Meet Nora Schreiber | Artist & Executive Director, Worthy Ones Inc

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nora Schreiber and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nora, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have two great passions in life, art and helping my community. Both began at an early age. My father was an artist and always encouraged me to create and make my life about being a working artist. My mother implored me to be a creature for helping the world be a better place. I have spent my life working towards inventing means for me to conquer both of these goals.

I have been running a non profit, Worthy Ones, for 8 years now. This began from my parents’ influence and when I decided that I would spend a year of my life raising money and volunteering for a different cause each month. I was approached by my bosses, Nick and Jen Pencis, at Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ with an offer that they would like to financially support starting this non profit. With their help, I was able to give life to the dream of making a serious impact on those around me. We have run many different projects through these years, including the annual Bus Stop Water Project. This is an effort to provide cold water bottles for those in the city of Tyler as they wait for the public transit. Their wait times can be upwards of an hour in over 100 degree heat. We place coolers at busy bus stops for these folks to find a source of reprieve from this grueling wait.

I have been a semi working artist now since graduating with my MA and MFA from the University of Texas at Tyler in 2020. I have sold locally and shown in many galleries and museums across the nation. I am very passionate about making my art work have a connection to empathy and an exploration of social interactions and traditions. I love creating public installations to invite the community to come and view my perspective of the world we share. I work painting murals for local businesses as well as selling ceramic works and my mixed media pieces. My website to view the works I have created through the years is, nora schreiber.com

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art is not what would be found in a traditional gallery setting under the aim of the works to be purchased. Some of my collage works and ceramics easily fit into that commercial world. My primary focus for my pieces is to entice viewers to gain a more well rounded perception of the world through my lens. I am far more concerned, beyond sales of my art, to give the audience an experience. I will often keep my hands busy with the smaller works while I am slowly living with and growing with larger pieces and installations. I feel it beneficial to have opportunities in making all the work my hands and mind can, smaller collage/mixed media pieces and those that wouldn’t be purchased by a patron outside of a museum installation. I feel that this way I am safe from becoming a factory worker and am able to let the concept mature and develop into what it needs to be for the audience to succeed in my intentions with their attention.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am honestly not very good with names, my mind operates in the memories, smell, what did it look like (there or on the way), and feelings I am left with. I am always ready to visit a new restaurant or bar to try their specials. I am very enamored with having time and experiences with people, whether someone new or an old friend. Because of this openness to the experience, I am rarely the one to make a fast decision on places to go and things to do. I am always visiting any and all of the galleries, pop up shows, and art museums in every place I find myself. I cannot give specific advice to anyone on where to go. I would instead say, go see it all! Spend time with art, eat new food at the hole in the wall place, drink a good cocktail or beer, and HAVE FUN and enjoy those around you.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am influenced daily by all around me. I am keen on people watching and building relationships. My mother and father were such great impacts on my soul. I have numerous friends and family and those I have met on the street that have given me the gift of perspective, encouragement and love. I can give a specific shout out to James R. and Philana Pace, they have been long standing mentors of mine. They are each very intuitive and prolific artists, their words and work are huge in my world. I have many artist friends that have given me a well balanced life of all things creative. Shout out to those that are “too cool” for this new world lived on the internet, Chelsea Bretherick, Jason Bennett, and Leon Campbell. Thank you to those that helped me get through grad school, John Miranda and Jessica Sanders. And shout out to all the folks in Tyler, Texas that have been there since I was young and throwing pop up art shows, to my installations around town, to helping with my philanthropy, and now keeping a home studio. I have far too many I believe worthy of special credit. Shout out to all the humans making this world GOOD.

Website: noraschreiber.com

Instagram: norajoannas

Facebook: Nora Schreiber

Youtube: @msnoraschreiber