Bio - CV - Focus

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

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)

    2025

  • Roots/Wings Exhibition – MASS MOCA, North Adams Mass – curator, Naima White. (January 2025)

  • Art+Everywhere Retreat – MASS MOCA, North Adams Mass. (January 2025

  • Artist Residency – RAG Gallery, Rocky Neck Mass. (June 2025)

  • Ozark Giraffe at Mt. Sequoyah – awarded solo exhibition by Creative Spaces NWA in Mt. Sequoyah Hall for November-December 2025.

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)