BIOGRAPHY
MICHAEL KESSLER
Michael Kessler was born in 1954 in Hanover, Pennsylvania. He received a B.F.A. degree from Kutztown University.
He currently lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
AWARDS / FELLOWSHIPS
1990 Rome Prize, Painting, American Academy in Rome, NYC-Rome, Italy
1992 Pollock/Krasner Award, Painting, NYC
1985 Awards in the Visual Arts-Five, South Eastern Center for Contemporary Art
1977 Whitney Independent Study Program, Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC
1983 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Grant in Painting
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021
Callan Contemporary, New Orleans, LA
2020
Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah
Gallery Mar Carmel, Carmel, CA
2019
Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Alex Salazar Fine Art, San Diego, CA
2018
Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah
Canfin Gallery, Tarrytown, New York Joseph Gierek Fine Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma
2017
Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ann Korologos Gallery, Basalt, Colorado
Avran Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
2016
Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah
Studio E Gallery, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Canfin Gallery, Tarrytown, New York
Joseph Gierek Fine Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma
2015
Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah
Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ann Korologos Gallery, Basalt, Colorado
Avran Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
2014
Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah
Paia Contemporary Gallery, Maui, Hawaii Butters Gallery, Portland, Oregon
Patricia Rovzar Gallery, Seattle, Washington Madison Gallery, La Jolla, California
Cheryl Hazan Gallery, NYC
2013
Callan Contemporary, New Orleans, Louisiana, Paia Contemporary Gallery, Maui, Hawaii Russell Collection, Austin, Texas
Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah
2012
Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah
Paia Contemporary Gallery, Maui, Hawaii
Dean Day Gallery, Houston, Texas
Joseph Gierek Fine Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma Artamo, Santa Barbara, California
2011
Gallery Bienvenu, New Orleans, Louisiana
Madison Gallery, La Jolla, California Butters Gallery, Portland, Oregon
Paia Contemporary Gallery, Maui, Hawaii Argazzi Art, Lakeville, Connecticut
Ann Korologos Gallery, Basalt, Colorado Russell Collection, Austin, Texas
2010
Paia Contemporary Gallery, Maui, Hawaii Mark Gallery, Englewood, New Jersey Lanoue Fine Art, Boston, Massachusetts Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah
2009
Melanee Cooper Gallery, Chicago, Illinois Friesen Gallery, Seattle, Washington
Joseph Gierek Fine Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Gallery Bienvenu, New Orleans, Louisiana
Art Cube Gallery, Laguna Beach, California Madison Gallery, La Jolla, California
2008
Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Gallery Bienvenu, New Orleans, Louisiana Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California. Artamo Gallery, Santa Barbara, California Schmidt Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Renee George Gallery, Charlotte, North Carolina
2007
Butters Gallery, Portland, Oregon
Daniel Kany Gallery, Portland, Maine Sense Gallery, Menlo Park, California Dean Day Gallery, Houston, Texas Lanoue Fine Art, Boston, Massachusetts
2006
Gallery Bienvenu, New Orleans, Louisiana CraIghead Green Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Melanee Cooper Gallery, Chicago, Illinois Friesen Gallery, Sun Valley, Idaho
Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Allyn Gallup Contemporary, Sarasota, Florida Reed Savage Gallery, Miami, Florida
Perry Nicole Fine Art, Memphis, Tennessee
Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2005
Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico F8 Fine Art, Austin, Texas
Sense Gallery, Menlo Park, California Butters Gallery, Portland, Oregon Friesen Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2004
Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Magidson Fine Art, Aspen, Colorado Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Allyn Gallup Contemporary, Sarasota, Florida
Art Resources Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota F8 Fine Art, Austin, Texas
2003
Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico Littlejohn Contemporary, New York, New York Butters Gallery, Portland, Oregon Craighead/Green Gallery, Dallas, Texas Sense Gallery, Menlo Park, California
2002
Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Concept Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Port Jackson Fine Art, Laguna Beach, California
2001
Bonfoey, Cleveland, Ohio
EVO Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2000
Klein Artworks; Chicago, Illinois
1999
Littlejohn Contemporary, New York, New York Klein Art Works, Chicago, Illinois
Mira Mar Gallery; Sarasota, Florida Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Phila, Pennsylvania
1998
Bemis Center of Contemporary Art, Omaha, Nebraska Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, Texas
1997
Littlejohn Contemporary, New York, New York
Klein Art Works, Chicago, Illinois
Cline LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1996
Littlejohn Contemporary, New York, New York Schmidt / Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa
1995
Galleri Flesser, Helsingborg, Sweden
Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Omaha, Nebraska Art Now Gallery, Gothenberg, Sweden
Klein Artworks, Chicago, Illinois
1994
Klein Artworks; Chicago, Illinois
Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Philadelphia, Pa. Castellani Art Museum, Niagara Falls, New York Concept Art Gallery; Pittsburgh, Pa.
