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As technology alters the direction of our lives
more everyday it has been difficult to hold to the conviction
that the work of artists is some of the most important know to
human-kind. My belief in the presence of working artists,
and in my own work, has grown as visual art is seen as more frivolous
and inaccessible. Visual art is but one source of entertainment
available to us, in no way privileged above video games or paint-ball
tournaments. Overlooked and under-appreciated by the great
majority of us today art no longer represents a golden key to cultural
ascendancy. Yet I believe, as many still do, that the arts provide
deep, enduring nourishment to our lives, nourishment without which we
would struggle to flourish as a species.
What drives me as an artist
is the content or message of my artwork, and is a rationale
for my use of unconventional materials such a recycled plastic,
as well as my endeavor to incorporate poems I have written or phrases
into my paintings. Although I believe that I have something
to say I disagree with the convention of the artist communicating
to the viewer through their art. As I work I begin to see the
words and pictures transform. They are no longer mine;
they have become more universal. In that sense my paintings
speak for themselves. Having come from somewhere else,
their poetic rantings rise from the canvas more organically. As
the artist, however, I do not give order to nature’s chaos. We are responsible for the chaos
around us, even as the civilized world has designs for order in it we still,
unwittingly, contribute our energy to creating this chaos. We cannot bring about
order, but only uncover truth as it lives naturally in the
universe. So I work to uncover this
truth. Once exposed this truth will not last long for us. Yet, art
exists
in a different realm, a realm where truth and order, once removed from nature,
are sustained and live for themselves. It is art when it
retreats from this world and enters another; it draws you
in and you can sense a depth and feel its loneliness. I
grapple with depth and feeling of distance in my exploration
of landscape. In this distance the land reflects our past,
and is our conscience. While my work shows an underlying
concern for our environment, I seek always to reveal something
beautiful, and express that how we treat the land is how we treat
each other, that we can find in the land a foretelling of what
kind of future we may have.
Resume___________________________________________________________
Selected
Associations
Exhibitions
Urban Institute of Contemporary Art
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2011
Upcycling! Creating More with Less
Muskegon
Museum of Art
Muskegon, Michigan, 2011
Iron Pastorals – Solo Exhibition
360See Gallery
Chicago, Illinois, 2009
ArtPrize
Keeler Gallery, Fountain Street Church
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2009
Grand Opening Exhibition
360See Gallery
Chicago, Illinois, 2008
The Artist Project – part of Artropolis/ Art Chicago
The Merchandise Mart
Chicago, Illinois, 2008
Live Coverage – Exhibition and Auction
Urban Institute of Contemporary Art
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008
Atlanta Youth Academy Benefit
Art Auction
Mason Murer Fine Art, Atlanta,
Georgia, 2007
Juried Exhibition, Muskegon
Museum of Art
Muskegon, Michigan, 2007
West Michigan Area Show
Juried Exhibition, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Kalamazoo, Michigan, 2007
Festival Regional Art Competition,
38th Annual Juried Exhibition, Grand Rapids Art Museum
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2007
Michigan Fine Arts Competition
26th Annual Juried Exhibition, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center,
Birmingham, Michigan, 2007
Celebration of the Arts
34th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, First United Methodist Church,
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2007
InnerScapes
Group Show, Lowell Area Arts Council
Lowell, Michigan, 2006
78th Regional Exhibition
Juried Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art
Muskegon, Michigan, 2006
West Michigan Area Show
Juried Exhibition, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Kalamazoo, Michigan, 2006
Postcards and Billboards – Solo Exhibition
House On Main gallery
Royal Oak, Michigan, 2006
District 59 Fine Arts Festival
Guest Artist, Holmes Junior High School
Mount Prospect, Illinois 2006
Celebration of the Arts
33rd Annual Juried Art Exhibition, First United Methodist Church,
Grand Rapids, Michigan,
2006
