Art has long been engrained in Patti Schust’s ethos.
“I loved art from a very young age and was encouraged all through school by my mom and by my teachers,” she said.
Schust attended Adelphi University, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She continued to work in the art field after graduating, before going back to school to become a librarian. She worked as a librarian for many years, before becoming an administrator for a private school in Forest Hills, Queens.
But one thing remained constant during that time: An artist at heart, Schust perfected the art of quilting.
“I love it,” she said. “First of all, I like to create, but I also find it to be extremely relaxing. After a busy or hard day of work, it kind of takes the edge off. I think quilting is nice, because it tells a story, and you can do it in very different ways.”
Whether she’s creating quilts with fabric purchased from quilt shops or with recycled fabrics, from things like neck ties or other clothing items, each piece she creates is unique and interesting.
And through April, her work will be on display at the East Meadow Public Library. The North Merrick resident celebrated the opening of her show on March 8 in the library’s makerspace rooms.
Quilts, Schust said, are so much more than a blanket.
“People will come to a show and say, ‘Oh, look at the nice blankets,’” she explained. “It really gets to me. They’re being complimentary, but quilts are much more than a blanket. They have a story — and they have, all through history.”
During colonial times, Schust explained that clothing was often crafted into quilts, as it is today when people are seeking to memorialize a relative or a time period in one’s life. During the Civil War, Union states would tell stories in quilting patterns, helping slaves follow known routes to freedom.
“They also carry on your family,” she said. “If you’re cutting up pieces of, as I said, someone’s ties or shirts — when my mom passed away many years ago, I took all of her house dresses and cut them apart. I made a quilt out of those. It’s a nice way to remember people.”
Schust has taught a few quilting classes, but said she really enjoys creating art for herself. As a retiree, she has a lot more time on her hands and can work whenever she wants to on her next project.
Her work has been displayed in a number of libraries, most recently at the North Bellmore Public Library and Hewlett-Woodmere Public library. Libraries are inviting spaces, she said, which makes it easy to network across the Nassau Library System and find openings for shows. Beyond libraries, Schust has also displayed her work in other locations, such as historical centers, restaurants and local shops.
At the exhibit in East Meadow, viewers can see her work in the styles of English paper piecing, fabric piecing and hand applique. Schust spoke highly of the display space in East Meadow, as well as some smaller spots she can put work to entice people to come see the rest of the show.
“East Meadow is such a beautiful library,” she said. “It has a very nice exhibition area, and it’s by the community room, so it gets good foot traffic.”
For more on the show and upcoming programming, visit EastMeadow.info.
