Title: Professor of Art (Retired)
Company: Fashion Institute of Technology
Location: New York, New York, United States
Karen F. Santry, BS, MFA, retired professor of art at the Fashion Institute of Technology, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Artists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in painting.
Ms. Santry established herself as an esteemed artist and educator for more than 40 years. She retired from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2020, where she had served as a professor of art since 1980, teaching at all levels, in the Illustration Department. Additionally, Ms. Santry opened Santry Studios in 1974 as a place to create her own artwork and co-founded The Fashion Art Bank, an international fashion illustration licensing company, in 1999. She also partnered with one of her students Cynthia Martinez to develop High Tech Ties, a company where they designed bow ties using high-tech materials and exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum, the Whitney Museum, and New Museum as well as the Museum of Natural History. They exhibited annually at the Surtex annual exhibition at the Jacob Javits Center. Ms. Santry’s early career includes teaching painting at the Silvermine Guild of Artists and Yale University. She was a scenic artist at the Atlas Scenic in the summers of the early 1970’s. Her art has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Museum, the Natural Museum of Natural History and the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and notably represented by the Allan Stone Gallery as well as exhibiting in 87 different galleries.
Before pursuing her art career, Ms. Santry built a strong academic foundation. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College in 1970. Ms. Santry subsequently earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in 1974. Beginning in 1990, she resided in Westbeth Artists Housing Center for the Arts, one of the world’s largest artist communities, allowing her to share and learn from fellow creative minds. Ms. Santry has also bolstered her credentials through active membership in the Society of Illustrators as well as the Graphic Artists Guild. She was previously a member of the Graphic Artists Guild and the Society of Illustrators.
Beyond her primary vocation, Ms. Santry has fostered a reputation for contributing to the community. She volunteers her skills to Penny Jones & Co. Puppets at the Early Childhood Puppet Theatre. Ms. Santry serves on Westbeth Artists Housing’s Committee for Endangered Species, as well as the NYC Artist Safe Haven Residency Program’s Advisement Committee. She was honored with a plaque by the Arts Council of Norwalk in 1984 in recognition of her part in popularizing the industrial lofts of South Norwalk, Connecticut, as a major opportunity space for artists. Ms. Santry was notably the first person to nickname the neighborhood “SoNo” and collaborated with the city’s Mayor Collins to plan art shows, parades, and the concept that later became the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.
Ms. Santry attributes the success she has found to her parents, who exposed her to art at a young age with trips to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Her journey was also aided by mentorship from such acclaimed artists and teachers as Jack Potter, Robert Reed, Elaine de Kooning, Alex Katz and Neil Welliver. Ms. Santry’s creative drive has been fueled by proximity to other artists, even across mediums. Her earliest works included painting rock stars like Mick Jagger and David Bowie, who she briefly accompanied on a tour.
Though officially retired, Ms. Santry remains active in many endeavors. She plans to focus on painting and writing in the future, including publishing her first book, “Making Up SoNo.” Ms. Santry hopes to achieve wider exhibition of her works in the future, with ambitions of being featured at the Whitney Biennial and museums around the world. She also intends to start another art design company with the same former student she partnered with for High Tech Ties. Whether as a teacher, an entrepreneur, or an artist, Ms. Santry has made an indelible impact on the world and will surely continue to do so. Her artwork can be viewed at Karensantry.com.
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