Nancy Schön, the renowned Massachusetts sculptor best known for creating Boston's iconic "Make Way for Ducklings" sculpture, has reached another remarkable milestone by celebrating her 97th birthday while continuing to create new artwork. The artist, who remains active and vibrant, recently unveiled her latest piece titled "LOVE," demonstrating that her creative spirit remains as strong as ever despite her advanced age.
Schön's most famous work, the "Make Way for Ducklings" bronze sculpture located in Boston Public Garden, was inspired by Robert McCloskey's beloved 1941 children's book of the same name. However, her artistic legacy extends far beyond this single masterpiece, encompassing sculptures for the Newton Free Library, Beacon Hill, and various other locations across the United States and internationally. Throughout her career, she has welcomed reporters and photographers into her home studio, sharing insights about her life and artistic process.
Despite her age, Schön maintains an extraordinarily active lifestyle that would impress people decades younger. Her granddaughters, Mia and Jackie Schon, report that she swims in her pool daily and insists on carrying her own groceries up the stairs. She continues to operate her online business, personally packing and shipping books and sculptures to customers. "You're selling your books online and your sculptures on your online store, and she's the one who's packing them up and bringing them to the post office," observed Mia Schon, who refers to her grandmother as "Nanny."
The artist's mental acuity remains sharp as she embraces modern technology with remarkable proficiency. She regularly uses various smartphone apps, including social media platforms, and utilizes FaceTime, email, and Venmo to stay connected with her extensive family of 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. "She's really tech savvy, always responding to texts, FaceTime, email, Venmo, like she knows all the apps. She does Zoom, everything," her family notes. Remarkably, she has even incorporated 3D printing technology into her artistic practice.
Schön's culinary skills are as legendary within her family as her artistic talents. She continues to host family gatherings and is particularly celebrated for her baking abilities, specializing in lemon squares, brownies, and blueberry pancakes. Her Thanksgiving sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows have become a family tradition, though Jackie Schon humorously recalls, "I learned my first swear words when they burned every year!" The artist's approach to aging seems deceptively simple yet effective, as Jackie observes: "You hear all these tips on how to age. She doesn't do anything fancy. But she does everything right."
The artistic legacy Nancy Schön has created extends beyond her own work to influence multiple generations of her family. Many of her relatives have become professional artists themselves, including Mia, who works as a mosaic artist, and Jackie, who is a photographer. "I think we've all learned from her how to be a professional artist in this world and how to build a business, and how to make beautiful things that matter," Mia explained. This artistic influence traces back to Schön's own early beginnings in sculpture.
Schön's artistic journey began at the remarkably young age of five, when she attended a Halloween party where children were given gum and challenged to create sculptures. The young Nancy crafted a miniature cup and saucer that won first place, foreshadowing the distinguished career that would follow. Today, she continues working in her studio, though she acknowledges that "somehow I still do everything I've always done, but rather slowly everything takes so much more time."
Her latest creation, the "LOVE" sculpture unveiled on her 97th birthday, carries a meaningful message that reflects her philosophy. "This is a message that I want to send out to the world. I want us to think about how important love is," Schön explained. She maintains an inspiring perspective on creativity, believing that "whatever you do, you're an artist. It's something that you do and you do well," encouraging everyone to embrace their inner artistic abilities and continue pursuing their passions regardless of age.
