Artist Statement
Artist Statement
As a full time pastel artist, I focus on realistic landscapes and still life paintings. Pastels are my sole medium because they provide that “hands on” feeling. Getting right into the painting with my hands, makes the paintings become a part of me in many ways! Nothing stands between me and the medium, not even a brush! It’s very tactile.
The great midwest light and shadows combined with a bit of nostalgia about old farms is my biggest inspiration. I want to capture the natural landscape we have here, before it disappears. Beauty can be found all around us in the everyday landscapes we take for granted. When you look at my work, see if any of them remind you of a certain place, memory or person. Also look for the details in each that are all done with pastel sticks and fingers. I hope my work brings joy and peace. Life is too short to do otherwise.
RESUME'
Awards/Honors:
1/2017 Signature Member Status -Juried Mid America Pastel Society Kansas City, MO
7/28/18 $200 2nd Place Award Corning Art Center Plein Air Event Corning, IA
1/2018 Special Merit Award Light,Space&Time Online Gallery Online
4/2016 2 - 2nd Place Awards Iowa Artists Spring Show Storm Lake, IA
7/ 1/15 Honorable Mention Jerry’s Artarama Pastel International Competition Online
4/11/15 2nd & 3rd Place Iowa Artists Spring Regional Competition Storm Lake, IA
3/18/15 2 paintings - Finalist Pastel Society of the West Coast Annual Comp Online
1/12/15 1st Place Prize Western Iowa Regional Art Competition Denison, IA
10/2014 Finalist The Artist Magazine Annual International Competition Dec 2015 issue
9/2014 Honorable Mention Smiling Turtle Competition Omaha, NE
6/2014 Honorable Mention Iowa Artists Annual Statewide Competition Decorah, IA
4/7/14 1st Place Iowa Artists Annual Competition Storm Lake, IA
7/2013 Artist of the Day Visual Language Magazine Ezine
2013 Honorable Mention Iowa Artist Regional Show Storm Lake, IA
2013 One of 7 Finalists Emerging Artists Contest Omaha, NE
2012 Best of Show Raccoon River Art Fair Coon Rapids, IA
2012 2 Honorable Mentions Jerry’s Artarama Summer Pastel International Online Contest Online
2012 1st Place Award Iowa Artists Statewide Show Calmar, IA
2012 1st Place & 2nd Place Iowa Artists Regional Show Spencer, IA
2012 2nd Place Ribbon Iowa Artists Regional Show Spencer, IA
2011 2nd Place Award Art Extravaganza Carroll, IA
2011 Honorable Mention Iowa Artists Regional Show Spencer, IA
* Many more ribbons won over the years since 1974.
Exhibitions:
7/2018 Annual Landscape Show Over Anderson Gallery
6/2018 For Pastels Only National Show Pastel Society of Cape Cod S. Yarmouth, MA
3/2018 Heartland National Show Tim Murphy Gallery Merriam, KS
2/2018 Cityscapes International Show Light Space & Time Gallery Online
11/3/17-1/6/18 INVITATIONAL SHOW (Ober Anderson) OA GALLERY Kirkwood, MO
10/5-10/28/17 Members Only Show MAPS Time Murphy Gallery Merriam, KS
6/1-6/29/17 SOLO SHOW Greenfield Art Center Greenfield, IA
4/6-5/20/17 SOLO SHOW Octagon Gallery Ames, IA
4/2017 Juried Show/Competition Pastel Society of the West Coast Online
3/4-4/1/2017 Juried Regional Competiton/Show Tim Murphy Gallery Merriam, KS
10/2016 Sedona Art Center Sedona Art Prize Online Sedona, AZ
10/5/2016-1/28/2017 Group Show - Members Iowa Pastel Society Show - Blanden Art Museum Fort Dodge, IA
4/9/2016 Group Show - Members - Juried Iowa Artists Spring Show Storm Lake, IA
3/4-4/25/2016 Group Show - Members Loess Hills Plein Air Member Show Council, Bluffs, IA
12/1/15 - 2/1/16 Group Show Juried MAPS Member Show Buttonwood Art Space Kansas City, MO
11/1/15 - 1/15/16 Chait Small Works Chait Annual Small Works Juried Exh Iowa City, IA
9/20/15 - 11/17/15 Estes Park Art Gallery Annual National Exhibit Estes Park, CO
8/15 — Upstream People Gallery Annual Online Juried Art Exhibit Online
8/1/15 UART International Comp Exh UART Art Suppies International Exh Online
7/1/15 — Group Show Competition Jerry’s Artarama International Comp Exh Online
7 & 8/2015 Solo Show Quad City Galleries - Intl Airport Moline, IL
7 & 8/2015 Group Competition Mid American Pastel Society Topeka, KS
6/20/15 - 8/29/15 Group Show Iowa Heritage Gallery Des Moines, IA
6-7/2015 Group Show For Pastels Only on Cape Cod S.Yarmouth, MA
6/1- 10/28/15 Group Show & Comp - Juried Iowa Artists - Cedar Rapids Art Museum Cedar Rapids, IA
5/9/15 Group Show Juried Iowa Pastel Society Annual Des Moines, IA
4/1-5/1/15 Goup Show & Comp - Juried Pastel Society of the West Coast ONLINE
3/1-3/31/15 Group Show Members Only Mid American Pastel Society Kansas City, MO
2/28-4/1/15 Group Competiton/ Show Richeson Small Works Comp/Exh Kimberley, WI
1/12/15 Group Competition/Show Western Iowa Regional Denison, IA
11/2014 Solo Show Cherokee Museum Cherokee, IA
11/1/2014 Harlan Art Fair Courthouse Harlan, IA
10/1-10/31/14 Solo Show Sanford Museum Cherokee, IA
7/2014 Solo Show Corning Center for Fine Art Corning, IA
12/2013 Solo Show Primrose Center Omaha, NE
10-12/2013 (Member) Group Show IA Pastel Society Octagon Center for the Arts Ames, IA
9/2013 Solo Show (Invitational) LeMars Art Center LeMars, IA
8-10/2013 (Juried) Group Show (Juried) Octagon Center for the Arts Ames, IA
7-8/2013 Invitational Plein Air Event & Exhibit Corning Center for Fine Art Corning, IA
6-7/2013 Member Iowa Pastel Society Exhibit Marion Art Center Marion, IA
6/2013 Daily Palette (Invitational) ISU Online Widget Promotion Ames, IA
5-7/2013 Group Show & Comp Richeson School & Gallery Comp & Exh Kimberley, WI
4/9 - 4/27/2013 Solo Show (Invitational) Witter Gallery Storm Lake, IA
4/6/2013 (Member) Iowa Artists One Day Exhibit - Witter Gallery Storm Lake, IA
3/2013 Daily Palette (Invitational) ISU Online Widget Promotion Ames, IA
1/2-1/27/2013 Emerging Artist Group Show Artist Coop Gallery Omaha, NE
* Many other exhibits through the years.
