Ricki Klages
E-mail: rlk@uwyo.edu
Statement
I have worked professionally as an artist for the past twenty years, and over time one thing has remained constant: the influence of landscape. My paintings reflect the influence of the places I have seen, visited, or lived in. Although I have lived predominantly in the American West, the thirst for the inspiration of new places, landscapes and other environments has been constant. I have had the good fortune to live several years in Northern Italy. All of these environments are referenced either directly or more subtly within my paintings.
My paintings are a mix of straightforward landscape representation, dream imagery, intensive observation and subtly startling images that incorporate elements of magic, still life and the figure. My current work, under the umbrella title of, “Wish You Were Here”, involves my constant wishing to be ‘elsewhere’. I am a restless traveler and I am always missing the places I have left behind, yet always yearning for another place to go; a new adventure. Metaphorically, the ‘rain’ of objects, which create a veil in front of the landscape background, reference tears and melancholy, hope and regret, and a slow and sometimes painful passage of time.
I have recently completed a new and ongoing body of work which references the shrines and significant spiritual way stations in Italy and depicts the ruins of both ancient and modern houses. These paintings were inspired by the four years I lived in Northern Italy. I was struck by the ancient ‘house’ shaped niches in Pompeii and how similar they were to the roadside Catholic shrines dotted throughout the countryside. These paintings serve as my homage to the history and constant beauty of Italy and how ruins, both ancient and modern contain a poignant and relevant memory of the people who lived there.
Education and Academic Titles:
Head, Department of Art, University of Wyoming, 2006-
Associate Professor, 2002, University of Wyoming.
Assistant Professor, 1996, University of Wyoming.
MFA, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. 1993.
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine. Summer Residency 1993, full scholarship.
MA, with distinction, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. 1991.
BFA, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. 1984.
Represented by Van Straaten Gallery, 760 Santa Fe Dr., Denver, CO. 80204-4458, (303) 573-8585
Represented by Galerie Knud Grothe, 2929 Charlottenlund, Copenhagen, Denmark
Solo Exhibitions:
2009 “Picnics in Utopia”, Memorial Hall Gallery, Chadron State University, Chadron, NE. October 23 – Nov. 20th.
2007 “Un Viaggiatore Agitato: A Restless Traveler”, Sandy Carson Gallery, Denver, CO. October 19th – November 23rd.
2005 “This Green and Pleasant Land” Paintings of the English Countryside, British Semester Invitational Exhibition, JRC, Ispra, Italy (Varese Province), October 30th-December 21st.
2004 “Ricki Klages: Magical Realism”, Epping Forest District Museum, Waltham Abbey, Essex,
United Kingdom. October 9th – November 30th.
2002 “Ricki Klages: A Room with a View”, Sandy Carson Gallery, Summer, Denver, CO.
2001 “Ricki Klages: Watercolors”, Solo Invitational Exhibition, Gallery 201, Southeastern Community College, Whiteville, NC. August 26th-September 28th.
2000 “Natural Alchemy”, Solo Exhibition, Gallery of Visual Arts, University of Montana, Missoula, MT. October 23rd – Nov. 22nd.
1999 “Lucid Dreaming”, Solo Exhibition, Olin Gallery, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH. October 14th – November 14th.
- “Paintings”, Solo Exhibition, University of Dallas, Irving, Texas. April.
1993 "States of Grace", Solo Exhibition, John Sommers Gallery, Albuquerque, NM, November.
1989 “Ricki Klages, Paintings”, Invitational Solo Exhibition, University of New Mexico; Los Alamos, Los Alamos, NM. January
Group, Invitational and Juried Exhibitions:
2009 “Visual Arts Fellowship Awards Exhibition”, Invitational exhibition, State Capitol Building, Cheyenne, WY. Nov. – Jan. 2010.
“Fantastiske Figurationer”, Invitational exhibition, Galerie Knud Grothe, 2920 Charlottenlund, Copenhagen, Denmark, February 9th – March 6th.
2008 “Terra Firma: Artists Interpretation of the Landscape”, International Juried Exhibition, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH. Nov – Dec.
“72nd Midyear Juried Exhibition”, National Juried Exhibition. Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH. July – August.
“Tri-Annual Faculty Exhibition”, Invitational, University of Wyoming Art Museum, Laramie, WY. Jan.30th – Feb. 29th.
2007 “Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition”, Juried Exhibition, Wyoming State Museum, Cheyenne, WY. June 22nd – Aug. 31st.
“REALationships: Works of Surreal Inspiration”, Invitational Exhibition, Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO. Jan. 13 – March 11th.
2005 “New American Paintings”, Western Edition No. 60, Juried Publication, Fereshteh Daftari, Juror, Assistant Curator, Department of Painting and Sculpture, Museum of Modern Art, NYNY.
