About The Artist

With a career spanning six decades, Sylvia Schuster is an established artist who is recognized as a master printmaker. Her demonstration of the print technologies; dry point, etching, aquatint, soft ground and engraving, combined with her deep understanding of the human form, take these skills to the extreme. Ms. Schuster’s pen and ink, charcoal, and pastel figure studies show reference to classical Greek and Roman tradition.

As a young child roaming the corridors of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Sylvia Schuster spent endless hours drawing torsos, Egyptian Mummies and African Heads. Early on she was recognized as a child with exceptional ability.

Schuster attended L’Academia de Bella Arti in Rome as a member of the Rhode Island School of Design. Ms. Schuster earned her B.F.A. from R.I.S.D. in 1965, and continued her studies in Italy on a Fulbright grant and a Prix de Rome scholarship. In 1967 she earned a M.F.A. from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. Ms. Schuster also studied at Boston University at Tanglewood, the University of Iowa, New York Studio School, Creighton University, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and the University of Illinois.

Sylvia Schuster was invited to serve residences at the Millay Colony for the Arts in Austerlitz, New York, Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, New York, and the Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forrest, Illinois. In 1999, she was the artist in residence for the Summer Six Art Program at Skidmore College.

Since 2000, Ms. Schuster has done solo exhibits and lectures at Messineo Art Projects and Wyman Contemporary, in Chelsea, NY(2008), the Tweed Museum of Art (from April 24-September 21, 2008), Grinnell College, IA (2004), Monmouth University,NJ (2003), Georgia Southwestern State University (2003), Vanderbilt University in Tennessee (2003), Skidmore College, NY (2002), Southeastern Indiana State University (2002), University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point (2001), and University of Georgia (2000), Messineo Wyman Projects, Chelsea, NY (2000), and was guest artist at Prince Street Gallery, NYC (2000).

Education

1960-61 Fleischer Art Memorial, Philidelphia, PA
1962-64 Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1961-65 B.F.A. Rhode Island School of  Design, Providence, RI
1964-65 L’Academia de Belli Arti, Rome, Italy
1965-67 M.F.A. Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
1967 Boston University at Tanglewood, 1 summer, Lenox, MA
1967-74 University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
1974-85 New York Studio School, New York, NY
1990 Creighton University, 1 semester Intaglio, “Artist at Large”, Omaha, NE
1991 University of Nebraska at Omaha, 3 semesters Intaglio, “Artist at Large,” Omaha, NE
1992 University of Northern Illinois, 3 semesters Intaglio, “Artist at Large,” Dekalb, IL
1993 University of Northern Illinois, 2 semesters Intaglio, “Artist at Large,” Dekalb, IL
1994 University of Northern Illinois, 1 semester Intaglio, “Artist at Large,” Dekalb, IL
1995 University of Northern Illinois, 1 semester Intaglio, “Artist at Large,” Dekalb, IL

Scholarships

1961-65 Philadelphia Board of Education
1961-62 National Scholastic Art Award
1963-64 Carnegie Grant
1963-64 Ford Grant
1962-65 Rhode island School of Design/Danforth Scholarship
1964-65 Rhode island School of Design/European Honors Program
1964-65 Fulbright Grant (Rome, Italy)
1964-65 Prix de Rome (Rome Italy)
1965-67 Cranbrook Academy of Art/Gordon Scholarship
1967 Boston University at Tanglewood Scholarship
1974-85 Fellowship for study of drawing, New York Studio School, New York, NY
1976 Residency at The Millay Colony for the Arts, Austerlitz, NY
1978 Residency at Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, NY
1987 Residency at Ragdale Foundation, Lake Forest IL
1988-89 Grant for the study of watercolors at Singer Island, Riviera Beach, W. Palm Beach, FL
1999 Summer Six Art Program, Artist in Residence, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY

Shows and Awards

1964
Brown University, Section Exhibit, Providence RI – Group Show

1965
Rhode Island School of Design, Faculty Choice Exhibit, Providence, RI

1966
Butler Inst. of American Art, (Nat’l Painting Show), Youngstown, OH
Long Beach Island Art Foundation, Long Beach Island, NJ – Group Show
Detroit Institute of Art, Fall Show (1^st prize drawing), Detroit MI

1967
The Ball State Show, Indiana, National Drawing and Print Show
The Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia PA – Solo Show / Drawings

1968
Long Beach Island Art Fnd., Long Beach Island, NJ – Solo  Show  / Drawings
Schaffer Gallery, Grinnell, IA – Solo Show / Drawings

1969
Fifth Dulin Nat’l Print & Drawing Competition., Dulin Gallery of Art, Knoxville, TN
School of Art Exhibition, Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA – Group Show
Kansas State University, Invitational Exhibition, Manhattan, KN

1970
Galerie 8 – 2d Nat’l Matt Watercolor, Print & Drawing Exh., Erie, PA
Des Moines Art Center, Annual Exh. of Iowa Artists, Des Moines, IA
Davenport Art Gallery, 8^th Mid-Mississippi Annual Exhibition
Ctr. for Contemp. Art, Univ. Kentucky, Lexington, KY – Solo Show / Drawings

