deborah rockman artist • author • professor of art
education
1981 Master of Fine Arts, Drawing/Printmaking; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
1977 Bachelor of Arts, Fine Arts; Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
solo exhibitions
2006 Not Much to Laugh About, Collins Gallery, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI
2005 Drawn from Life: Works by Deborah Rockman, Retrospective Exhibition, Midland Museum of Art, Midland, MI
2004 Losing Sleep, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
2001 Changing My Mind: A Retrospective, 20-Year Retrospective Exhibition, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
1998 Waging a Word War, Memorial Union Gallery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
Seven Year Bitch, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
1995 The Seduction of Shadow and Light, South Bend Museum of Art, South Bend, IN
1994 Instead of the Dead, Northern Indiana Arts Association, Munster, IN
Dark to Light, Clack Art Center, Alma College, Alma, MI
1993 Works on Paper, Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
Mixed-Media Drawings, Trumbull Gallery, Warren, OH
1992 Form and Substance, Battle Creek Art Center, Battle Creek, MI
Body of Land, Sons and Daughters, Grand Rapids, MI
1991 The Internal Vision: Beauty or the Beast?, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
1990 Visions, Dreams and Memories, KCAD Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
invitational exhibitions
2012 The Figure in Art, Group Exhibition, University of Michigan Galleries, Ann Arbor, MI
2011 Figurative Works, Group Exhibition, Ford Art Gallery, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI
Associations, Group Exhibition, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
2010 Mirror, Mirror: Art Inspired by Fairy Tales, Group Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Redial, Group Exhibition, Byrneboehm Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2008 The Figure Revealed: Contemporary American Figurative Paintings and Drawings, Invitational Traveling Exhibition, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI
Making Their Mark: The Possibilities of Drawing, Group Exhibition, Nightingale Gallery, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR
2007 A Common Line, Group Exhibition, 214 Gallery, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL
Being Open: 30 Years, 30 Artists, 30 Careers, 30th Anniversary Exhibition, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
Heart Rate, Group Exhibition, Buckham Gallery, Flint, MI
2006 Self: Portraits and Narratives, Group Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2005 Drawing Invitational, Group Exhibition, Delta College, Saginaw, MI
2003 Midwest Regional Biennial 22, South Bend Regional Museum of Art, South Bend, IN
1998 Contemporary Drawing, Three-Person Exhibition, Cabrillo College Gallery, Aptos, CA
1997 Phat 50, Group invitational suite of prints commemorating the 50th anniversary of the South Bend Regional Museum of Art, South Bend, IN
1996 TextArt, Group Exhibition, LaFontsee Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
1995 All Sides Considered, Group Exhibition, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
1994 Inaugural Exhibition, Group Exhibition, LaFontsee Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
1991 20th Century Women, Group Exhibition, Hefner Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
1990 Voices in the Attic, Group Exhibition, Contemporary Arts Workshop, Chicago, IL
selected exhibitions
2010 ArtPrize, International Exhibition, Fountain Street Church, Grand Rapids, MI
2009 ArtPrize, International Exhibition, Old Federal Building, Grand Rapids, MI
Juror: Steve Samson, Exhibitions Manager, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
Joseph Frasca Memorial Works on Paper Competition, Around the Coyote Gallery, Chicago, IL
Curators: Myra Casis and Meg Sheehy of Zg Gallery, Chicago
2007 The L(ink)T Project, Juried Exhibition, Red Ink Studios and Gallery, Flint, MI
2006 2006 Biennial: Contemporary American Realism, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
Juror: Charles Shepard, Senior Curator and Executive Director, Fort Wayne Museum of Art
Great Lakes Drawing Biennial, Ford Gallery, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI
Juror: Don Bacigalupi, President, Director, and CEO, Toledo Museum of Art
West Michigan Area Show, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI
Juror: Tim Lowly, Artist, Gallery Director, Instructor, and Artist-in Residence, NPU, Chicago
