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BIO/CURRICULUM VITAE

SELECT SOLO/TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS

Maria Schechter co-creates with the natural world using living materials, mycelium composites, and plant based palettes. She was born in Pasadena, California and raised by her Grandparents who were both artists. Maria is an American artist and is based in Bloomington, Indiana. She previously lived in New York City, Los Angeles, Bangkok, and Heidelberg, Germany. Maria is a first-generation college graduate, who was nominated for a MacArthur Award at the age of 21 for her development of What-is-Art-What-is-Sound, an international arts collective turned non-profit founded in 13 countries and 28 cities. The German Christian Mystic, Hildegard of Bingen has been an influence in her work since the 1990’s. She is also inspired by the PNW Mystics, Symbolists, Spiritualists and work by artists such as Georgiana Houghton. The botanical palettes she develops and works with are informed by the scribes of illuminated manuscripts and extensive and on-going research. She develops workshops and creates community-based projects that bring community closer to the natural world. Her recent work showcased with the Minnetrista Museum and Gardens in Muncie, Indiana in 2023 and 2024. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Art from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. She initiated graduate work with New York University and completed a master degree from Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany. She has been published in Eluxe Magazine, The Ecological Citizen, Nature Evolve Magazine, and many others since 1997. She has exhibited with the University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany, Michigan State University, the Seattle Art Museum, the Triton Museum and is currently on exhibit with the Anderson Museum of Art in Anderson, Indiana in a group exhibition Open Space: Art About the Land.

Maria Schechter HeadShot.JPG

Education

Maria Schechter

RESUME

Schiller International University, Heidelberg, Germany                                                                                                                      

Master in International Business Management, thesis focus Cause-Related Marketing

2007-2009

New York University, New York, NY

Masters, Visual Art Administration.                                                                                                                                                   

Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, WA

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Design                                                                                                                                                               

Goethe Institute, Goethe-Institut Mannheim Sprachschule

2006-2007

1994-1998

2002-2003

Select Exhibitions

Anderson Museum, "Open Space: Art About the Land, " November 2 - January 5rh, Anderson, IN, group

The Venue, Gallery Representation, Bloomington, IN

Waldron Arts Center, " Up Close: Blooming Earth", August 2nd - September, Bloomington, IN, solo

Hamilton Public Library East, Ignite, "24 Blooms & 24 Recipes", August - October, Fishers, IN,  solo

Minnetrista Museum & Gardens, "The 34th Annual Juried Art Show", March-May, Muncie, IN, group

Hamilton Public Library East, Ignite, 'The 700's' February-April, Fishers, IN group

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, TN, "Gatekeepers Returns to Earth", January, Gatlinburg, TN, group

Minnetrista Museum & Gardens, "Open Space: Art About the Land", January, Muncie, IN, group

2025

2024

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, "Degrees of Commitment: Climate, Ecosystems, and Society", 

September - December, Gatlinburg, TN, group

University of Applied Sciences, "Captcha Design Festival" September, Mannheim, Germany, group.

City of Bloomington, "Black e Brown Arts Festival", July, Bloomington, IN, group

Palo Alto City Library, "Enchanted Garden", June - July, Palo Alto, CA, solo 

Bloomington City Hall, "Eco-Heroes Contest, May, Bloomington, IN, group

Michigan State University-Lansing, Public Media Center, "Creativity in The Time of Covid-19, March-April, group

Las Laguna Art Gallery, "Climate Changing", February - March, Laguna Beach, CA, group

Las Laguna Art Gallery, "Botanical", January - March, Laguna Beach, CA, group

Studio Alchemy Gallery, "Roots", November, Indianapolis, IN, group

2023

Radical Mycology Convergence, "MushLove", October, Portland, OR, group

EcoAware Gallery, "Dispose to Reuse", India, group

Sacramento County Board of Chambers, "Women of Courage", January-July, Sacramento, CA, solo

Las Laguna Art Gallery, "Botanical Art and Illustration", December, Laguna Beach, CA, group

Blue Line Arts, "Members Medley", September, Sacramento, CA, group

Women Soaring Project, "Women Suffragists", November, New York, NY, group

Triton Museum, "Covid-19: Life in a Pandemic", Online Pocket Exhibition, Santa Clara, CA,  group

