Published September 25, 2026
Jump on Board: The Whimsical World of Susan Boardman
Few contemporary artists understand Nantucket's history like Susan Boardman. A year-round resident of Nantucket for more than 30 years, Susan's embroidered narratives and folk art paintings are highly collectible works of art. Encouraged by longtime owner of Nantucket Looms, Liz Winship, Susan began showing her work at Nantucket Looms more than twenty years ago.
"I am full of gratitude for Liz and Nantucket Looms," Susan says, noting that she is moved each time one of her works of art leaves the store and enters the home of a collector who will cherish the piece for years to come.
Originally from Western Massachusetts, Susan graduated from UMASS Amherst. She took a course offered by the Nantucket School of Needlery and later earned a master's degree from Simmons College in education with an emphasis in textile arts. Susan received an Advanced Professional Study certificate at the American Institute of Textile Arts at Pine Manor College, where she also served on the faculty.
Susan's embroidered narratives became well-known on the island, depicting the lives of important historic and contemporary Nantucket women. These intricate works combined dye painting, hand embroidery, handmade needle lace, applique, beadwork, gold leaf, carving and quilting.
Patience is the watchword for Susan's work, all of which is extraordinarily detailed. Not only does she feel inspired by the island's history, but the very island itself.
"This place gives us time to think, time to wait, time to wonder," Susan says.
Nantucket also brings inspiration in the form of friendships. Susan and longtime friend Molly Anderson, former director of the Nantucket Atheneum, recently celebrated the publication of their new children's book Jump on Board: A Magical Voyage to Nantucket! published by the Nantucket Historical Association.
Jump on Board tells the story of Hannah Gull and Silas Crow (a seagull and a crow, respectively) who travel home to Nantucket from San Franscisco aboard the ship Joy. With whale friends and other creatures in tow, Hannah and Silas sail to the island to spread the good news that the American whale fishery is ending, now that petroleum oil has been found in the ground.
The end of whaling is often explained as a low point in Nantucket's history, so Boardman and Anderson's narrative reframes the end of whaling from the perspective of animals the world over.
"Birds know when things are happening, animals know," Susan says, when we talk of the natural world that surrounds us here on Nantucket. "I'm sure they know some things more deeply than we do."
Jump on Board is a joyful story for children of all ages about the adventures of Hannah and Silas. Molly Anderson, a skilled researcher and writer, wrote the text and Susan illustrated the book in her whimsical style.
While deeply rooted in Nantucket history, the story began while Susan, her husband, Bill, and Molly were on a trip to Portugal. It was in Lisbon where Susan's imagination was sparked by a particularly intricate manhole depicting Libson's coat of arms: two crows (or ravens) protecting a sailing ship.
Jump on Board is available for purchase at Nantucket Looms. Susan has also brought in a selection of original paintings made to illustrate Jump on Board for sale at Nantucket Looms. This is a special opportunity for anybody who loves Susan's work or is just starting to collect this important Nantucket artist.
For CEO and partner Bess Clarke, supporting Susan and Molly in selling their book at the Looms was a full-circle moment, explains Bess. ‘Molly was my mentor when I worked at the Atheneum 20 years ago. She taught me so much about strategic leadership. And Susan has been creating beautiful works of art for us to sell for many years and baking our staff cookies each holiday. Being able to show our support of these two special women by promoting their book is our honor.’
Susan's work is about "the joy of making, the joy of getting there," she says. "When I go for a walk, I'll say, "Look at that!" and my friends say, how did you see that?"
Listing to Susan describe her relationship to the world around her and how she interprets it through art, I am reminded of something Mary Oliver wrote: "Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it."
In Susan's case, you might amend the last line to read: paint it.