2005 Manifest International Drawing Annual, Manifest Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH (Award)
2004 National Biennial 2004, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News, VA (Award)
Juror: Carrie Przybilla, Curator & Head of Contemporary Art, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA
2003 2003 Regional Drawing Exhibition, Elaine L. Jacob Gallery, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Juror: Dominic Molon, Associate Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
2002 25th Anniversary Juried Exhibition, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
Jurors: Jacqueline Klein and Charles Mutscheller, Chicago Critics and Curators
2001 Ragdale 25th Anniversary Exhibition, Fine Arts Building Gallery, Chicago, IL
Juror: Ed Paschke, Chicago Artist
2000 Drawing From Perception, Juried Exhibition, Wright State University Art Galleries, Dayton, OH
Juror: Graham Nickson, Director of the New York Studio School
1999 Michigan Fine Arts Exhibition, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI (Award)
Juror: Nancy Mitchnick, artist and senior lecturer, Harvard University
1998 Troubling Customs, International Group Exhibition, Ontario College of Art & Design, Toronto, Canada;
The Katherine Lane Weems Center, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
1996 Stateline Vicinity Exhibition, Juried Competition, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL
1995 Regional Juried Exhibition, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
Juror: Richard Francis, Chief Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
1993 Figurative Interpretations, Two-Person Exhibition, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI
1991 LaGrange National XVI, Chattahoochee Valley Art Museum, LaGrange, GA
Juror: Peter Morrin, Director, Speed Museum of Art, Louisville, KY
1990 Scupadra at Artemisia, Three-Person Exhibition, Artemisia Gallery, Chicago, IL
Annual Greater Michigan Art Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
2004 Juror: Al Gury, Head of Painting Department, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art (Awards)
2002 Juror: Tony Phillips, Professor Emeritus, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Award)
2001 Juror: Michael Rooks, Assistant Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (Award)
1999 Juror: Kristin Chambers, Associate Curator, Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art
1997 Juror: Tom Hinson, Curator of Contemporary Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art (Award)
1995 Juror: George Adams, Co-owner, Frumkin-Adams Gallery, New York City (Award)
1993 Juror: Robert Workman, Director of Exhibitions, American Federation of Arts, New York, NY
1992 Juror: Alice Huei-zu Yang, Assistant Curator, New Museum of Contemporary Art, NYC (Award)
1990 Juror: Neal Benezra, Curator, 20th Century Painting/Sculpture, Art Institute of Chicago (Award)
Annual West Michigan Juried Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2008 Juror: Joe Bova, Professor Emeritus, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge (Award)
2006 Juror: Howard Risatti, Professor of Art History, Author and Essayist
2005 Juror: Kenneth R. Trapp, Independent Writer and Curator (Award)
2004 Juror: Dean Porter, Director Emeritus, Snite Museum of Art, Notre Dame University
2003 Juror: David Butler, Director, Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University
2001 Juror: Thomas Collins, Associate Curator of Contemporary Art, Cincinnati Art Museum
2000 Juror: Mark J. Chepp, Director, Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH
1999 Juror: Laurel Reuter, Founding Director, North Dakota Museum of Art, Grand Forks, ND (Award)
1998 Juror: Wilma Lok, European Printmaker and Installation Artist (Award)
1994 Juror: Michiko Itatani, Faculty, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Award)
1993 Juror: Susan Sensemann, Chicago Artist (Award)
1992 Juror:William J. Hennessey, Director, University of Michigan Museum of Art
1990 Juror: Dennis Barrie, Director, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH (Award)
awards / honors
2010 Co-Juror, International Artist Award, ArtPrize 2010, Grand Rapids, MI
Juror, Drawing Discourse, National Juried Drawing Exhibition, UNCA, Asheville, NC
2008 Best of Show, 80th Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art
Juror: Joe Bova, Professor Emeritus, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
2005 Best of Show, 77th Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art
