Her forthcoming book, Making Up SoNo, details the early days of the 1970s, the interaction of the artists and mayor Bill Collins as transformation took place.
NEW YORK, NY, June 17, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Karen Santry has been recognized for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Known for her expertise in painting, Ms. Santry has distinguished herself as an accomplished artist and dedicated educator. Her career at the Fashion Institute of Technology spanned four decades, from 1980 until her retirement in 2020. During this tenure on campus, she held the esteemed position of Professor of Art in the Illustration Department. Professor Santry’s commitment to her students and her ability to inspire them to overcome the challenges inherent in pursuing artistic excellence in the competitive environment of New York City is among her proudest achievements.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Santry spent three summers painting scenery at the Atlas Scenic Studios in Norwalk, Connecticut, while pursuing her master’s degree. Later, she taught at the Silvermine Guild of Art and Yale University as a fellow. Professor Santry and one of her FIT students, Cynthia Martinez, co-founded High Tech Ties, where they designed bowties using high-tech materials sold at the Guggenheim, Whitney, and New Museums. They also exhibited at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.
Among her many accomplishments, Ms. Santry was fortunate to have her artwork sold by the prestigious Allan Stone Gallery in Manhattan. While studying at the University of Pennsylvania, Ms. Santry’s teachers were Neil Welliver, known for his landscapes, the Late Elaine de Kooning, an abstract expressionist as well as a figurative expressionist painter, and figurative artist Alex Katz. As part of her out-of-residency degree fulfillment, she painted David Bowie and experienced her first art sales with the help of Mick Jagger.
Before embarking on her teaching career, Ms. Santry had earned a bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1970 and her master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania in 1974. These academic achievements were instrumental in shaping Ms. Santry’s career.
Ms. Santry’s contributions beyond the classroom include active membership in the Society of Illustrators and, formerly the Graphic Artists Guild. A resident of the Westbeth Artists Housing and Center for the Arts in New York City since 1990, she is a member of the NYC Artists Safe Haven Residency program Advisement Committee and volunteers for Penny Jones, a renowned children’s puppet theatre. These affiliations highlight her commitment to leveraging her talents and resources for broader societal benefits. Professor Santry was one of five women who formed The Fashion Art Bank. The world’s fashion illustration company, they exhibited exclusively at the Javits Canter during the 90s through the early 2000s representing their own fashion illustrations as well as top names like Kenneth Paul Block. Reproductions as posters sold internationally until Hurricane Sandy destroyed their main office.
Born in Frankfurt, Germany, after the war, Ms. Santry’s American parents moved to Holland, where her father worked with Philip Johnson on the design of post-war buildings in precast concrete. President of Schokbeton, her father’s company specialized in a unique architectural concrete precast fabrication that became immediately popular in Denmark and Norway. Philip Johnson offered to let her father design the pagoda on the property of his glass house in New Canaan. He recommended his daughters enroll in excellent school systems, which is how Karen Santry and her sister, Dr. Santry, grew up in New Canaan, CT.
Currently, Ms. Santry is bringing her early adventures in South Norwalk to life in a book with her writing coach, Clementina Esposito. She enjoys credit for naming South Norwalk SoNo.
In 1975, with the help of her childhood friend, Susan Guerrero, who had since become a reporter for the Danbury News-Times, Karen dubbed the loft-filled industrial town of South Norwalk SoNo, citing it as a dream opportunity for artists.
This beacon Ms. Santry created was recognized in 1984. The Arts Council of Norwalk presented Santry with a plaque to express their gratitude for her commitment to attracting artists and creatives such as dancers, sculptors, and painters to the Washington and Wall Street area. Credit is also given to Mayor Bill Collins, who was a dear friend and supporter of local artists, Santry included. Together they made art shows, parades, and celebrations a local norm and even discussed Bill Collins exceptional concept of the highly popular Maritime Aquarium. Today, fifty years later, SoNo is booming with new art additions and charming boutique businesses around Washington Street and Wall Street. The SoNo Collection on 100 Water Street provides 20 artists’ studios to exhibit their work in the vast interior of the complex!
With plans to dedicate her future to painting and writing, Ms. Santry envisions her artwork being internationally exhibited. Her studio serves as both a sanctuary for creativity and a testament to her lifelong dedication to art.
Ms. Santry credits most of her success to the influence of her parents, who introduced her to artwork at a young age, her mentor, artist and painter Robert Reed, Yale faculty member and friend, and artist SVA faculty friend Jack Potter, who shared invaluable industry insights and inspiration with her.
Her forthcoming book, Making Up SoNo, details the early days of the 1970s, the interaction of the artists and mayor Bill Collins as transformation took place, while artistic events and newspaper reporting changed the area to what it is today!
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