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Steve Armstrong |
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Artist Statement and Selected Resume:
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Artist Statement: “I create kinetic constructions, often referred to as Automata. My themes are poetic and evocative, sometimes narrative, and almost always charged with personal symbolic content.
My work is based in the human figure and realism. I simplify my forms. My inner voice dictates that the figures not be in too nonchalant or too candid a pose, and that the figures be posed in a formal manner, maybe contraposto, sometimes with formal hand gestures.
My preferred material is yellow poplar, a local, easily available wood that I like for its buttery carving qualities that hold incredible detail. Color is not so much applied to shapes as it is intrinsic to them. I start by covering all the elements with a black ground, to make the colors ‘pop’ but also as a means to control a pigment’s tonality, harmonize hues, and keep any from becoming too garish. My approach to color, while intuitive, is shaped by the ideas of artist and color theorist, Josef Albers.
Color also operates for me as texture, a tactile effect suggestive of what I describe as “the effects of age and especially human touching”. I think of this color also as “patina” and once I have made my color choices and found the right hue, I often use a “distressing process”, repeated sanding and painting to bring the surface and the color to its final resting place.” Steve Armstrong, 2008
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Selected Solo, Juried, and Invitational Exhibitions: 2010 "Klockwerk: New Automata,"* Heike Pickett Gallery & Sculpture Garden, Versailles, Kentucky (April)
2009 "Memento Mori: Contemporary Manifestations", Claypool-Young Art Gallery, Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky, (January) Juror: Eleanor Heartney,
"Transformations: Contemporary Works in Wood"** Finalist, The Raphael Prize Exhibition, Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (October) Jurors; Michael Monroe, Craig Nutt
2008 "Steve Armstrong: New Works," May 2008 Logsdon 1909 Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
"Death’s Showcase," Artist-made Coffins, Morlan gallery, Transylvania, University, Lexington, Kentucky (October)
2007 "CS 37 The Best of the Pilson Arts District," Juried Exhibition, Chicago, Illinois
"Exhibition 360," Juried Exhibition, Huntington Museum, Huntington, West Virginia
"Steve Armstrong: Small Pleasures, Recent Automata"* Heike Pickett Gallery at CMW, Lexington, Kentucky
"International Assemblage Artist Awards Exhibition," Gallery Twenty-four, New York, New York
"To Have & To Hold,"** Five Artist Couples, Invitational, Morlan Gallery, Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky
2006 "Sixth Annual International Assemblage Competition,"** Gallery Twenty-Four, Berlin, Germany (award)
"Seven Sculptors," John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, California
"Spotlight Southeast," Juried Exhibition, Southern Arts Federation, Kentucky Museum of Arts and Crafts, Louisville, Kentucky
"Arts On Main,"** Juried Regional Exhibition, Shelbyville, Kentucky
2005 "Steve Armstrong's Automata,"* A Mid-career Survey, Headley-Whitney Museum, Lexington, Kentucky
"Arts on Main,"** Juried Regional Exhibition, Shelbyville, Kentucky (award)
2004 "New Sculpture."* Heike Pickett Gallery at CMW, Lexington, Kentucky
"Allegories,"** John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, California
"Arts On Main,"** Juried Regional Exhibition, Shelbyville, Kentucky (award)
2003 "New Works: A 10th Year Celebration,"* Heike Pickett Gallery at CMW, Lexington, Kentucky
"Exhibition 280,"** (Juried), Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, West Virginia
"The Figure As Object,"** (Juried), Southern Highlands Craft Guild, Ashville, North Carolina
2002 "Mechanical Sculpture,"* John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, California
2001 "Shadow Boxes,"* Heike Pickett Gallery at CMW, Lexington, Kentucky
2001 "Annual Invitational," Heike Pickett Gallery, Versailles, Kentucky
"The Box," Images-Friedman Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky
2000 "New Acquisitions," University of Kentucky Art Museum, Lexington, Kentucky
"2000 Annual Invitational," Heike Pickett Gallery, Lexington, Kentucky
1999 "Armstrong and Williams: Master Series,"* Kentucky Museum of Arts and Crafts, Louisville, Kentucky
1998 "Automata,"* Heike Pickett Gallery, Lexington, Kentucky
"26th Annual Toys Designed by Artists," Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock Arkansas
"Outsider's Outside," Judith Racht Gallery, Harbert, Michigan
"Five Sculptors,"** John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, California
1997 "Kentucky Folk Art,"** Kentucky Arts Council, Traveling exhibition: Quito, Ecuador; Ibarra, Ecuador; Cuenca, Ecuador
"Featured Artists from the Heike Pickett Gallery,"* Louisville Actor's Guild Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky
1996 "The Red Clay Survey,"** (Juried), Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, Alabama
"The River Artists," Invitiational Exhibition, Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Owensboro, Kentucky
