Growing up in Burbank, California, Susan Hackett never doubted that she was an artist. Drawing came so naturally to her that she does not remember a time during her childhood when she was not drawing and painting. Her mother was one of her most passionate advocates, but when it came time for her to think about higher education, Mom was adamant that art was not the best choice of careers. “Be a teacher” was her mother’s advice. Art was just too “iffy.”

But art was Susan’s passion and she began trying to do some serious study at UC Berkeley. It was not, perhaps the best time to do any type of serious study at Berkeley, however. Political turmoil was the order of the day and constant demonstrations and political rallying did not create a very stable environment for serious study. Add to that the fact that she found the Art Department at Berkeley to be very much an “old boys club” with a rather sexist administration. There were absolutely no female instructors in the department at that time. She graduated with a degree in Practice of Art, but felt that she had not really gotten much of an education, at least not in art.

After graduation she became an artist’s model. She was a member of the San Francisco Models’ Guild and had an agent who booked her jobs for her. It paid pretty well when she was working, but there was a lot of time when there was no work. One of the best things about that experience was that she was introduced into a world of interesting, artistic people. And she had lots of time to draw. It was during that time that she began to do some life drawing. Unfortunately, her own emotional fragility seemed to hold her back. She couldn’t bring herself to show her art for fear someone would have something bad to say about it.

In search of a more stable lifestyle, she kept thinking about her 18th summer when she had worked in a geriatric care facility. She had found working with elderly people to be a very rewarding experience. Many of the residents there had serious, chronic psychiatric illnesses. President Regan had done away with public mental health institutions and the mentally ill had been transferred to regular hospitals where they struggled to cope. She worked with these residents using art and other therapeutic activities and found that although the experience was sometimes mentally and physically draining, it was also terribly interesting and fulfilling.

Finally abandoning her modeling career for good, she went to work in nursing homes, teaching art and other therapeutic activities in these facilities for eight years. She then began teaching in the adult education program at the Alameda Adult School. Hired as a supervisor, she went on to become the counselor for the adult high school diploma program. She was still producing artwork during this time, but her medium had changed. She was now designing and piecing together quilts and was becoming well known in the quilting community for her exquisite work. She was the recipient of many awards but the two that stand out in her memory are “Best of Class” at the Marin County Needle Workers and Quilt Show and the “Honorable Mention” she received at the world class Paducah Kentucky National Quilt Society.

Her life was very busy now. Not only was she working almost full time, taking care of her family and producing world-class quilts, she was also teaching classes at “Quilt Fans” in Alameda. But meanwhile, she was feeling the itch to get back into drawing.

By this time she and her husband, Don, had been living in Alameda for many years. Their home was right down the street from the business/home of Frank Bette. Frank had even refinished some furniture for them. One special afternoon, Don dropped by Frank’s business and the two of them got to talking. Don’s easygoing charm made Frank very comfortable and it wasn’t long before he was showing Don his artwork.

After Frank Bette died, Susan noticed that the building was being refurbished. Suddenly it was a bright cheery yellow and soon there was a new sign on the door: “Frank Bette Center for the Arts.” She started scratching the itch she had been feeling to take up drawing again by attending the life drawing sessions being offered at this bright new venue. Encouraged by her successes there, she began dropping in at UC Berkeley’s Saturday drop-in life drawing group. It was there that she got to know fellow Alamedan, David Savellano. He told here that there was a new director at the FBCA, Debra Owen, who was most welcoming and a supportive advocate for artists. She had an incredibly busy schedule, but one day in early 2004 she had some of her quilts in her trunk and she just decided to drop in. Debra was there and when she saw Susan’s magnificent quilts she could not contain her excitement. And thus began a new chapter in Susan’s life: the Frank Bette Center for the Arts chapter.

Susan began showing her quilts at the Center almost immediately. She reveled in the welcoming atmosphere that enveloped the Frank Bette Center. It wasn’t long before she felt confident enough to start showing her life drawings. Encouraged by her new FBCA circle of artistic friends and her artistic successes, she felt the need to give another push to her artistic development. Wanting to learn to water color, she started by buying books on the subject. And she started painting. She painted every day - sometimes up to 10 small paintings a day! Already feeling very comfortable in the warmth of the Frank Bette, she started showing off her new artwork. Art appreciators really liked them and she began selling her new works.

Like so many other people involved with the FBCA, Susan started feeling the need to give back to this organization that had that had truly validated her artistic soul. She began teaching classes at the Center. She was back in familiar territory. Teaching had always come naturally to her; it had been the cornerstone of her career. Retired now, she had the time to teach in the supportive atmosphere of the beloved Frank Bette Center for the Arts.

Susan continues to teach occasional classes and she continues to create art. In fact, she is one of the Frank Bette’s most prolific artists and you will find at least one example of her artwork in almost every single show put on by the FBCA. Susan herself will tell you that the Frank Bette Center for the Arts has made her believe in herself as a true artist.