Artist Registry
Laura Chenicek
Contact information
Artist statement
“Family Matters”
The word “family” carries with it the idealized connotation that over time bonds between husband, wife and children are nurtured and strengthened creating an everlasting support system. In fact, the definition of “family” is simply: “parents and their off-spring”. The actual nature of their relationship is not stipulated.
In “Family Matters” my artwork addresses the presence of physical, psychological and emotional hurt within familial relationships. Hurt can exist within a loving and caring environment and to varying degrees. It can be intentional or unintentional. Pain can be inflicted by a look, a word or an action or by withholding a positive interaction. Sometimes hurt is acknowledged while at other times it is kept hidden beneath the surface.
In this body of work, the landscape metaphorically represents family life. It is a place that can be beautiful but that also has dark and hidden areas where harmful events are experienced. Materials that aid in healing such as bandages, sutures, plaster casts have been applied to these landscapes. These same materials can also be used to cover up wounds. As in previous bodies of work, I use zippers to provide access to something underneath; create a connection between two things; allow two things to be pulled apart or keep something covered up.
In “Family Matters” I convey a negative view of the family, but in doing so I hope to reassert that, “family matters”.
Resume / bio
Education:
- M.F.A., 1976: School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
- Whitney Museum of American Art, Independent Study Program, New York, NY: Spring, 1976.
- B.F.A., 1974: University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
Selected Honors & Awards:
- Central South Art Exhibition, Tennessee Art League, Nashville, TN: Memorial Award; 2007.
- Participant, Judy Chicago’s Project of Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Spring; 2006.
- The Kentucky Women’s Foundation, Louisville, KY-- Artist Enrichment Grant: 2005.
- Jaffe Art Center, Norfolk, VA, National Women’s Juried Show: Best in Show: 2004.
- Creative Capital Foundation, Second Stage Review, grant year 2004-2005.
- Touchstone Gallery, Washington, D. C., 7th Annual All-Media Exhibition--Honorable Mention: 2004.
- Studio Montclair, Montclair, NJ, Gallery 214, 4th Annual Juried Art Exhibition--Best Mixed Media: 2001.
- New Jersey State Council On the Arts -- Grant Recipient: 1983-1984.
- Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY-- Independent Study Program: 1976.
- Union League Show of Chicago, Chicago, IL -- Purchase Prize Award: l976.
Corporate Collections:
- Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX: 1999.
- Johnson and Johnson World Headquarters, New Brunswick, NJ: 1998.
- Minet Insurance Company, New York, NY: 1991, 1992.
- Public Service Electric and Gas Co., Newark, NJ: 1990.
- Schering Plough Pharmaceutical Co., Madison, NJ: 1989, 1993, 1993.
- Law firm of John B.Stedman, Sears Tower, Chicago, IL: 1976.
One-Person Exhibitions:
- Parthenon, Nashville, TN. Scheduled January 2010.
- Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery, Nashville, TN. July 2008.
- University of Louisville, Hite Art Institute, Louisville, KY: 2004.
- Vanderbilt University, Sarratt Gallery, Nashville, TN: 2003.
- Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, KY: 2003.
- Madisonville Community College, Madisonville, KY: 2001.
- Kent Place Gallery, Summit, NJ: 2000.
- Johnson and Johnson World Headquarters, New Brunswick, NJ: 1999.
- Janssen Pharmaceutica, Titusville, NJ: 1998.
- Bergen Museum of Art and Science, Paramus, NJ: 1996.
- Gallery of South Orange, South Orange, NJ: l996.
- Five Corners Gallery, Jersey City, NJ: 1986.
- New Jersey Center For the Visual Arts, Summit, NJ: 1984.
- Leverett Craftsmen and Artists Gallery, Leverett Center, MA: 1983.
- Carroll Gallery, Westwood, NJ: 1980.
- Barron Art Center, Woodbridge, NJ: 1980.
- Present Day Club, Princeton, NJ: 1979.
- Douglass College, New Brunswick, NJ: 1979.
- Alnico Gallery, New York, NY: 1978.
National & Regional Juried Shows:
- Florida State University Museum, Deconstruction and Reconstruction: The Family Experience, Tallahassee, FL: 2006.
- Arts & Culture Alliance National Juried Exhibition, Knoxville, TN: 2006.