1995 "Automata,"* Heike Pickett Gallery, Lexington, Kentucky
"Mechanical Sculpture," Malton Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio
"34th Mid-States Craft Competition,"** Evansville Museum of Arts and Science, Evansville, Indiana (award) Juror: David McFadden, Director, Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos, New Mexico
"Fellowship Recipients 1995,"** Southern Arts Federation, Halsey Gallery, University of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina (award)
"Automata,"* Claypool-Young Art Gallery, Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky
"Transitions '95," Kentucky Arts Council, Traveling Exhibition, Louisville, Kentucky; Columbus, Ohio; Bowling Green, Kentucky
"Steve Armstrong,"* Heike Pickett Gallery at North Atlanta Trade Center, Atlanta, Georgia
1994 "USA Artists 1994," Show to benefit the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (Juried), 33rd Street Armory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
"Visual Arts Fellowship Recipients 1994,"** Kentucky Arts Council, Images Friedman Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky (award)
"Steve Armstrong,"* Heike Pickett Gallery at North Atlanta Trade Center, Atlanta, Georgia
1993 "Automata,"* Heike Pickett Gallery, Lexington, Kentucky
"Steve Armstrong,"* Heike Pickett Gallery at North Atlanta Trade Center, Atlanta, Georgia
"Native to Neon," Show to benefit the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (Juried), 33rd Street Armory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Selected Bibliography: 2009 Mary Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Review, “Show’s Reputation Nets Superb Woodworks”, October 21, 2009, pg H-2
2008 Sarah Pickering, Chicago Weekly, Feature Article, “Recreating Paradise: South of Eden”, May 22, 2008, pg D8
Heather Castro, Lexington Herald-Leader, Feature Article, “Cracking Open the Coffins:, September 9, 2008, pgs E1, E10
2007 Kim Hall, Art Calendar Magazine, Feature Article/Photographs, December, pgs 14-15
Kevin Nance, Chicago Sun-Times, Review, September 28, 2007, pg. 28
Bob Schwarz, Charleston Gazette, Review’Photograph. May 6, 2007, pg. H-7
Dave Lavender, Huntington Herald-Dispatch, Review/Photographs, May 6, pgs. F1-2
Brooke Collins, Nougat Magazine, Feature Article/Photographs, “Splendid Automata”, March Issue, pg. 16
Diane Heilenman, Louisville Courier Journal, Article/Photographs, February 11, pg.1-2
2005 Heather Castro, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photographs, "Art That Moves You and Moves", October 16, 2005, pg. E-7
2004 Heather Castro, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photographs, "Whimsy and Foreboding", December 5, 2004, pg. D-7
2003 Ellen B. Cutler, Sculpture Review, Feature Article/Photographs, Fall, pgs. 26-31
Editors, American Craft Magazine, Text/Photographs, "Gallery", October November, pg. 91
Polly McDaniel, Ashville Citizen-Times, Review, "The Figure As Object", June 29, pg. B-7
2002 David Minton, Dialogue Magazine, Review/Photograph, March-April, pgs.55-56
2001 David Minton, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photograph, December 9, pg. K-4
Todd Wethall, Lexington, Herald-Leader, Feature Article/Photograph, November 16
David Minton, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photograph, April 29, 2001, pg. K-4
Diane Heilenman, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, Review, May 6, pgs. I-1, I-4
2000 David Minton, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review, March 26, 2000, pg. K-4
1999 David Minton, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photographs, November 21, pg. K-4
1998 Mike Holdren, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photograph, May 10, 1998, pg. H-6
1997 Review/Photograph, Hoy, Quito, Ecuador, December 9, 1997, pg. 1-C
Feature Article/Photographs, El Commercio, Quito, Ecuador, December 9, pg. D-4
Rhonda Reeves, Ace Magazine, Review/Photographs, April 1997, pgs. 17-18
David Minton, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photograph, April 13, 1997, pg. F-4
1996 Theresa H. Thompson, Dialogue Magazine, Review/Photograph, May-June, pg. 27
Claudia King Thomas, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review, April 7, 1996
1995 Owen Findsen, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Review/Photograph, December 8, pg. 32
Arthur F. Jones, American Craft Magazine, Critical Essay, December 1995
Jeffrey Day, The State, Columbia, South Carolina, Review/Photographs, November 19, pg. F-3
Joyce Probus, Dialogue Magazine, Review, May-June 1995, pg. 24
Mike Holdren, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photographs, May 14, 1995
1994 Mike Holdren, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review/Photographs, December 18, pgs. J1, J4
Tom Miller, Maine Antiques Digest, Article/Photographs, October 1994, pgs. 12-13D
Catherine Fox, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Article/Photograph, August 22, 1994, pg. J-13
David Minton, Lexington Herald-Leader, Review, February 27, 1994, pg. E-4
1993 David Minton, Lexington Herald-Leader, Feature Article/Photographs, "Taking A Chance On His Talent", November 14, 1993, pgs. H1, H5
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