1993
Art Now Gallery; Goteborg, Sweden Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Phila., Pennsylvania
1992
Klein Artworks; Chicago, Illinois
Allentown Art Museum; Allentown, Pennsylvania Castellani Art Museum; Niagara Falls, New York Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Phila, Pennsylvania
Mira Mar Gallery; Sarasota, Florida
1991
Art Now Gallery; Goteborg, Sweden
1990
Nina Freudenheim Gallery; Buffalo, New York Klein Artworks; Chicago, Illinois Schmidt/Dean Gallery; Phila., Pennsylvania Jack Tilton Gallery; New York, New York
1989
Art Now Gallery; Goteborg, Sweden
1988
Jack Tilton Gallery; New York, New York
1987
Barbara Krakow Gallery; Boston, Massachusetts Jack Tilton Gallery, New York, New York
1986
Art Now Gallery; Goteborg, Sweden Fabian Carlsson Gallery; London, England Wolff Gallery, New York, New York
1984
Jack Tilton Gallery; New York, New York
1983
Castellani Art Gallery; Niagara Falls, New York
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2006
The Red Show, Cheryl Hazan Gallery, New York, New York
2005
The History of the Gallery, Kustera Tilton Gallery, NYC. The Plane Truth, Friesen Gallery, Seattle, WA
Butters Brand, Butters Gallery, Portland, Oregon
2004
The Non-Objective Object, Friesen Gallery, Seattle. Washington Summer Group, Butters Gallery, Portland, Oregon
November in Sun Valley, Friesen Gallery, Sun Valley, ID. Gallery Artists, Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
2002
Nature Reined, Butters Gallery, Portland, OR 2001
Introductions, Butters Gallery, Portland, OR
2000
Pink and Red, Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Phila, Pa. Gallery Artists, Art Now Gallery, Gothenborg, Sweden
1999
After Nature II, Trevor Richardson, Herter Art Gallery, University of Works on Paper, Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Phila, Pa.
Gallery Artists, Klein Art Works, Chicago. IL.
1998
Massachusetts
Michael Kessler and Stephanie Weber, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Omaha, Nebraska Contemporary Abstraction, Klein Art Works, Chicago
Gallery Artists, Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Phila, Pa
A Few Great, Big Pictures, Mira Mar Gallery, Sarasota. Fl.
1997
Gallery Artists, LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico Exquisite Surfaces, Concept Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, Pa. Gallery Artists, Klein Art Works, Chicago. IL.
1996
Cuenca Bienal , Quito and Guayaqiul, Equador /Phoenix Art
David Rubin, Curator of Contemporary Art, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, Az.
1995
Directors Choice, Horwitch/Lewallen Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico Museum,
Gallery Artists, Klein Artworks, Chicago Illinois.
Michael Kessler/James Bruss, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, Na
1993
About Nature, Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, Cleveland, Ohio curated by David Rubin, Curator of Contemporary Art, and C.C.C.A.
1991
Vital Forces, The Heckscher Museum, Huntington, NY
Romantic Abstraction, Helander Gallery, Palm Beach, Fl.
Annual Exhibition, American Academy in Rome, Italy
Drawings and Poems: Michael Kessler and John Yau; Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa
1990
Five American Artists; Galerie D'Art, Copenhagen, Denmark Inner Natures: Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, Ca.
1989
Four Painters, Flint Institute of Arts; Flint, Michigan
1988
Pennsylvania Perspectives; Carnegie Mellon University Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, Pa Recent Acquisitions; Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, Pennsylvania
1987
Realism and Abstraction; The Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey
1986
Recent Acquisition; Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo More Than Meets the
Eye; Galleria Carini, Florence, Italy
1985
More Than Meets the Eye; Fabian Carlsson Gallery, London, England Awards in the Visual Arts-Five; Neuberger Museum, Purchase, New York; Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio; Norton Gallery, West Palm Beach, Florida
1984
New York-Outside New York; The New Museum of Contemporary Art, NYC Museum of Art Association, Monterey, California; Sunrise Museums, Charleston, WV
1983
Five Contemporary Artists; Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, Pennsylvania Selections 22; The Drawing Center, New York, New York
1980
In and Out of New York; White Columns, New York, New York
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2013
Peter Frank , Michael Kessler: The Sense(s) of Abstraction, Catalogue Essay, Callan Contemporary, New Orleans, La.
