Bio - CV - Focus

Observing generational changes to the place in which
I live – Arkansas Momentos.

Artist Statement

My work critically observes Ozark history and the adjacent lands once described as Indian Territory. Since moving to the Heartland more than a decade ago, my subjects traverse inter-generational tensions of both new and native residents. 

Historical time and place give context to my work, and my message builds upon collaboration with mentors: Patty Carroll, John Coffer, Jim Dow, Marvin Heiferman, Susan Meiselas, and Roger Sassaki. With gravitas and gratitude, I also reflect on my two years of study with Beaumont Newhall. He gave tonic and temperament to my topics as a visual artist.

Arts
Education

  • AB – (Photojournalism) University of Missouri - Columbia

  • BAFA – (History of Photography) University of New Mexico - Albuquerque

  • MFA – Art Institute of Boston / Lesley Art+Design

Chuck Davis – The Wheel

An exhibit of 38 photographic images, many made using antique equipment – including a 1904 Seroco 4×5 dry plate camera. Span of techniques ranged from 4x5 large-format film to wet-plate photography which uses hand-coated emulsions on tin and glass. As Davis describes his exhibition:

‘The Wheel is the name of a project in progress, honoring and observing lands once described as Indian Territory. Cultural narratives inform this project, situated in places of forced relocation—and especially areas near the terminus of the Trail of Tears.’

The name itself—The Wheel—refers to a lottery wheel containing ‘chits’ or slips of paper that enabled newly arriving Europeans to usurp parcels of land stolen from native people. Colonial people migrated, surveyed, parceled, and then auctioned native land using a lottery wheel.

EXHIBITION HISTORY

& ARTS ENGAGEMENT

Crystal Bridges - Instant Film 'Pop Up'
Exhibit - April 2016

PSNWA Gallery, North by Southwest –
December 2016

Ozark Giraffe - Rogers AR

Ozark Symposium, Giraffe Homes – October 2023

PROCESS, Nexus of Northwest Arkansas –
January 2019

2016

  • Instant Film demonstration and ‘Pop Up’ Exhibit – Crystal Bridges Museum (April 2016)

  • Gallery Conversation – ‘The Open Road’ – Crystal Bridges Museum – With curator Ali Demoritski (May 2016)

  • ‘4Square’ – KCAC Underground Gallery, Kansas City MO – Group Show (July 2016)

  • ‘A Study in Photographic Diversity’ – John Baltz Gallery, Springdale AR – Juried Show (August 2016)

  • ‘Current Works 2016’ – Haw Contemporary, Kansas City MO – curated by Larry Meeker & Jan Schall (November 2016)

  • ‘North by Southwest’ – PSNWA Gallery & Studios, Bentonville AR – with Cleeo and Keli Wright (December 2016)

    2017

  • Listed Artist – Arkansas Arts Council (August 2017)

  • ‘Finding your Vision: Creating a Message with Dan Snow’ – MapSYM, Eureka Springs AR (Moderator – May 21st, 2017)

  • ‘Light Sensitive’, Art Intersection, Gilbert AZ – Juror Ann M. Jastrab (January 2017)

  • Published in The Hand (Issue 17, July 2017) – ‘Halloween 1981’

  • ‘Current Works - 2017’ – Mallin and Jacqueline B. Charno Galleries, Kansas City MO – Juror Keith Davis (Nov 2017)

  • ‘In Our Natural State’ – Rogers Experimental House, Rogers AR. Two-person show with Dan Snow (November 2017)

    2018

  • ‘One Year Down’ – New Deal Studios, Little Rock AR. Curated by Rachel Trusty (January 2018)

  • ‘2018 Delta des Refusés’ – Butler Center, Little Rock AR. Curated by Rachel Trusty (June 2018)

    2019

  • ‘Rewilding the Grid’ – Raizes Gallery, Cambridge MA. Curated by Andrew Mroczek (January 2019)

  • Published in PROCESS – Zine, Cambridge MA (January 2019) – ‘The Nexus of Northwest Arkansas’

  • ‘Collaborations and Conversations’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curated by Steven Schneider  (March 2019)

  • ‘PhotoSpiva’ – Spiva Arts Center, Joplin MO. Juried by Patty Carroll (March 2019) – Juror’s Stipend Award

  • ‘Flagship Heritage Biennial’ – VanDernoot Gallery, Cambridge MA. Lesley Art + Design Alumni Show (May 2019)

    2020

  • ‘Control’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curated by Ciara Froning (January 2020)

