Maria Medina-Schechter
Maria Schechter (b.1976, Pasadena, CA), Currently completed the Symbiosis residency with Ayatana's Biophilium: Science school for artists, Maria is known for growing her paintings and sculptures from mycelium the same material used to fruit mushrooms. As an eco artist she also utilizes an ancient technique known as Ikebana or Japanese flower arranging. The method itself has come a long way from its humble roots as a temple offering centuries ago. Today, it is a popular and innovative ‘living art’ primarily in Japan, but Mrs. Schechter’s work with living materials also incorporates this technique, utilizing mycelium as a medium and growing her painting palette from fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Having always been a steward of the natural world she understands the urgency to inspire other generations as the next generation of gatekeepers. Understanding that we are all a part of something much larger than human life is how she finds reverence for the natural world at the centerpiece of each work she now creates. For 26 years, her work has shown with cultural institutions, including recent pocket exhibitions with the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, California. She recently closed a solo exhibition with the California State Capitol and will be completing The Gate Project in Spring 2023 with The Museum of Infinite Outcomes in Tennessee. Currently represented in part by The InFlux-Gallery, Notting Hill, London. Maria has achieved a number of grants that include The Gottlieb Foundation Emergency Grant 2022, The Fantastic Fungi Global Summit Scholarship 2021, Arts and Accessibility Grant, UCLA 2020 and The Center for Cultural Innovation 2020. Originally accepted into Pratt for her MFA in 1999, she changed course and initiated her graduate work with New York University in Visual Art Administration and later achieved a Masters in International Business with a published thesis on cause related marketing from Schiller International University, Heidelberg, Germany. She received her Bachelor of Fine Art from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington in 1998. She has lived in both Thailand and Germany and currently resides in Carmel, Indiana.
CURRICULUM VITAE
SELECT SOLO/TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2023
2023 Rinconada Library, Palo Alto, CA, "Woman of Courage", June. SOLO (forthcoming)
2023 The Museum of Infinite Outcomes, TN, Spring/TBA. SOLO (forthcoming)
2022
2022 The Influx Gallery, London, "Emergence", August. GROUP
2022 EcoAware Art Gallery, India, "Dispose to Reuse, International Art Exhibition". GROUP
2022 Garfield Park Arts Center, Indianapolis, "Red, A Color Exhibition", June 3 -25. GROUP
2022 Playground Productions, Indianapolis, "A Generous Kingdom: Preview", April 15. GROUP
2022 Sacramento County Board of Chambers, CA, "Women of Courage", Jan 7th -July 25. SOLO
2021
2021 Blue Line Arts, Sacramento, CA, Members Medley, July - September. GROUP
2021 Las Laguna Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, "Botanical Art and Illustration", December. GROUP
2020
2020 Illustrative Voices, Bay Area, CA, "20/20 Hindsight Social Justice Exhibition", December. GROUP
2020 Dab Art Co, Los Angeles, CA, "ART IN THE TIME OF CORONA™", December-January 2023. GROUP
2020 Women Soaring Project, New York, NY, "Women Suffragists", November. GROUP
2020 Triton Museum, Pocket Exhibition, Santa Clara, CA, "Covid-19: Life in a Pandemic", July. GROUP
2020 Triton Museum, Pocket Exhibition, Santa Clara, CA, "We Can't Breath", May. GROUP
2020 Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Albany, CA, "The Ground Upon Which We Stand", April 15 - May 31. GROUP
2020 Palo Alto Art Center, CA, "Happy Place", May-June. GROUP
Select Exhibitions
2018 Humani-fest, Indianapolis, June. GROUP
2015 Hidden Villa Farm, Los Alto Hills, CA, "The Women's Healing Conference", May. SOLO
2014 Sophia University, Palo Alto, CA, "Living Thailand", May -December. SOLO
2009 White Box, New York, NY, "Gut Box Art Collective", May. GROUP
Awards / Residencies