Juror: Kenneth R. Trapp, Independent Writer and Curator
2nd Place Award, Manifest National Drawing Annual, Manifest Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH
2005 Solo Exhibition Award, Greater Michigan Art Exhibition, Midland Museum of Science and Art
Juror: Al Gury, Head of Painting Department, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art
2004 Northwood University Artist Award, Greater Michigan Art Exhibition, Midland Museum of Science and Art
Juror: Al Gury, Head of Painting Department, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art
Arts and Sciences Award, National Biennial 2004, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News, VA
Juror: Carrie Przybilla, Curator & Head of Contemporary Art, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA
2003 Centennial Celebration’s 100 Art Alumni Award, School of Art, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
Recipient of award for distinguished actions and accomplishments in the visual arts
2002 Delta College Award, 42nd Annual Greater Michigan Art Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts
Juror: Tony Phillips, Professor Emeritus, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Purchase Award, Prince Conference Center, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI
Purchase Award, DeVos Health Professions Facility, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI
Purchase Award, Robert B. Annis Water Resource Institute, Muskegon, MI
2001 Best of Show, 41st Annual Greater Michigan Art Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts
Juror: Michael Rooks, Assistant Curator, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Chicago
2000 Best of Show, 71st Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art
Juror: Laurel Reuter, Founding Director, North Dakota Museum of Art
1999 Third Place Award, Michigan Fine Arts Competition, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center
Juror: Nancy Mitchnick, Artist and Senior Lecturer, Harvard University
Second Place Award, Kendall College of Art & Design National Juried Competition
Juror: Kim Humphries, Exhibition Designer, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH
1998 Howmet Corporation Award, Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art
1997 Best of Show, West Michigan Regional Competition, Lowell Arts Council
Award of Merit, Great Lakes Regional Art Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts
Juror: Tom Hinson, Curator of Contemporary Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art
1995 Delta College Purchase Award, Great Lakes Regional Art Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts
Juror: George Adams, Co-owner, Frumkin-Adams Gallery, New York, NY
1994 Youngman Graphic Arts Award, West Michigan Juried Competition, Muskegon Museum of Art
Juror: Michiko Itatani, Professor of Art, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
1993 Anderson Award for Excellence, West Michigan Juried Competition, Muskegon Museum of Art
Juror: Susan Sensemann, Chicago Artist
1992 Honorable Mention Award, Mid-Michigan Juried Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts
Juror: Alice Huei-zu Yang, Assistant Curator, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY
1991 Juror's Merit Award, LaGrange National XVI Juried Exhibition, Chattahoochee Valley Art Museum
Juror: Peter Morrin, Director, Speed Museum of Art, Louisville, KY
1990 Outstanding Merit Award, Mid-Michigan Juried Exhibition, Midland Center for the Arts
Juror: Neal Benezra, Curator, 20th Century Painting/Sculpture, Art Institute of Chicago
Juror's Choice Award, West Michigan Juried Competition, Lowell Arts Council
Juror: Dennis Komac, Executive Director, Grand Rapids Art Museum
1989 Howmet Corporation Award, West Michigan Juried Competition, Muskegon Museum of Art
Juror: Dennis Barrie, Director, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH
1988 Purchase Award, Festival '88 Visual Arts Exhibition, Grand Rapids Art Museum
Juror: Judith Russi Kirshner, Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
1987 Eric Gray Memorial Award, 30th Annual Chautauqua National Exhibition of American Art
Juror: Marjorie Frankel Nathanson, Museum of Modern Art, NYC
1986 National Award, Schoharie County Arts Council National Small Works Exhibition, SCAC Gallery
Juror: Marjorie Frankel Nathanson, Museum of Modern Art, NYC
1985 Purchase Award, 19th Bradley National Print and Drawing Exhibition, Lakeview Museum
Jurors: Jim Nutt, Chicago Imagist; Don Baum, Graduate Advisor, S.A.I.C.