Gallery Affiliation:
Artisan Gallery 218, West Des Moines, IA Xanadu Gallery, Scottsbluff, AZ Online gallery
Clear Lake Art Center, Clear Lake, IA Painted Camel, Macedonia, IA
Lectures/Workshop Instructing Experience:
4/29/17 Pastel Workshop - Octagon Gallery Ames, IA
11/9/16 Open Studio and Painting Demo Denison, IA
5/8/16 Pastel Workshop - Witter Gallery Storm Lake, IA
2/21/15 Pastel Workshop Denison, IA
11/8/2014 Open Studio and 2 Painting Demos Denison, IA
10/25/2014 Taught Pastel Intro Class LeMars, IA
8/14-15/2014 Taught 2 day Pastel Workshop Spencer, IA
8/7/2014 Taught Pastel Workshop Marshalltown, IA
3/2014 Taugh Pastel Workshop Denison, IA
10/2013 Taught Pastel Workshop Denison, IA
5/6/2013 Presentation on my work VEO - Benevolent Women’s Org., Denison, IA
3/16/2013 One day pastel painting workshop Denison, IA
2/20/2013 Presentation on my work Christian Women’s Club, Denison, IA
11/17/2012 One day pastel painting workshop Denison, IA
10/13-14/2013 2 day pastel painting workshop Maquoketa Art Center, Maquoketa, IA
Education:
7/2018 Composition Workshop Iowa Artists Madrid, IA Caryn Kepford
5/6-7/2017 Pastel Workshop Iowa Pastel Society Des Moines, IA Lorenzo Chavez
2016 Pastel Workshop Clear Lake Art Center Clear Lake, IA Mike Beeman, & Tom Christopher
1991 AS degree DesMoinesAreaCommCollege Ankeny, IA Architectural Drafting
1977 1 semester Morningside College SiouxCity, IA Art and Psychology
2012 Pastel Workshop Clear Lake Art Center Clear Lake, IA Tom Christopher
1991 Oil & Pastel Workshop Churdan Art Studio Churdan, IA
Collections: (Private and Corporate):
HyVee Food Stores Carroll, IA Ilene Nelson Harlan, IA
Mr. Deiterman, cpa Las Vegas, NV Jan Jacobsen Denison, IA
Home Health Services Carroll, IA Adrienne Collins Denison, IA
Mrs. Schmitt Remsen, IA Physical Therapist/Hospice Omaha, NE
Ann Pape Omaha, NE Joe Connors Omaha, NE
Mr Collison Carroll, IA Huebner Funeral Home Denison, IA
Carol Stone Boone, IA Juan Estrada Mexico
* Many other private collectors who wish to remain anonymous
Bibliography:
Articles & Press Releases
Spring 2016 Artsy Shark Online Art Magazine - Juried acceptance
Spring 2015 Iowa Artists newsletter
7/2014 Southwest Magazine Midwest Landscape Artists print & online
8/2013 Discover! Magazine Sheldon/LeMars, IA (Interviewed for upcoming Solo Show)
1/2013 Omaha world Herald Omaha, NE
12/2012 Denison Bulletin Review Denison, IA
12/2012 LeMars Daily Sentinel LeMars, IA
11/2011 Denison Bulletin Review Denison, IA
11/2011 Carroll Daily Times Herald Carroll, IA
2005 LeMars Daily Sentinel LeMars, IA (local resident Artist Bio piece)
1998 Carroll Daily Times Herald Carroll, IA (local resident Artist Bio piece)
Books
3/1/15 Richeson Art School & Gallery Annual Small Works - Landscape Competition and Exhibit
6-8/2013 Richeson Art School & Gallery Annual Seascape & Landscape Competition and Exhibit
Advertising in major Art Magazines
2016 Featured Artist in ARTSY SHARK internet publication/blog
11/15 Painted Camel show ad, Macedonia. IA Newspaper and online
8/15 Harlan Newspaper (Show)
12/2014 The Artist’s Magazine (Listed as a finalist)
6/2014 Southwest Art Magazine
10/2012 American Art Collector Magazine (part of Xanadu Gallery ad)
6/2012 Southwest Art Magazine (my studio ad)
3/2012 Southwest Art
2012 Western Iowa Tourism Board circular (my art was featured)
2011 Western Iowa Tourism Board circular (my art was featured)