Artist Biography & Facts

Mark Shasha

The varied work of this award-winning American artist has appeared in museums, galleries, libraries and a wide range of publications from the Boston Globe to the website of the Vienna Chamber Orchestra.  His original paintings, books, and prints are in public and private collections around the world from Martha's Vineyard to Australia.

Mark Shasha is a 1983 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design where his teachers included the oil painter Trent Burleson, Bauhaus colorist Sy Sillman, artist and author Chris Van Allsburg (Jumanji, The Polar Express), and the portrait artist Tony Janello, among others.

Like some of his instructors, Shasha took a well-rounded education in the fine arts with a strong emphasis on drawing and painting into the world of narrative art honing his skills as an illustrator in the 1980's.  His first book with Simon & Schuster, the award-winning Night of the Moonjellies (winner of the Marion Vannett Ridgway Honor Book Award), is considered by The Smithsonian to be a classic of children's literature.

But Mark Shasha left illustration and has been a full-time studio artist since 1999.  He is an elected artist of the North Shore Arts Association where he won the 'Popular Vote' in Exhibition III in the summer of 2005.  He continues to exhibit paintings in several galleries, including the Marblehead Arts Association, which awarded him three consecutive 'Best of Show' awards (2003, 2004 and 2005) and the Rockport Art Association where he was recently elected membership.

Shasha is particularly drawn to the richness of the New England coastline where he has lived since his childhood.  His subjects are often familiar, realistic and figurative.  He conveys his particular fascination with the timeless and magical qualities of reflected light on water, in the atmosphere and on the unique textures found at the edge of the sea.

His art has been exhibited at The New York Society of Illustrators, The Lyman Allyn Museum, The Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, Locco Ritoro Gallery and elsewhere.  A gallery in New London presented the first retrospective of his work in 2003, "The Art of Mark Shasha - Then and Now," highlighting his movement from illustration to fine art.

Shasha lives in Swampscott, Massachusetts with his wife and two children.

PERIODICALS WHERE REFERENCED
Forrester, Caroline, "Mark Shasha-Reflections: Featured Artist", North Shore Life Magazine (summer 2009)
Robert's Snow, Viking/Penguin Children's Books, 2006 by Grace Lin, Snowflakes of 2005
The Whale Trail Book - 50 Fabulous Whales, Summer 2005, Whale Trail Publishing, K&M Publishing, New London, CT.  p.22
The Salem News, "Blooming at the Hooper Mansion", May 13, 2005 p. B2
The Boston Globe, "Safe Harbor", June 21, 2005 p. E4 Living/Arts
Marblehead Reporter, "Hitting a Homerun - Shasha's Great Contribution", June 2, 2005 p.1
The Reporters, "Swampscott Artist Creates Signature Piece for Hospice", May 26, 2005 p. A&M 3
North Shore Sunday, "A Sort of Homecoming", Art Section, May 27, 2005

Arts at the Hooper, New Oil Paintings, vol. 84, number 3, 2004, p.1
 
Smithsonian, "Notable Books of the year", Nov. 2003 Issue
Boston Globe, People/North, "Mark Shasha at Grosvenor Park", July 6, 2003 p.10

The New London Day, "Captivated Audience", April 5, 2000, sec. B, p. 1
The Lynn Daily Evening Item, "Author gets an audience", Feb. 10, 2000, p. 8
The Mystic River Press, "Butler Pupils Discover a Brave New World", Sept. 10, 2000, p.8
Swampscott Reporter, "Books and Beyond", Jan. 3, 2000,
 
The Westerly Sun, "Mark Shasha Comes to Pawcatuck", March 16, 1997, p. 17
 
The Chariho Times, "Mark Shasha at Charlestown", May 2, 1994, p 4-A,
The Regional Standard, Colchester, CT.,"Artist's Sketches Draw Attention", Vol. 9. Issue36, May 11, 1996
The Middletown Press, "The Art of Drawing",  March 6, 1996 p. A3
Publisher's Weekly, Jun 6, 1996, p. 64
Norwich Bulletin, "Scenes Seem Familiar for Good Reason", June 3, 1994 Sec B. p.1
The Hartford Courant, Student's get taste of the write stuff, May 2, 1996, p B6
 