2009
D. Eric Bookhardt, Michael Kessler at Gallery Bienvenu, New Orleans, Gambit, September, 2009
2008
Richard Speer, Michael Kessler at Butters Gallery, Portland, Oregon, Art Ltd. July, 2008
Kevin Costello, Finding Solace in Abstracts, Sarasota Herald Tribune, August 2008
Erin J. Smith, Michael Kessler : Graftings, CASA Magazine, November 2008
Colin Marshall, Michael Kessler's Graftings, Santa Barbara Independent, November, 2008
2006
D. Eric Bookhardt, Scratching the Surface, Michael Kessler at Gallery Bienvenu, New Orleans, Gambit, January, 2006
2005
Richard Speer, Michael Kessler at Nuart Gallery, Santa Fe, NM. ARTnews, November, 2005
2004
Kevin Costello, Kessler Landscapes Energetci, Enigmatic, The Sarasota Harold Tribune Roberta Fallon, Michael Kessler's New Paintings...,Philadelphia Weekly
2003
Richard Speer, Kessler at Butters Gallery, Willamette Week, Portland, Or.
2002
Robert Nott, Surface Matters, Pasatiempo, The New Mexican
Edward J. Sozanski, Features Weekend, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Kurt Shaw, Southwest Influences Pa. Native’s Paintings, The Pittsburgh Tribune
2001
Douglas Max Utter, Mind Over Matter, The Cleveland Free Times 1999
Trevor Richardson, After Nature II, Herter Art Gallery, and University of Massachusetts Amherst
an Exhibition of Paintings by: Gregory Amenoff, Bill Jensen, Michael Kessler, Rebecca Perdum, and Katherine Porter
1997
Seidel, Miriam, “Michael Kessler at Schmidt/Dean and Littlejohn Contemporary”, Art in America, July 1997 Ebony, David, “Michael Kessler at Littlejohn Contemporary, New York City”, Art Net Magazine, April 1997 McCloud, Kathleen, “A Capricious Artistic Journey Beginning With Paint”, Pasatiempo, The New Mexican Victor M. Cassidy, Artnet Magazine, http:// www.artnet.com/home.html ,Forty to Fifty Layers
David Ebony, ArtNet Magazine , http://www.artnet.com/magazine/reviews/ ebony/kessler.html .....David Ebony's New York Top Ten , Michael Kessler at Littlejohn Contemporary , NY
1996
Altabe, Joan “Kessler’s Subtle Paintings Reveal Depth”, Sarasota Herald- Tribune, October 11,
Yellin Outwater,Myra, “Move to Santa Fe Colors Michael Kessler’s Paintings “, The Morning Call, Alentown, Aguilar, Robert, “A Mystical Version of the Ecology”, El Comercio, Cuenca, EcuadoRubin, David, “Elusive Nature”, 1996 Cuenca Bienal, Cuenca, Ecuador
1995
Melrod, George, "Openings", Art and Antiques, November 1995, page 40
1994
Holg, Garrett. "Kessler at Klein-Chicago", Artnews, April, 1994, page 177. Kohen, Helen. "Michael Kessler's Roman Geometry", Miami Herald, April 6, 1994. page 14G Wiens, Ann, "Kessler at Klein-Chicago", New Art Examiner, May 1994, page 44
1992
McCracken, David. 11 Year in Italy Catapults Kessler's Work", Chicago Tribune, (October 30) McNear, Sarah, "Transcendental Spaces"; Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, Pennsylvania
1991
Noll,Anna ,“Vital Forces: Nature in Contemporary Abstraction”, Heckscher Museum, Huntington,NY Sozanski, Edward. "On Galleries", The
Philadelphia Inquirer, (April 16)
1990
Doll, Nancy “Inner Natures” Four Contemporary Artists; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Carter, Holland. "Michael Kessler," Art News 89 (December), no.10, 165
King, Elaine A. Nature in the Age of Masscult. Jack Tilton Gallery; New York, New York
Rubin, David S. The Paintings of Michael Kessler: Preserving Nature's Umbilical Chord; Klein
Artworks, Chicago, Illinois
Stein, Judith. Michael Kessler: Paintings Nina Freudenheim Gallery, Buffalo, New York
1989
Yau, John. Four Painters; Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, Michigan
Nature in Evolution; The Scandinavian Works; Art Now Gallery, Goteborg, Sweden Cohen, Ronnie. "Michael Kessler," Art Forum 29 (November), no. 3, 169
Rice, Robin. "Cool Slate and Weathered Wood," Philadelphia City Paper (March 16) Sozanski, Edward. "On Galleries," The Philadelphia Inquirer (March 4)
Wooster, Ann Sargent. "Michael Kessler," Arts Magazine 65 (December), no. 4, 82 Cyphers, Peggy. Arts Magazine 65 (January), no. 5, 107 Newhall, Edith. "Galleries," New York Magazine (September), 72
1988
Yau, John. Michael Kessler's View of the World; Jack Tilton Gallery, New York, New York
1987
Carrier, David. "Michael Kessler: A Painter of Nature in the Era of Postmodernist Art” Arts Magazine no. 9, 32-33
Narrett, Eugene. "Michael Kessler," New Art Examiner 14 (April), no. 8, 45 Stapen, Nancy. "Michael Kessler," Artforum 25 (April),
Wineberg, Jonathan. "Michael Kessler," Art in America 75 (November), no.
