Worlds of Wonder with Susan Shanley: More about Susan

[Right: Detail of Rhythms, a Saratoga Springs, NY mural created at the Ford Neighborhood Center by 56 young people working with Susan and Jessica Riley, 2003. Funded by Saratogians for Equality and Acceptance of Diversity.]

Susan V. Shanley, Teaching Artist, Muralist, Certified Social Worker, Mediator

Education: 

• Master’s degree in Social Work, SUNY-Albany School of Social Welfare, 1990
• B.A. in Fine Arts, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, 1974
• Johns Hopkins School for International Relations, Bologna, Italy, 1973-1974 

Susan has extensive experience engaging young people in art projects.  Since 1995, she has organized more than fifty public art projects and school projects involving youth, including indoor and outdoor murals, metal sculptures, dried-bean mosaics, and textiles.  She also has engaged young people to create masks, collages, poetry, paintings, posters, and numerous other art projects.

Currently, Susan works as an artist with schools, community programs, and mental health organizations, and maintains a private psychotherapy practice.  Recently, she has led the following school and community projects (funded by NYS Council on the Arts, school districts, colleges, and other sources):

• Nature Tells the Story of the Iroquois: A Celebration of Iroquois Clan Animals (4th grade)
  Main Street Elementary School, Irvington, NY
  Mural, 2007
• Animals, Animals, Animals: A Celebration of Clan Animals of the Native Peoples of the NE (5th grade)
  Ballard Elementary School, Wilton, NY         
  Mural, 2006
• Adirondack Animals: A Celebration of Mountains, Rivers and Animals (3rd grade)        
  Queensbury Elementary School, Queensbury, NY
  Three-panel mural on masonite, 2006
• Ocean Dreams: A Celebration of Costa Rica’s Ocean (community youth
  Ballston Area Community Center, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
  Mural, 2005
• Sea Magic: A Celebration of Ocean Life and Animals (community youth)
  Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, Saratoga Springs, NY
  Mural, 2005
• Sea of Dreams: A Celebration of Ocean Life and Animals (6th & 7th grade)
  Maple Avenue Middle School, Saratoga Springs, NY
  Mural, 2005
• Amazing Animals: A Celebration of World Animals (6th grade)
  Granville Elementary School, Granville, NY
  Mural, 2005
• Animals! Animals!: A Celebration of World Animals (1st & 2nd grade)
  West Patent Elementary School, Bedford Hills, NY
  Mural, 2005
• Mexico! Mexico!: A Celebration of Mexico (5th grade)
  Division St. Elementary School, Saratoga Springs, NY    
  Mural, 2005
• World Music!: A Celebration of World Music and Dance (4th grade)   
  Yates Arts-In-Education Magnet School, Schenectady, NY
  Mural, 2005
• Under the Sea: A Celebration of Ocean Animals (2nd grade)   
  Granville Elementary School, Granville, NY
  Mural, 2005
• Ocean Magic: A Celebration of Ocean Animals (kindergarten)   
  Greenville Elementary School, Scarsdale, NY
  Mural, 2005
• Strong Voices: A Celebration of World Animals (6th - 9th grade)
  Saratoga County Mental Health Clinic, Saratoga Springs, NY, 2004
  Mural on canvas, 2004
• Ode to Joy: A Celebration of World Music (6th grade)
  Greenville Elementary School, Scarsdale, NY
  Mural, 2004
• The Circle of Life: A Celebration of the Natural World of the NE Native Peoples (Children aged 6-13)
  Ndakinna Education Center: A Native Wilderness Skills Center, Greenfield Center, NY
  Two-panel mural on canvas, 2004
• Our Ocean: A Celebration of Ocean Animals (3rd - 6th grade)
  Saratoga Center for the Family (a human services agency), Saratoga Springs, NY
  Mural, 2004
• Lizard, Raccoon, and Loon: A Celebration of Adirondack Animals (4th grade)
  Queensbury Elementary School, Queensbury, NY, 2004
  Three dried-bean mosaics, 2004
• The Dragon: A Collage of Cultures and World Animals, (6th grade)
  Gloversville Middle School, Gloversville, NY 
  Five-panel mural on canvas, 2004
  Animals Around the World: A Celebration of World Animals (3rd, 4th & 5th grade)
  Pieter Coeymans Elementary School, Ravena, NY
  Mural, 2004
• Blue Whale: A Celebration of Whales (1st grade)
  West Patent Elementary School, Bedford Hills, NY
  Mural on masonite, 2004
• The Dragon: A Celebration of Chinese Culture (3rd grade)
  West Patent Elementary School, Bedford Hills, NY, 2004
  Two-panel mural on masonite, 2004
• We Are One: A Celebration of World Cultures (6th grade)
  Glens Falls Middle School, Glens Falls, NY
  Mural, 2004
• Our Hudson: A Celebration of Hudson River Animals (community youth)
  Mechanicville Community Center, Mechanicville, NY
  Mural, 2004
  The Vision of the Hawk,: A Celebration of Iroquois Culture (community youth)
  Saratogians for Equality and Diversity, Saratoga Springs, NY
  Dried-bean mosaic, 2004
• Celebration of the Nine Iroquois Clans: A Celebration of Clan Animals (community youth aged 6-13)
  Ndakinna Education Center: A Native Wilderness Skills Center, Greenfield Center, NY
  Three-panel bean mosaic, 2003
• Jazz M’ Tazz: A Celebration of Jazz & African-American Culture (community youth aged 5-20)   
  Elks Club & Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
  Mural, 2003
• Turtles, Frogs, Birds, Bugs, & Leaves  (6th, 7th &  8th grade)
  Gardiner Dickinson School, Wynantskill, NY
  Three-panel mural on masonite, 2003

As a facilitator of therapeutic support groups, Susan also leads groups of young people, women, and women and men in exploration of the self through the creative and expressive arts.  Modalities include murals, mosaics, masks, painting, poetry, journaling, and collage.

For more information, visit:

• http://www.ccproject.org/susan1.html
• http://artsineddirectory.org/visitors.html
• http://www.sipn.info/shanley.htm

Dreams of Diversity
Worlds of Wonder: Celebration Murals

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