- Florida State University Museum, Combined Talents: The Florida International, Tallahassee, FL: 2005.
- Rome Art Coterie, 3rd National Juried Exhibition, Rome, GA: 2005.
- Tennessee Art League, 40th Annual Central South Art Exhibition, Nashville, TN: 2005.
- Touchstone Gallery, 7th Annual All Media Exhibition, Washington, DC: 2005.
- Morehead State University, Contemporary Landscape, Morehead, KY: 2005.
- Jaffe Art Center, 2004 National Juried Women’s Exhibition, Norfolk, VA: 2004.
- Mobile Museum of Art, Southeastern Juried Exhibition; Mobile, AL: 2004.
- National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society “Best of America! ” 2004, Osage Beach, MO: 2004.
- Memphis/Germantown Art League National Juried Exhibition, Germantown, TN: 2004.
- Aljira Center of Contemporary Art, National Juried show, Newark, NJ: 1999.
- New Jersey Center For the Visual Arts, International Juried show, Summit, NJ: 1999.
- Stamford Museum, Faber Birren National Color Award Show, Stamford, CT: 1997.
Selected Juried Group Shows:
- Nashville Public Library, Works With Words, Nashville, TN: 2008.
- Centennial Art Center, Interact: 4, Nashville, TN: 2007.
- Vanderbilt University, A Multimedia Project of Discovery, Nashville, TN: 2006.
- University School of Nashville, Artclectic, Nashville, TN: 2003; 2005.
- New Jersey Center For the Visual Arts, Summit, NJ: 2003; 2004.
- Gallery at the Arts Guild of Rahway, Rahway, NJ: 2002.
- Capitol Arts Alliance, 21st Annual All Kentucky Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY: 2001.
- Hopkinsville Art Guild, Pennyroyal Art 2001 Exhibition, Hopkinsville, KY: 2001.
- Studio Montclair, Gallery 214, 4th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Montclair, NJ: 2001.
- Cow Parade West Orange, West Orange, NJ: 2000.
- Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton, NJ: 1999.
- Nabisco World Headquarters, East Hanover, NJ: 1988; 1992; 1999; 2001.
- RC Gallery, Maplewood, NJ: 1999, 2000.
- Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ: 1998.
- Monmouth Museum, Lincroft, NJ: 1998.
- Phoenix Gallery, New York, NJ: 1998.
- City Without Walls Gallery, Newark, NJ: 1982; 1983; 1984; 1997; 1999.
- ADP Corporation, Caldwell, NJ: 1997, 1998.
- Robin Hutchins Gallery, Maplewood, NJ: 1993.
- Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY: 1992.
- New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, NJ: 1986.
- Jersey City State University, Jersey City, NJ: 1986.
- Pace University, New York, NY: 1986.
- Pan Arts Gallery, Brooklyn, NY: 1985.
- Chubb International Headquarters, Warren, NJ: 1985.
- AT & T, Basking Ridge, NJ: 1985.
- Trenton State College, Trenton, NJ: 1984.
- Douglass College, New Brunswick, NJ: 1984.
- Tweed Gallery, Plainfield, NJ: 1983, 1984.
- New Jersey Center For the Visual Arts, Summit, NJ: 1983.
- Princeton Art Association, Princeton, NJ: 1982.
- Exxon Corporation, Linden, NJ: 1982, 1983.
- Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ: 1982.
- Newark Museum, Newark, NJ: 1982.
- First Federal Plaza, New York, NY: 1982.
- Arts Resource Center, New Brunswick, NJ: l981.
- Ramapo College, Mahway, NJ: 1981.
- Bergen Museum of Art and Science, Paramus, NJ: 1980.
- Lincoln Center Gallery, New York, NY: 1978.
- Women In the Arts Gallery, New York, NY: 1978.
Bibliography:
2008:- Jonathan Marx, (July 20) “Band-aids, zippers open up family discussion in Chenicek’s work”, Arts: Words On the Work, The Tennessean, p. 22.
- Jonathan Marx, (July 6) “Human Relationships invite creative approaches to painting; drawing”, Arts: Best Bets, The Tennessean.
- Dillingham, Amanda (July10) “Skeletons in Closets: Excavating the Family Frontier”, Critic’s Picks, Nashville Scene.