11, 180-181 Carrier, David. Michael Kessler; Jack Tilton Gallery, New York
1986
Hall, Jacqueline. "Arts Flourish Southside New York," The Columbus Dispatch (September 21) Zimmer, William. "Winners on Parade at the Neuberger," The New York Times (May 11), 22,
Westchester Section
Gambrel, Jamey. Awards in the Visual Arts 5; The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art,
Winston- Salem, North Carolina
Yau, John. After the Fall; Fabian Carlson Gallery, London, England
1985
Bohn-Duchen, Monica. "Nine Painters from New York," Flash Art (October- November), no. 126, 56 Larson, Kay. "Fresh Faces for Summer," New York Magazine, 54-55
Raynor, Vivian. "Art: New York, an Anthology at the New Museum," The New York Times (June 22), Schwabsky, Barry. "Exotica: A Different World," Arts Magazine 59 (March), no.7, 120-121
Yau, John. "Michael Kessler," Artforum 23 (February), no.6, 87
"Michael Kessler's Drawings: Gesture as Image," Sulfer 14 (December), 88-93
1984
Rifkin, Ned. New Work: New York/Outside New York: The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York; Made in Philadelphia 6; Institute of Contemporary Art, Phila., Pennsylvania
Warren, Ron. "Michael Kessler at Jack Tilton Gallery," Arts Magazine 58 (Summer) no. 10, 34-35
61 (May),
1983
Kotik, Charlotta. Landscapes and Imagery: Paintings and Drawings by Michael Kessler; Niagara University, Niagara Falls, New York
Glueck, Grace. "Art-One Man's Biennial Assembles 102 Artists," The New York Times (April 15)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE 1999/2000
College of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico
1993/1995
Carnegie Mellon University; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1992/1993
Lafayette College; Easton, Pennsylvania
Select Museum Collections
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, Pennsylvania Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, Austin, Texas Broad Foundation, Los Angeles, California Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York Castellani Art Museum, Niagara Falls, New York Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio
DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Lincoln, Massachusetts Fabric Workshop, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fine Arts Gallery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee Flint Institute of the Arts, Flint, Michigan
Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, Minnesota Honolulu Academy of the Arts, Honolulu, Hawaii Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts Museum of Fine Arts, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn Harbor, New York The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York
The Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Reading Public Museum, Reading, Pennsylvania
Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, California Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, California
Select Corporate Collections
Vitale, Caturano & Company, Ltd., Boston, Ma. Golden Artist Color, Berlin, New York
Pfizer Inc, New York, New York
PepsiCo, Camden, New Jersey Price Waterhouse, Washington, D.C.
Boone County National Bank, Columbia, Missouri Prudential Insurance Co., Newark, New Jersey Regent Hotel, Hong Kong Exxon, Houston Texas Comcast, Philadelphia, Pa.
Deloitte & Touché , Atlanta, Georgia
Austin Company, Cleveland, Ohio El Paso Energy, Houston, Texas
Exxon Moble, Houston, Texas
Young Conoway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP Wilmington DE Ericsson, Gothengerg, Sweden
American Financial Group, NYC
First Union Bank, Phila. Pa.
Compaq Computer, Houston, Texas
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, Pennsylvania Bank of Boston, Boston
Bank of Japan, New York
Chase Manhattan Bank, New York
Northwest Airlines, St. Paul, Mn.
Heller Financial, Chicago
Rubenstein Co. Pittsburgh, Pa.
Phillips Service, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Freemarkets, Pittsburgh, Pa.
The Macy’s Collection, Nevada
Buchanan Ingersoll, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Gateway Towers, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Morgan, Lewis, Bockius, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Tokio Marine Management, NYC
Jacobson/Sylvester, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Tyson Corner, NYC
Vanguard Group, Valley Forge, Pa.
Lincoln Financial Group. Pa.
Duff & Phelps, Chicago
Penton Media Inc. Cleveland, Ohio
Lincoln Financial Group, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Hallmark Cards, Kansas City, Missouri
Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Scimed Life Systems, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sears Merchandise Group, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
SOHIO, Cleveland, Ohio
Vector Securities, Deerfield, Illinois
The St. Paul Companies, St. Paul, Minnesota
Hart Senate Building, Senator Specter's Office, Washington, DC Voyageur Fund Managers. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.