Annual Faculty Exhibition, University of Wyoming Art Museum, Laramie, WY.
2003 “Magical Realism: A New Generation”, International Invitational Exhibition, Sangre de Christo Arts Center, Pueblo, Colorado, April 2nd – May 10th .
2002 “66th Annual Midyear Exhibition”, National Juried Exhibition, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH, July – August.
“Small Works: Annual Juried Exhibition”, Asheville Museum of Art, Asheville, OR.
“Faculty Exhibition 2002”, University of Wyoming Museum of Art, Laramie, WY. January 21st – March 3rd.
“Emerging Artists 2002”, International Juried Exhibition, Limner Gallery, New York, NY. February 13th – March 2nd. Winner, On-Line Featured Artist, DirectArt Magazine.
2001 “The Dream Mill”, Invitational Exhibition, National Annual Fine Arts Exhibition, Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood, CO. August 3rd – November 7th.
“Wyoming Arts Council 1999-2000 Award Winners Invitational Exhibition”, The Nicolaysen Museum of Art, Casper, WY. May 12th – September 12th.
“Self Portrait”, National Juried Exhibition, Banana Factory, Bethlehem, PA. May 22nd – June 21st . Sidney Tillum, Juror.
“Watermark 2001”, National Juried Exhibition, Gallery 201, Whiteville, NC. April 23rd – May 22nd.
“Figuration”, Invitational Group Exhibition, Carson-Masuoka Gallery, Denver, CO. March 22nd – May 11th.
“A Passion for the Figure”, Two-Person Invitational, ArtWest Gallery, Jackson, WY. January 12th – February 12th.
“New Orleans Art Association 21st National Juried Art Exhibition”, Hanson Gallery, New Orleans, LA. January 5th – January 21st. Winner, Second Place Award. John Bullard, Juror.
2000 “Water on Paper: Intimate Wyoming Landscapes”, Invitational Group Exhibition, Wyoming Arts Council Gallery, Cheyenne, WY. September 22nd. – December 20th.
“Visual Arts Alliance 17th Annual Open Juried Exhibition”, Visual Arts Alliance, Williams Tower, Houston, TX. April 21st – May 20th.
“Small Works 2000”, Harper College 23rd Annual National Exhibition, Harper College, Palatine, Illinois. April 3rd – April 28th.
1999 “63rd Annual Midyear Exhibition”, National Juried Exhibition, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH. July 8th –August 22nd. Winner, Juror’s Choice Award. Catalog.
“The Natural World”, National Juried Exhibition, Galleria Mesa, Mesa, AZ. June 8th-July 10th. Winner, Juror’s Purchase Award.
“Dreamscapes”, National Juried Exhibition, Galleria Mesa, Mesa, AZ. March 16th – April 17th.
“Great Plains National”, National Juried Exhibition, Moss-Thorne Gallery, Fort Hays State University, Fort Hays, KS. February.12th – March 12th .
1998 “A Passion for the Figure”, Two-Person Invitational Exhibition, Wyoming Arts Council Gallery, Cheyenne, WY. October 16th –December19th.
“Art and Language”, International Juried Exhibition, Maribo Gallery, Peddie School, Highstown, NJ. April 1st – April 30th . Winner, Best in Show.
1996 “Colorado-Wyoming Biennial”, One-West Gallery, Fort Collins, CO. January 5th – February 15th.
1995 “Western States Biennial”, Dinnerware Artists’ Cooperative. Tucson, AZ. May.
1994 “CWA Annual Juried Show”, State Juried Exhibition, Huntsville, TX. October. Winner, Best in Show.
“Two Painters”, Two-Person Invitational Exhibition, Gaddis Geeslin Gallery, Huntsville, TX. October.
1993 “11th Anniversary Invitational”, Three-Person Exhibition, Dartmouth Street Gallery, Albuquerque, NM. August. – September.
“Face of Woman”, National Juried Exhibition, Las Vegas NM. Apr. Winner, Best in Show and People’s Choice Award.
“Ins and Outs”, Landscape Invitational, Centennial Gallery, Albuquerque, NM. February.
1992 “Martin Amorous, Ricki Klages, Roger Sweet” , Three-Person Exhibition, Cafe Gallery, Albuquerque, NM. June.
“Celebration of the Goddess”, Invitational Exhibition, Cafe Gallery, Albuquerque, NM. April.
1991 “Something Wild!”, National Juried Exhibition, Las Vegas, NM. October Winner, Best in Show and People’s Choice Award.
1990 “The Illustrators’ Art Invitational”, International Invitational Exhibition, The Dairy Barn, Athens, OH. September.
