Susan Shantz, (born 1957) is a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

sculptor. Her work is often described as spiritual and feminist. She currently resides in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

. Shantz has worked with a variety of sculptural media, including twigs, ash, found objects, tomato paste, and 3D printed thermoplastic prints. Photographs of her selected works are available at th
CCCA Canadian Art Database
Themes in her work include dormancy, consumption, patterns of nature and translation.

Early life and education

Shantz has an undergraduate degree in English from

Goshen College Goshen College is a Private college, private Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Goshen, Indiana. It was founded in 1894 as the Elkhart Institute of Science, Industry and the Arts, a ...

, a Master of Arts degree in Religion and Culture from

Wilfrid Laurier University Wilfrid Laurier University (commonly referred to as WLU or simply Laurier) is a Public university, public university in Ontario, Canada, with campuses in Waterloo, Ontario, Waterloo, Brantford, Ontario, Brantford and Milton, Ontario, Milton. The ...

, and a Master of Arts degree in Sculpture and Interdisciplinary Studies from

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

Career

Shantz taught at both York University and Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario and held a number of solo exhibits. She moved to Saskatoon in 1990 to work at the

University of Saskatchewan The University of Saskatchewan (U of S, or USask) is a Universities in Canada, Canadian public university, public research university, founded on March 19, 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatch ...

, where she continued to exhibit. In 1996 she took part in an outdoor sculpture project at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery. Shantz is a Professor in Sculpture and Extended Media at the University of Saskatchewan and she was the Department Head of Art and Art History from 2007 to 2013. Shantz has received grants from the

Canada Council The Canada Council for the Arts (), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It is Canada's public arts funder, with a mandate to ...

, the

Saskatchewan Arts Board The Saskatchewan Arts Board is an arms-length funding agency that provides support to artists, arts organizations and communities. Established in 1948, it was the first agency of its kind in Canada, predating the Canada Council for the Arts by ...

, the British Columbia Arts Council and the

Ontario Arts Council The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is a publicly funded Canadian organization in the province of Ontario whose purpose is to foster the creation and production of art for the benefit of all Ontarians. Based in Toronto, OAC was founded in 1963 by O ...

. She has also written on the topics of spirituality in art and quilt-making.

Artistic Innovation

Shantz's commitment to pushing the boundaries of artistic expression is evident in her innovative techniques and exploration of diverse mediums. she consistently challenged conventional norms, inspiring future generations of artists to think outside traditional artistic constraints.

Educational Contribution

In addition to her artistic achievements, Shantz made notable contributions to the field of art education. She shared her expertise and passion with aspiring artists, leaving an indelible mark on the next generation. Many of her students have gone on to make significant contributions to the art world themselves.

Exhibition & Recognition

Shantz's legacy is further solidified by her extensive exhibition history and the recognition she received during her career. Her works have been showcased in prominent galleries and museums, contributing to the broader discourse on contemporary art. Awards and honors bestowed upon Shantz underscore the impact of her artistic contributions and the esteem in which she is held by peers and critics alike.

Artworks

Polytypes Remediation Third Space Hibernaculum (1994) Satiate (1998) Untitled (Canapoy Room, 2006-2007)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shantz, Susan 1957 births Living people Artists from Ontario Artists from Saskatoon Canadian sculptors 20th-century Canadian women artists 21st-century Canadian women artists