fellowships / residencies / visiting artist
2012 The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Visual Arts Fellowship, March 2012, Amherst, VA
2011 The Ragdale Foundation, Visual Arts Fellowship, November 2011, Lake Forest, IL
2010 Golden Apple Artist Residency, Visual Arts Fellowship, July 2010, Harrington, ME
2006 Visiting Artist, School of Art, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL
2004 Visiting Artist, Fine Art Department, Elon University, Elon, NC
2004 The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Visual Arts Fellowship, March 2004, Amherst, VA
2003 Visiting Artist, School of Art, Herron School of Art and Design, Indiana University – Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN
2003 The Ragdale Foundation, Visual Arts Fellowship, November 2003, Lake Forest, IL
1997 The Ragdale Foundation, Visual Arts Fellowship, January 1997, Lake Forest, IL
1996 Mary Anderson Center for the Arts, Visual Arts Fellowship, October 1996, Mt. St. Francis, IN
1990 Vermont Studio Colony, Visual Arts Fellowship, January 1990, Johnson, VT
1989 Cummington Community for the Arts, Visual Arts Fellowship, September 1989, Cummington, MS
1989 Ox-Bow Artists' Colony, Professional Artist-In-Residence, Summer 1989, Saugatuck, MI
selected collections
South Bend Regional Museum of Art, South Bend, IN; Steelcase, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND; Warner, Norcross & Judd, Attorneys at Law, Grand Rapids, MI; University of Minnesota - Moorhead, Moorhead, MN; Delta College, Midland, MI; Robert B. Annis Water Resource Institute, Muskegon, MI; Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI; Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI; Griffin Properties, Grand Rapids, MI
selected publications
2008-11 Author of Drawing Essentials, college-level textbook published by Oxford University Press, New York, NY; released February 2008; translated into Chinese 2009; release of second edition December 2011
2008 The Figure Revealed: Contemporary American Figurative Paintings and Drawings, full color catalog, published by the Kalamazoo Institute of Art, Kalamazoo, MI
2007 Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, quarterly newsletter inside cover reproduction, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 Contemporary American Realism Biennial, full color catalog, published by Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
2005 National Drawing Annual, one of three highlighted artists in full color catalog, published by Manifest Press, Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH
2000 Author of The Art of Teaching Art, book published by Oxford University Press, New York, NY; released November 2000; translated into Chinese for release in China, February 2003
selected lectures
2010 International Artists in a Midsize Midwestern City, Presentation by jurors for ArtPrize International Award, Old Federal Building, Grand Rapids, MI
2008 Not Much to Laugh About, Artist’s Lecture, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
2007 Moving Forward: Real-World Teaching Beyond the Assistantship, Discussant, 93rd Annual College Art Association Conference, Atlanta, GA
2003 Culture, Identity, and the Visual Arts, Lecture, Kalamazoo Institute for the Arts, Kalamazoo, MI
2002 Pedagogy and the Graduate Assistant: Preparing Studio Teachers for the Field, Panelist/Presenter, 90th Annual College Art Association Conference, Philadelphia, PA
Culture and Identity: The Fragmented Self, Lecture, 5th Congress of the Americas, Puebla, Mexico
Michigan Artist Series, Speaker and Workshop Facilitator, MAEA Conference, Grand Rapids, MI
Fame or Fortune: Defining Success as an Artist, Lecture, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
1995 Issues of Pedagogy and Sexual Identity, Panelist/Presenter, 83rd Annual College Art Association Conference, San Antonio, TX
Body of Work: Figurative Works from the Permanent Collection, Lecture, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
Beauty or the Beast: The Role of the Unconscious in Creativity, Lecture in conjunction with solo exhibition, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
The Art of the 'Others': Images of the Body, Lecture for Symposium on the Nude, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
selected bibliography
2010 Ekperigin, Naomi. “Call For Entries: International Drawing Annual 6,” Drawing Magazine, Fall 2010, 8-11; interview and reproduction.
Stryker, Mark. “Your Guide to ArtPrize in Grand Rapids,” Freep.com (www.freep.com/fdcp/?1285448258558), September 23, 2010.
Wisely, John. “Art Efforts Brighten Cities’ Economic Picture,” USA Today, September 28, 2010.
Becherer, Joseph. “Cathedral Square Hosts Art with Quality of Form and Content,” Grand Rapids Press, October 1, 2010.
Carroll-Burdick, Diane. “With These Hands,” On-the-Town Magazine, May 2010, reproduction.
2009 Maynard, Micheline. “Eyes on the ArtPrize,” The New York Times, October 8, 2009.
2008 Kimelman, Molly. “Oldest Show Remains Innovative,” Grand Rapids Press, June 2008, 4(F); reproduction.
2006 Digmann, Mathilde. “A Pussy Has Muscles,” NY Arts Magazine, November/December 2006, reproduction.
2005 Green, Roger. “Art Beholder Rarely Misses Intent of Rockman’s Work,” Grand Rapids Press, November 2005, 5(D); reproductions.
