|
Sheila A. Richards
sheilarich@nwark.com
www.sheilarichards.com
Education
Miami University, Oxford Ohio 1957 - 1959
Ohio State University 1970
University Without Walls, Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio 1974-1975
Columbus School for Art and Design 1975
Columbus Center for the Arts, Columbus, Ohio 1980-1984
Galleries
Old Town Gallery, Columbus, Ohio, 1985-1986
Swiftwater Gallery, Lenox, MA, 1989 - 1991
Foxfire Gallery, Provincetown, MA, 1990 - 1993
Iris Gallery, Fayetteville, AR, 1999
Quicksilver Gallery, Eureka Springs, AR, 2000 - 2010
Juried Shows
Lenox Fine Arts Show, Lenox, MA, 1990
Thorne's Gallery, Northampton, MA 1993 (group show with my students)
West Palm Beach Fine Arts Show, West Palm Beach, Florida, 1997
Omaha Fine Arts Festival, Omaha, NE, 1998
Tulsa Arts Festival, Tulsa, OK, 1999
Michigan Music and Arts Festival, Hart, Michigan, 1989 - 2002
National Women’s Music and Arts Festival, Bloomington, Indiana, 1994-2000
Art Center of the Ozarks, Springdale, AR 2007 (first place, 3-dimensional)
Fort Smith Art Center, 2008 (2nd place, painting)
Goddess Festival, Fayetteville, AR, 2009 - 2010
Several private showings in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area
My work is in several private collections throughout the United States and Canada. Also in Germany, Ireland, England, Australia, and New Zealand
Teaching Experience
Rowe Conference Center, Rowe, MA 1993 - 2003 (week-long retreats teaching
body-casting and creative expression)
Kingston, Ontario, 1999, 2000 (same as above)
Ottawa, Ontario, 2000 (same as above)
San Juan, Costa Rica, 2000 (same as above)
New York State Museum, Albany, New York, 1992 (same as above)
Presentations
Kripalu Center, Lenox, MA
International Women’s Congress, San Juan, Costa Rica (Women in the Arts)
Smith College, Northampton, MA (Creative Arts program)
Hartford College, Hartford, MA (Women’s Studies program)
Women in Psychology, National Conference, Keene, N.H.
New York State Museum, Albany, N.Y.
Artist Statement
Like many artists, I have drawn the inspiration for my work from nature. At a time when we seem intent on the destruction of our natural world, it is imperative that we preserve the gifts and miracles of Earth. It is a time to bring heightened awareness and mindfulness of each nuance, each small detail, to consciousness. To celebrate and hold sacred the essence of life, to notice the curl of a leaf, the curve of branch, the etchings in a water-worn stone, the rock forged from heat and pressure and upheaval, the delicate spiral of a shell, the sand formations of a wind-swept beach.
The intent of my work is to capture these fragments in nature, these moments of awareness.
My relationship with clay mirrors my relationship to the natural world, a relationship of passion and spirit. The clay speaks to me of what it once was - it holds within itself the memory of transformation. It is both a challenge and a gift to work with clay, to mold and shape this material, to create from it the sacred vessel, the utilitarian bowl, the holy icon, the textures and shapes of life. It endures for centuries, it is compliant and resistant, it is transformed by the fire – it is both my lesson and my teacher.
If we look deeply into nature, perhaps we will find ourselves.
Painting has been a complete surprise to me, and continues to reveal the possibilities of my life’s journey and exploration!
Sheila Austine Richards
|