1989 “Visions of Excellence”, State Juried Exhibition, Albuquerque, NM. April.
1988 “Photography and Sculpture”, Three-Person Exhibition, Art Network, Tucson, AZ. March.
1987 “10th Annual Women’s Exhibition”, National Juried Exhibition, Jerome, AZ. Summer.
“Arizona; Past, Present and Future”, State Juried Exhibition, State Capitol, Phoenix, AZ. January.
1986 “Tucson Festival Exhibition”, State Juried Exhibition, Tucson, AZ. February.
“Contemporary Realism”, National Juried Exhibition, Leslie Levy Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ. November.
Residencies:
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Summer, 1993. Full Scholarship.
Visiting Artist:
November, 2005, Ispra Italy, Lecture: English Landscape Traditions in a Modern Context.
October, 2004, Epping Forest District Museum, Lecture and Museum Workshop, “Magical Realism: A Millennia of Magic”, Waltham Abbey, Essex, United Kingdom.
October, 2000, Visiting Artist, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana.
October, 1999, Visiting Artist, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio.
April, 1995 Visiting Artist, University of Dallas, Irving, TX.
Selected Awards and Publications:
Featured On-Line Artist, DirectArt Magazine, Emerging Artist 2002,
Limner Gallery, New York, NY.
Second Place Award, New Orleans 21st National Exhibition, New Orleans, LA.
Baer Award in Painting, Wyoming Arts Council. Mark Masuoka, Director, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Denver, Juror. 2001.
Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship, Visual Arts Fellowship Award 1999 – 2000.
Juror’s Choice Award, “63rd Midyear Exhibition”, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH. 1999.
Purchase Award, “The Natural World”, Galleria Mesa, Mesa, AZ. 1999.
Best in Show, “Art and Language”, Highstown, NJ. 1998.
Best in Show, “CWA Annual Juried Exhibition”, Huntsville, TX. 1994.
Illustrator, “Gossips, Gorgons and Crones”, by Jane Caputi, Bear and Co. Santa Fe, NM. 1993.
Best in Show, People’s Choice Award, “Face of Woman”, Las Vegas, NM. 1993.
Liquitex Excellence in Painting, $500.00 Materials Grant.
Best in Show, People’s Choice Award, “Something Wild!”, Las Vegas, NM. 1991.
Illustrator, “The Marsh King’s Daughter”, by Linnea Gentry, Harbinger House, Tucson, AZ. 1988.
Benjamin Franklin Award, Full Color Illustrations, “The Marsh King’s Daughter”, Publishers Marketing Association. 1988.
Bibliography:
Rocky Mountain News, Spotlight Review, “The Real Draw: Zansky and Klages at Sandy Carson. November 23rd. 2007.
WestWord, Denver, Review, “Michael Zansky/Un Viaggiatore Agitato at Sandy Carson”. Nov. 15th, 2007. Michael Paglia.
Rocky Mountain News, Spotlight Review, REALationships: Works of Surreal Inspiration, Foothills Gallery, March 9th, 2007. Mary Voelz Chandler
WestWord, Denver, Article, REALationships: Works of Surreal Inspiration, Foothills Gallery, Golden, CO., March 1st, 2007. Michael Paglia.
WestWord, Denver, Article, “Sex in the City”, Ricki Klages: A Room with a View, Sandy Carson Gallery, Denver, CO. Summer. Aug. 15th, 2002. Michael Paglia.
WestWord, Denver, Article, “Oh, Really?”, Realism at Sandy Carson Gallery, Denver, CO. April 19th, 2001. Michael Paglia.
Tucson Weekly, Review, “Oddball Media: A Wildly Mixed Bag Enlivens This Seven State Exhibition”, June 15th, 1995. Margaret Regan.
Arizona Republic, Dreamscaspes, Phoenix, AZ. April, 1999.
NuCity, “Conscientious Conduit”, Albuquerque, NM. Jan. 1994.
NuCity,“A Question of Reality”, Albuquerque, NM. Nov. 1993.
NuCity, “Destination Dreamtime”, Albuquerque, NM. Aug. 1993.
The Magazine, Reviews, Santa Fe, NM. July 1992.
Albuquerque Journal, “Artists Portray Ideas with Clarity”, Albuquerque, NM. July 1992.
The Lobo, Review, Albuquerque, NM. March 1991.
The Las Vegas herald, Las Vegas, NM. Oct. 1991.
The Messenger, “Dairy Barn Show Superb Blend”, Athens, OH. Jan. 1990.
The Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque, NM. Feb. 1989.
The Tucson Citizen, “By the Book Artistry”, Tucson, AZ. March 1989.
The Tucson Weekly, Tucson, AZ. March 1988.
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