Krissoff, Sylvia. "Muskegon Regional Again Brings Out Best,” Grand Rapids Press, June 2005, 8(E); reproduction.
Allen, Tommy. "Artist is at Ease Presenting the Uncomfortable," On-the-Town Magazine, January 2005, 28; reproduction.
Philbin, Gail. "Wrenching Art Not to be Missed: Rockman's Work Reaches a Pinnacle of Purpose," Grand Rapids Press, January 2005, 4(G); reproductions.
2003 Coppens, Julie York. “Womb to Tomb: Regional Artists Tackle Life, Loss in Biennial Exhibit,” South Bend Tribune, June 2003, 1; reproduction.
Behrens, Roy R. “The Art of Teaching Art,” Ballast Quarterly Review,18, No. 3, Spring 2003; Leonardo
Digital Reviews, August 2003, http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-journals/Leonardo/reviews/
2001 Green, Roger. “Big Works Exception to Unexceptional Show,” Grand Rapids Press, June 2001, 8(B), reproduction.
Green, Roger. “Art Eclipses Routine Prettiness,” Ann Arbor News, June 2001, 6(D); reproduction.
Green, Roger. “Author Explores the Art of Teaching,” Grand Rapids Press, February 2001, 4(B); Crimson & Gold, FSU Newsmagazine, Fall 2001, 16-17; reproductions.
1998 Sandra Strawn. “Artists Explore Drawing Techniques,” The Voice (Aptos, CA), December 1998.
Julia Chiapella. “Luck of the Draw: The Thrills of Drawing,” The Santa Cruz Gazette, December 1998, 18.
Madden, Bruce. “Drawings: Dark Asides,” On-the-Town Magazine, March 1998, 30; reproduction.
Green, Roger. “Women Battle Restrictions on Creative Expression,” Kalamazoo Gazette, March 1998, 4(E); Grand Rapids Press, January 1998, 6(D); The Flint Journal, January 1998; The Saginaw News, December 1997, 8(C); reproductions.
1996 Braun-Heiney, Amy. “Language Adds Drama to Exhibition’s Works,” Grand Rapids Press, April 1996.
Bornstein, Lisa. “The Seduction of Shadow and Light,” South Bend Tribune, January 1996, 1-2(E); reproduction.
1994 Schuler, Foley. “Works of Two Artists Stand Out at Invitational Drawing Show,” Muskegon Chronicle, December 1994.
VanScoy, Holly. “Drawing Upon Beauty and the Beast,” Applause Magazine, January-February 1994, 7.
1992 Lee, Honore. “Artists Serve Up Loaded Plate for Arbiters of ‘Safe Art’,” Kalamazoo Gazette, April 1992; reproductions.
1986 Mancewicz, Bernice. “Artists with a New Slant,” Grand Rapids Press, June 1986.
1983 Pincus, Robert L. “Visual Poetics,” Los Angeles Times, December 1983.
professional & academic experience
1989-12 Sabbatical Leaves, 2011-12 academic year, 2003-04 academic year, 1996-97 academic year, 1989-90 academic year, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
2010- Board of Trustees, Golden Apple Artists Residency, Harrington, ME
2008- Chairperson, Drawing & Printmaking Programs, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
1983- Professor of Art, (1992-current), Associate and Assistant Professor of Art (1983-92), Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
1983-08 Drawing Program Coordinator, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
2000-08 Graduate Program Co-coordinator, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 Visiting Artist, Northern Illinois University School of Art, DeKalb, IL
2004 Visiting Artist, Elon University, Burlington, NC
2003 Visiting Artist, Herron School of Art/IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
2002 Fine Arts Department Chair, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
1999-01 MFA Program Development Task Force, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
1992-00 Fine Arts Program Coordinator, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
1981-83 Assistant Professor of Art, Drawing Coordinator, Moorhead State University, Moorhead, MN