1971
Des Moines Art Center, Annual Exh. of Iowa Artists, Des Moines, IA
Mamaroneck Artists Guild, Open Juried Show (drawing prize), White Plains, NY
Cedar Rapids Art Center, Cedar Rapids, IA – Solo Show / Drawings
Southern Methodist University, Pollack Galleries, Invitational Exhibition Dallas, TX
Univ. of Wisconsin Rock County Campus, Janesville, WI – Solo Show / Drawings
Iowa Print Show, Grand Valley State College, Allendale, MI
Hope College, Holland, MI

1972
Saginaw Valley College, University Center, MI

1973
Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI
Lake Superior State College, Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, MI
Maison Française, Columbia University, New York, NY – Solo Show / Drawings
Center for Music, Drama & Art, Lake Placid, NY - Solo Show / Drawings
Iowa Print Show, Gallery at the Market, Omaha, NE

1974
Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID – Group Show

1976
New York Studio School, New York, NY – Solo Show / Drawings

1978
Creighton University, Omaha, NE – Drawings since 1960/Group Show

1979
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO – Solo Show / Drawings

1982
Great Escape Gallery, Washington DC – Solo Show / Drawings
Nat’l Education Assoc., Crabtree Auditorium, Washington DC – Group Show

1983
Art for the Nursing Bldg., Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA – Group Show

1985
Ofc./Borough President of Manhattan, Municipal Building, New York, NY – Solo Show / Drawings

1990
Eyesound Gallery, Omaha, NE – Solo Show / Drawings
Jansen-Perez Gallery, San Antonio,TX – Solo Show / Drawings

1993
Nardin Fine Arts, South Salem, NY – Group Show

1994
University of Northern Iowa, Kamerick Art Building, Cedar Falls, IA – Solo Show / Drawings

1995
National Academy of Sciences, “Arts in the Academy’, Washington, DC – Solo Show / Drawings
Drake University Eleventh Biennial Print Symposium, Des Moines, IA – Group Show
Prints – An Invitational of American Artists, Ball State University Museum, Muncie, IN

1996
Anchor Graphics, Chicago, IL – Solo Show / Etchings and Drawings
Darthmouth College, Studio Art, Hopkins Center, Hanover, NH – Solo Show / Drawings
MAPC/Mid America Print Council, Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, IN – Group Show

1997
Contemporary American Printmaker’s Renaissance Exhibition 3, Atlanta, GA / National Juried Show
Temple University, Tyler School of Art, Penrose Hall Printmaking Corridor, Philadelphia, PA / Prints & Drawings
Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL – Solo Show / Drawings
13^th Street Gallery, Omaha, NE -  Group Print Show
KramerBooks, Washington, DC -  Solo Show / Drawings

1998
Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago, IL -  Solo Show / Drawings
Third Biennial Mid-America Print Council Conference, Art Academy of Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University, Cincinnati, OH – Group Show

1999
Georgia College & State University, Blackbridge Hall Gallery, Milledgeville, GA – Solo Show / Drawings
Univ. of S. Dakota, Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts, Vermillion, SD – Solo Show / Drawing & Prints

2000
University of Georgia, Lamar Dodd School of Art, The Main Gallery, Athens, GA – Solo Show / Drawings
Ruth Liberman, Kerstin Roolfs and The Classic Heads by Sylvia Schuster, Messineo Wyman Projects, Chelsea, New York

2002
Works on Paper, Sylvia Schuster,Kerstin Roolfs,Phyllis Trout, Messineo Wyman Projects, Chelsea, New York

2003
Sylvia Schuster, Drawings, solo show , Monmouth University, School of Art & Design, West Long Branch, NJ
Georgia Southwestern State University, Department of Fine Arts, Americus, GA Solo Show/ Drawings + Lecture
Vanderbuilt University, Fine Arts Building, Nashville, TN- Solo Show/ Drawings + Lecture

2004
Grinnell College, Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, Grinnell, IA- Solo Show / Drawings + Lecture

2008
WHY ISN’T SYLVIA SCHUSTER A HOUSEHOLD NAME? Solo Show/ Prints, Drawings and Mixed Media. Messineo Art Projects and Wyman Contemporary, Chelsea, NY
Sylvia Schuster, Works on Paper.  Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, Minn

Publications

1973 The Common Woman, The Iowa City Woman’s Press, Iowa City, IA, Winter, Cover, Three Etchings

1978/79 The Spirit That Moves Us, The Spirit That Moves Us Press, Iowa City, IA, Fall/Winter Cover

1979 The Painted Bride, The Painted Bride Quarterly, Philadelphia, PA, Vol. 6, nos. 1 & 2, Six Drawings

1983 Art for the Nursing Building, University of Iowa Catalogue, Iowa City, IA, Three Etchings

Studied With

David Aronson, Garo Antresian, Leonard Baskin, Leland Bell, Robert Bornheutter, Byron Burford, Gretna Campbell, Nicholas Carone, Miguel Condé, David Driesbach, Mario Dubsky, Carl Fracassini, Gil Franklin, Juan Gomez, Sy Gresser, Walter Hamedi, Mauricio Lasansky, James Lechay, Jack Levine, Tom Majeski, Mercedes Matter, Michael Mazur, George McNeil, David Middlebrook, Gabor Peterdi, Milton Resnick, Howard Rogovin, Angelo Savelli, Julius Schmidt, George Spaventa, Heda Sterne, John Thein, Jack Tworkov, and Ulfert Wilke.