An Auburn business and its owners have been recognized by the New York State Senate for their work in promoting local history.
Earlier this month, Senator Rachel May presented Artistic Impressions with a New York State Senate Empire Award. In her announcement, May said that co-owners Sandy Shutter and Bill Clark have “added immeasurably to the community with their creativity” through art that touches on women’s suffrage, Auburn’s history, and more.
Speaking with Finger Lakes News Radio, Shutter said that the pair are passionate about local history.
“[Clark] and I are pretty passionate about the history of Auburn and the Finger Lakes and the early abolitionists and feminists who made their homes here.”
She added that, through their work, she and Clark hope to showcase the area’s rich history to a larger and more diverse audience. For example, in September, the two collaborated on an ornament inspired by Auburn inventor Theodore Case that is being displayed on a tree at the State Capitol Building in Albany this holiday season.
“[May] was impressed, I think, with our knowledge and what we were trying to do: make the history more mainstream,” Shutter continued.
Empire Awards are given to businesses in the state that contribute to the growth and betterment of their communities.