- Maddox, David, (May 22) “Write Me Some Letters” Nashville Scene.
- Marx, Jonathan, (Feb. 25) “Four Artists ’Interact“ for Collaborative Showing”, The Tennessean, p. 19.
- Reconstruction, Catalogue (May 12- June 2), pgs. 9; 15; 38 Catalogue (Aug. 29-Sept 25) p. 4.
- Ward, Fran, (Oct. 19) “Just Like a Woman.” Port Folio Weekly, p. 61.
- Pietrantoni, Nicole, (Nov. 5) Critic’s Pick, Nashville Scene.
- Cow Parade 2000, New York, NY; Stamford, CT; West Orange, NJ. Catalogue, p. 12.
- The Aljira National Five-A Center for Contemporary Art, Catalog (Sept. 9 - Oct..22) p. 2.
- “The Hunterdon Hackberry.” Hunterdon Museum of Art, Catalog (July 25 - Sept. 5) p. 2.
- Guender, Monika. (July 22) “Hackberry Plants Roots at Museum.” Hunterdon County Democrat, section B, p.1.
- Bischoff, Dan. (Sept 19) “The Muses are Many at Aljira Show.” Sunday Star Ledger, section 4, pgs. 1, 8.
- 17th Annual Faber Birren National Color Award Show, (Oct. 5 to Nov 9) Stamford Museum, Catalog p. 18.
- 1996 Watkins, Eileen. “Landscapes Evoke Subconscious Feelings, Memories” Star Ledger, Art section. (Photo).
- Watkins, Eileen. (April 10). “A Peerless Juried Show.” Star Ledger, p. 47.
- Watkins, Eileen (June 14) “Artists’ Imaginations Leap Off Walls at Nabisco Exhibit.” Sunday Star Ledger, section 4, p. 15.
- Fressola, Michael. (July 10) “Art Lab to Open Women: Diversity and Vision” Staten Island Advance, section D, p. 3.
- “Women: Diversity and Vision.” The Art Lab Gallery, Snug Harbor Center. (July 11- Sept. 4) Catalog p. 2.
- Watkins, Eileen. (Jan. 1) “Women’s Group Presents Real and Imagined Landscapes.” Star Ledger, art section, p. 1.
- New Jersey Arts Annual-“Fiber, Metal and Wood.” Catalog p. 14 (photo)
- Fellowship Exhibition, New Jersey State Council On the Arts, Catalog p. 21.
- Brodsky, Judith. “Focused Fragments.” Douglass College, Rutgers State University. (June 9-June 30) Catalog.
- Filler, Marion, (Sept. 16) “Braids of Paint and Film.” Daily Record, arts section.
- Watkins, Eileen. (Sept. 16) “Making Braids.” Sunday Star Ledger, section D, p.1.
- Moore, Sabra. “Focused Fragments”, Views By Women Artists, NY Chapter Women’s Caucus For Art Catalog p. 35
- Watkins, Eileen. (July 11) “Women’s Show Conveys Harmony and Distinct Style.” Star Ledger.
- Watkins. Eileen. (July 4) “Mixed Bag.” Sunday Star Ledger, section D.
- Cotter, Holland. (#20) “Gallery Review.” New York Arts Journal, p. 32.
- Womanart: Lincoln Center, (Spring) “Works and Words.” Catalog pgs. 3; 35. (Photo)
Professional Positions Held:
- Juror, Cheekwood Museum of Art, Middle Tennessee Scholastic Art Awards, Nashville, TN: 2005.
- Member, Exhibitor’s Co-op, Maplewood, NJ: 1995-2001.
- Founding Member and Executive Committee Member, Gallery of South Orange, South Orange, NJ: 1992-2001.
- Adjunct Faculty Member, Kean University, Union, NJ: 1995.
- Instructor, South Orange/Maplewood Adult School, Maplewood, NJ: 1991- 1997.
- Co-President, Women’s Caucus For Art of New Jersey: 1985. Vice-President: 1983-1985. Board Member: 1980-1985.
- Vice-President, Artists Equity Association of New Jersey: 1984-1985. Board Member: l980-l985.
- Adjunct Faculty Member, Essex County College, Newark, NJ: 1979-1984.
- Member, New Jersey State Council On the Arts Grants Selection Committee: 1980.
(Information last updated: 28 January 2009)
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