  • ‘Chaos and Confusion’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curated by Laurie Foster, Pat Hennon, and Octavio Logo (March 2020)

  • ‘PhotoSpiva’ – Spiva Arts Center, Joplin MO. Juried by April Watson. (March 2020)

    2021

  • ‘Exploring Mindscapes’ – Invitational, Fort Smith Regional Art Museum (RAM). Stipend and Solo Show Award (Feb-May 2021)

  • ‘Re-Emergent’ – Millar Building, Mount Sequoyah, Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curated by Laurie Foster (July 2021)

  • ‘Our Art, Our Region, Our Time’ (1st Annual) – Walton Art Center, Fayetteville AR.  Juried by Kathy Thompson. (July 2021)

  • ‘Fresh From the Studio’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curator Laurie Foster (August 4th-October 1st, 2021)

  • Día De Los Muertos – Mount Sequoyah, Creative Spaces, Fayetteville AR. Curator Lourdes Valverde (October 22-November 6, 2021)

    2022

  • Paper Routes – Collaboration with Simone Wicca (Brazil), Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women traveling exhibition with interpretation by Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. (January 13 – February 26, 2022)

  • ‘The Wheel’ – solo exhibition, Martha Jones Gallery, Fort Smith Regional Art Museum (RAM). Stipend Grant - Lecture Series. (March-June 2022)

  • ‘PhotoSpiva’ – Spiva Arts Center, Joplin MO. Jurors Eric and Erin Dodson. (March-May 2022)

  • ‘A Sense of Place’ – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR. Curator Laurie Foster (April 7th-May28th, 2022)

  • ‘Light Sensitive’, Art Intersection, Gilbert AZ – Juror Elizabeth Opalenik (July 2022)

  • ‘Our Art, Our Region, Our Time’ (2nd Annual) – Walton Art Center, Fayetteville AR.  Juried by Kathy Thompson. (October 2022)

    2023

  • ‘Art + Everywhere’ – VanDernoot Gallery, Cambridge MA. Lesley Art + Design 20th Anniversary Show. (July 2023)

  • ‘Magnificent Monochromes’ – Sage Gallery, Sheridan WY. Curated by Keith Davis (February 2023)

  • Les Femmes Fâchees: Angry Women – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR – Curator Laurie Foster, May 2023.

  • Current Works 2023 – Albrecht Kemper Museum, St Joseph MO.
    Juror Elijah Gowin (October 2023)

  • The Avoidance of Othering - Ozark Giraffes. Presenter at the Ozarks Symposium, Missouri State University - West Plains (October 2023)

  • Around Town – Local Color Gallery, Fayetteville AR. Curator Alex Cogbill (October-November 2023)

2024

  • Innovation Grant – Ozark Giraffe. Awarded by ‘Art + Everywhere’ – (January 2024)

  • Distant Dialogues – Float Magazine. Honorable Mention. Curators Lisa Beard, Micah McCoy, and Vann Powell – (February 2024)

  • Your Daily Photograph – Keetoowah Elder, Photogravure (Artist Proof) – March 29, 2024

  • 9th Anniversary Show – Local Color Gallery, Fayetteville AR. Jury: Jeff Jackson, Bethany Springer, and Jeff Rhames
    (April-May 2024)

  • Cambridge Art National Show – Cambridge Mass, juror Ben Sloat (May-August 2024)

  • Word Play – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR – Curator, Susan Idlet (July-August 2024)

  • Nexus of Northwest Arkansas – Fayetteville Public Library, Fayetteville AR – Curator, Susan Idlet (October 2024-January 2025)

  • Ozark Giraffe:Beyond a Home’s Walls – Two-person fence wall exhibit with Mario Quiroz (October 2024-January 2025).

  • Surreality – Fenix Arts, Fayetteville AR – Curator, Zeek Taylor (October–November 2024)

  • Current Works 2024 – Leedy Volkus Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri, juror Adam Finkelstein. (October–December 2024)

PORTFOLIOS

Nexus of Northwest Arkansas

  • Jack – 1976 (portfolio #1)

  • Biddy – 1978 (portfolio #2)

  • Halloween – 1981 (portfolio #3 – unique chromogenic prints)

  • Dogpatch – 2017 (Mail Art on DiBond™)

  • Nexus of Northwest Arkansas – 2019 (Dye Sublimation on Aluminize™)

CURATION

  • Our Natural State – Works by 18 national and international 18 artists – including Alec Soth, Mike Disfarmer, Tim Hursley, and Sabine Schmidt. Art Center of the Ozarks, Springdale Arkansas (July-August 2018)