Friends of Harkeness, Waterford, CT, "8400 Celebrate 2nd Annual Harkeness Day",
Fall/Summer 1995, p.1
 
The New London Day, "Mark to visit Harbor School", April 8, 1994, p. B4
The Shoreline Times, "Author in Residence", Nov. 23, 1994, p.18-M
The New London Day, "Shasha's Beastly World" June 3, 1994, pp. A10-11
The Post Road Review, Around Town, October 1994 issue, p.3
The Regional Standard, Salem, CT.,"The Book-writing Business", June 18, 1994, p.20
Publisher's Weekly, "The Hall of Beasts", June 2, 1994
 
The New York Times, "Art Review by Vivien Raynor - Dancing Fairies, Cavorting Pigs: Illustrations for Children's Books" August, 8, 1993, p. 16
"Something About the Author", volume 83, Mark Shasha, pp. 202-203. Gale Pub.1993
School Matters, Quaker Hill, CT. "Mark Shasha visits Quaker Hill, Winter 1993/94, p.3
Sesame Street Parent's Guide, Natural Wonders, by Judith Rovenger, July/August Issue, 1993
Horn Book Guide, spring 1993, p. 46
Connecticut Magazine, Events, August 1993, p. 28
 
The New London Day, "Author Mark Shasha to be at Lyman Allyn", August 3, 1993, p. B 4
The New London Day, "Children's Books Grow Up - This Wondrous World" June 13, 1993
p.1 section C.
This Wondrous World - Children's Book Illustration in New England, Lyman Allyn Museum Exhibition, New London, CT, Published by Lyman Allyn Museum Arts, June, 1993
 
Junior Library Guild, "About Mark Shasha and his book, Night of the Moonjellies", Spring 1992, p.14
The New London Day, "A Window to the World - Mark Shasha", August 28, 1992, p. B7
Children's Book Review Service, Dec. 1992 p.41
Publisher's Weekly, July 20, 1992, p. 249;
Booklist, Dec 15, 1992 p.24
School Library Journal, Dec. 1992, p. 36
Smithsonian, Notable Books of the year, Nov.18, 1992 Issue

 
SPECIAL AWARDS
Best of Show, Marblehead Arts Association, 2003, 2004, 2005. 
Popular Vote, North Shore Arts Association 2005. 
Marion Vannett Ridgway Honor Book Award 1993 for written and illustrtated Simon & Schuster book "Night of the Moonjellies", Shining Star Award 1999 recieved for educational contributions.
 
ASSOCIATION/EXHIBITIONS
 
2005 - New Member's Show - Rockport Art Association, Rockport, MA
2005 - RSE November Exhibition - Gallery Locco Ritoro -Boston, MA, SOWA art district
2005 - Robert's Snow Exhibition - The Child At Heart Art Gallery, Newburyport, MA
2005 - Exhibition III, North Shore Arts Association, East Gloucester, MA
2005 - Exhibition II, North Shore Arts Association, East Gloucester, MA
2005 - Lyme Light, Lyme Art Association, Lyme, CT
2005 - New England Invitational Exhibition, Marblehead Arts Association
2005 - New Member's Show, North Shore Arts Association, East Gloucester, MA
2005 - Spring Exhibition, Mystic Arts Association, Mystic, CT
2005 - Connecticut Fine Arts Academy 94th Annual Invitational Exhibition, Mystic, CT
2005 - Colors of Spring - Lyme Art Association, Lyme, Connecticut
2005 - The Lyme Winter Show - Lyme Art Association, Lyme Conncticut
2004 - The Big Show, Marblehead Arts Association - Marblehead, MA
2003 - The Winter Show - Marblehead Arts Association - Marblehead, MA  
1993 - The Art of Children's Literature - Lyman Allyn Museum - New London, CT
1983 - New Talent Exhibition - New York Society of Illustrators - New York, NY

MEMBERSHIPS IN ART-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

North Shore Arts Association - Gloucester, MA - Artist Member (elected)
Rockport Art Association - Rockport, MA - Artist Member (elected)
Marblehead Arts Association - Marblehead, MA - Artist Member (elected)
Lyme Art Association - Lyme, Connecticut - Artist Member (Associate Artist)
Mystic Arts Association - Mystic, Connecticut (Associate Artist)
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) (Published Member)

Source:
Infromation provided by the artist