most importantly, the knowledge that we stand fiercely connected to all of the congregants, families and members of the Tree of Life Synagogue Community.

You are not alone.

Never again.

Susan Schrott