2022 Biophilium Canadian residency for artists: WildCraft, August 8th - 19
2022 Biophilium Canadian residency for artists: Symbiosis: Ecology school for artists, July 11 - 22nd
2020 Art Ventures, Half Moon Bay, CA, January
2022 Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant, New York, NY
2021 Fantastic Fungi Scholarship: Voices From The Underground, Seattle, WA
2021 Seneca Center of California: artwork acquisition for their rehabilitation center
2020 California Arts Council, A State Agency, The National Arts and Disability
Center, UCLA, 'Arts and Accessibility Grant', California
2020 The Center For Cultural Innovation, California Relief Fund for Artists
and Cultural Practitioners Grant (Covid-19 related), California
2007 Schiller International University, Benjamin Franklin Award, Heidelberg, Germany
2004 Goethe Institute, Grant/Kulturmittlerin (cultural liaison), New York
2002 The MacArthur Fellows Program, Nominee, Seattle, WA
2002 Museum of Pop Culture, exhibition, Seattle, WA
2001 Seattle Space Needle Artist Studios, studio grant, Seattle, WA
1998 Oculus Gallery, 2nd Place : The Story of The Door, (Installation), Baton Rouge, LA
1997 Cornish College of the Arts, President’s Scholarship, Seattle, WA
1994 Euphrat Museum of Art, De Anza College, 2nd place award, Cupertino, CA
Curation and Special Projects
2015 Arts Council Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz, CA
Panelist - "Professional Development Program"
2015 Santa Cruz Mountain Arts Center, Ben Lomond, CA
Board Training: Arts Marketing and Strategy Development
2015 Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, Santa Cruz, CA
Imagine SLS, Santa Cruz, CA
Curated, exhibition and annual fundraiser, Film Festival, Adults with Disabilities
2010 Thai Mundo Organization, Udon Thani, Thailand
raised 10k in art supplies and books for the local orphanage, shared insights with
administration on social media and blog training.
2009 De Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University Museum, Santa Clara, CA
Museum support, docent tours, research and exhibition support
2005 Senior Fulbright Research Scholar: Vasco Billboards and Global Trade, New York, NY
Research support of scholar Donald Fels, website development and curatorial support
2005 Victoria Secret Inc., "Elizabeth" designed the line which included a bicycle and botanical and floral
designs used in customized boxes and baskets.
2002 Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle, WA
Co-CuratedWhatisart-Whatissound: Exhibition design and program direction
2000 Independent Media Center, Seattle, WA
Co-Curated, "Stepping From The Shadows"
2000 What Is Art - What Is Sound?, Seattle, WA
Co-Founded the collective turned non-profit and co-curated all public events over a 5 year period
Education
2019, HarvardXOnline
Continued Education Courses
-
Pyramids of Giza, Ancient Egyptian Art and Archeology
-
Leaders of Learning
-
Women Making History:10 Objects Many Stories
2007-2009, Schiller International University, Heidelberg, Germany
Masters of International Management in International Business,
Thesis published on Cause Related Marketing:
"Cause Culture, Capturing Social Capital through Marketing"
2006-2007, New York University, New York, New York,
Masters, Visual Arts Administration, (Initiated graduate work-transferred 2nd yr.)
2002, Goethe Institute, Goethe-Institut Mannheim Sprachschule
1994-1998, Cornish College of The Arts, Seattle, WA
Bachelor of Fine Art
1993-1994, De Anza Community College, Cupertino, CA
Art History, Painting, Drawing,
Teaching Experience/Artist Talks
2022 Artist Relief Project (ARP), monthly online engagement
2021 Blue Line Arts, Artist Talk, Sacramento, CA
2021 Crocker Art Museum, Teacher training, Sacramento, CA
E.S.L Emotional, Social, Learning
2021 Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA
2020 Illustrative Voices, Artist Talk, San Jose, CA
2020 Private Instruction: painting, drawing and art history, CA
1998-1999 Washington International School, Northgate, WA
1998-1999 First Place, Seattle, WA
Language
English, German