All Michigan Juried Exhibition
Rankin Art Gallery,
Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan, 2005
Shadow
Show – Group Exhibition
Hungry Heart Cafe, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005
42nd Annual Juried Fine Art Exhibition
Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, Michigan, 2005
Festival
Regional Art Competition, 36th Annual Juried Exhibition,
Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids,
Michigan, 2005
Live Coverage – Exhibition and Auction,
Urban Institute of Contemporary Art
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005
Reclamation – Solo Exhibition, Parlor
Gallery,
Trinity United Methodist Church,
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005
Celebration of the Arts,
32nd Annual Juried Art Exhibition, First United Methodist
Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005
Between the Forest and the City – Solo Exhibition, Common Ground Coffee House,
Grand Rapids, Michigan,
2004
New Paintings
– Solo Exhibition, www.curtisfrillmann.com,
On Line Gallery, 2004
“Plein Air”
paintings see the world – Solo Exhibition, Caribou Coffee,
Chicago, Illinois, 1999
Words
and Pictures– Solo Exhibition, Spice Factory Lofts,
Chicago, Illinois, 1998
Sculptures and Drawings– Solo Exhibition, Caffé Fino,
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1992
Regional Art Exhibition, Harper College, Palatine,
Illinois, 1985
Regional
Art Exhibition, Schaumburg Public Library, Schaumburg,
Illinois, 1985
Awards
&
Guest Lecturer
Honors
as part of Sustainability: A West Michigan Journey
presented by the West MIchigan Symphony
Muskegon, Michigan, 2011
Featured Artist
Gen Art Collector's Circle Event
360See
Gallery
Chicago, Illinois, 2009
Guest Lecturer
Art Break Lecture Series
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Kalamazoo, Michigan, 2006
Commission
Holmes
Junior High School, Mount Prospect, Illinois 2006
Third Prize, 42nd Annual Juried Fine Art Exhibition
Holland Area Arts
Council, Holland, Michigan, 2005
First Prize, Celebration
of the Arts, 32nd Annual Juried Art Competition,
First United
Methodist Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005
Guest Artist
District 59 Fine Arts Festival
Mount Prospect, Illinois 2005
Commission, Caribou Coffee,
Chicago, Illinois,
1999
Commission, Alumni
Corporation of Phi Gamma Delta,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1991
Finalist, School
of Business Administration sculpture contest, University
of Michigan,
Ann Arbor, Michigan,
1988
Scholarship, Texas
Christian University, School of Fine Art, Fort Worth, Texas,1984
Publications
Grand Rapids Press
“UICA opens final show at Sheldon Gallery,” feature article
by Molly Kimelman, April 15, 2011
Muskegon Chronicle
"Art Is Everywhere, New MMA Exhibit," feature article
by Lisa Medendorp, February 17, 2011
Gen Art Pulse
“Art Therapy” featured article and interview
by Meredith Chamberlain, November 2009
Chicago Collection
“Bucktown Art Gallery Spotlight,” feature article
by Jordan Witkov, Winter 2008
Grand Rapids Press
“Eastertide: The
mural of the story,” feature article
by Paul R. Kopenkoskey, March 15, 2008
Recoil Magazine
“Artist- Curtis Frillmann,” feature article
by Nicholas Stephenson, June, 2007
Kalamazoo Gazette
“Earth is focus of artist using recycled materials,” feature
article
by Nicholas Stephenson, April 22, 2007
Kalamazoo Gazette
“Treasures amid the jumble of area show,” feature article
by Amy Sult Stevens, April 1, 2007
Kalamazoo Gazette
“Mix of themes highlight show,” Front-page headline article
by William R Wood, March 24, 2007
Grand Rapids Press
“Artist, writer unite,” feature article
by Gail Philbin, October 8, 2006
Lowell Ledger
“Arts council exhibit blends art, literature,” feature article
by Dan Schneider, , September 13, 2006
The Daily Herald “Artist to demonstrate his craft at show,”
feature article
By Sue Ter Maat, March 3,
2006
The Holland Sentinel, “Show
winners chosen,” article
September 29, 200
Grand Rapids Press,
“Juror thrilled with art choices,” feature article
by Sylvia Krissoff,
January 29, 2005
On-the-Town Magazine,
“Finding Common Ground,” article,
January 2005
Affiliations
Curatorial Board, member
Urban Institute of Contemporary Art
the main curatorial body of this major contemporary
art venue,
Grand Rapids, Michigan,
2004 - present
Education
Aquinas College, Center for Sustainablility,
Grand Rapids, Michigan 2010
University of Michigan, School of Art and Design,
Ann Arbor, Michigan 1992
School of the
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 1986
© 2011 Curtis Frillmann
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