2022

2021

2020

Triton Museum, "We Can't Breath", Online Pocket Exhibition, Santa Clara, CA, group

Abrams Claghorn Gallery,"The Ground Upon Which We Stand", Albany, CA, group

Palo Alto Art Center, "Happy Place", Palo Alto, CA, group

White Box Annex, Gut Box Art Collective, New York, NY, group

Seattle Art Museum, Employee Exhibition, Seattle, WA, group

Agora Gallery, New York, NY, group

Fisher Gallery, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, WA, group

2004

2001

1998

1997

Oculus Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA, group

Center on Contemporary Art, Seattle, WA, group

Select Grants & Awards

Hamilton Public Library East, Ignite Studio, won a solo exhibition, Fishers, IN, Solo

Hamilton Public Library East, Ignite Studio, The 700's, First Place, Fishers, IN, group​

Artist Achievement Award, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

Eco-Heroes Art Contest, Second Place, presented by the City of Bloomington, Office of the Mayor and Environmental Commission, Bloomington, IN

Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant, New York, NY

16lb. donation of Mycelium by Ecovative, New York, NY​

Arts and Accessibility Grant, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA​

Center for Cultural Innovation, Grant,Los Angeles, CA​

Fantastic Fungi Global Summit, Scholarship, Los Angeles, CA

​​

Schiller International University, Benjamin Franklin Award, Heidelberg, Germany

Goethe Institute, Grant/Kulturemittlerin (cultural liaison), New York, NY

MacArthur Award Nominee, Seattle, WA

2024

2023

2022

2021

2007

2004

2001

TEACHING

Yale University: Teacher Leadership Program

The Teacher Leadership Program is a free, one-hour workshop on Zoom for educators of all levels and disciplines that meets at 4:00 pm on the first Thursday of the month throughout the academic year. The sessions are led by Jessica Sack, the Jan and Frederick Mayer Curator of Public Education; Wurtele Gallery Teachers; and Education Department staff. In this program, educators explore innovative ways to connect their curricula and interest in art with the Yale University Art Gallery’s collection. The sessions also address online and in-person teaching techniques.

2022-present

2024

Hamilton Public Library East, "Youth Botanical Workshop": This was a two hour workshop. We first discussed and reviewed images from cave paintings and heirogliyphs, using our own earth pigments developed our first eco-art project using avocado, blueberry and onion. At the library in the Ignite Studio on Saturday, August 31st. 

Hamilton Public Library East, "Adult Botanical Workshop": This was a two hour workshop and we processed avocado into a dye together at the library in the Ignite Studio on Saturday, August 24th. 

2023

The FAR Center on Contemporary Art, "Botanical Workshop": This was a three hour, adult workshop: Mycelium as a Medium, The Importance of Trees and Botanical palettes. Workshop sponsored by The FAR, North Spore and Rainbow (vegan) Donuts. 

The FAR Center on Contemporary Art, "Birds in Space": This was a one hour, youth workshop: Inspired by Romanian sculptor Brancusi. 

Studio Alchemy Gallery, "Mycelium as a Medium, The Importance of Trees and Botanical Palettes": This was a three hour, adult workshop. January 29th.

Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA

Teacher Training, (E.S.L) Emotional, Social, Learning

2021

Online instruction: Teaching; drawing, oil painting and art History

Palo Alto Arts Center, Arts Instructor, City of Palo Alto, CA

2020 -2021

2020

Affiliations

National Society of Arts and Letters, Panel Judge for the 2025 National Society of Arts and Letters Visual Arts Competition

Bloomington Arts Commission, Reader for Emerging Artists Grants, Bloomington, IN

Women's Caucus on Art, Member, Redwood City, CA

Homeless Garden Project, Board Member, Santa Cruz, CA

Santa Cruz Mountain Arts Center, Board Training, Santa Cruz, CA

Santa Cruz Arts Council, Panel Speaker & Art Marketing Trainer, Santa Cruz, CA

Founder, Cultured Social LLC

Arts Marketing & Representation

Co-Founder of What Is Art-What Is Sound, Mannheim, Germany

2025

2024

2019-2020

2016

2018

2015

2009-2019

2000-2005

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