Description
Connie Mississippi was born in 1941 in the Mississippi Delta. She attended high school in Memphis, TN and received a B.F.A. from the Memphis College of Art. From Memphis she moved to New York City's Lower East Side where she lived for ten years. During that time she received an M.F.A. in painting and art history from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. From New York she moved to Los Angeles where she lived for twenty five years. And from there she moved to Santa Fe, NM where she has resided for the last ten years. The years in the Mississippi Delta formed her as a person and an artist. She found beauty in simple things and discovered her natural abilities as an artist when she was still a child. Her artistic ability was encouraged by her family and her teachers and after her undergraduate work she went to NYC to pursue graduate studies and experience the life of an artist in an environment rich with culture and an infinite amount of information. Her paintings during these years were hard edged with an influence of Steward Davis and Will Barnett. Three large paintings painted on a silk screened logarithmic grid were purchased by Rockefeller University for their permanent collection. After moving to Los Angeles, Mississippi was painting on shaped three dimensional canvases and realized that she was making painted sculptures rather than paintings. She became interested in the lathe as a tool for making sculpture and spent a year working with a lathe artist learning turning techniques. Much of the wood available was too small in diameter to do what she wanted to with the sculptures, so she started laminating large pieces of Baltic birch plywood that she could turn on the lathe. These are some of her most successful works. Mississippi usually works in series, completing 50 turned pieces which hung in the Fig Gallery in Santa Monica along with a time line of her life to celebrate her 50th year. 100 pieces were turned and painted to honor the movement of our world into the new millennium. A time line of memorable years for the artist in the last century was included along with the sculptures. For most of her adult life Mississippi has recorded her dreams. It was in Los Angeles that she began illustrating them and after moving to Santa Fe, she joined a dream group and continued to illustrate her dreams as well as to do active imagination taken from the dream. For the last five years, the artist has been studying the esoteric knowledge of Kabbalah. From this study have evolved paintings dealing with the Four Worlds – the physical, the psychological, the spiritual, and the divine. In addition using both paint and calligraphy, she has completed an illustrated book of Kabbalistic images. Today the artist's work is both two and three dimensional. Shifting from one plane to another, she may choose to laminate and carve a large “X” representative of an angelic form, or paint a “Tree of Life” using methods from illuminated manuscripts. Her travels have been a significant part of her life and have influenced her work in innumerable ways. She has traveled extensively in Europe as well as Asia, particularly Japan. She has traveled in Israel, Egypt, India and into South and Central America. Peru is her country of choice for mystery and inspiration. The artist's life is more contemplative now although no less inquisitive and eager to explore new realms. She enjoys reading, yoga, Tai Chi, and horseback riding with her husband of thirty years. She writes articles about the wood art field for publication.
EDUCATION
1972 M.F.A., Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
1963 B.F.A., Memphis College of Arts, Memphis, TN
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2003 “Desert Alchemy”, Anderson Contemporary Art Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1999 “Garden of Time”, Brand Library and Galleries, Glendale, CA
1999 Solo exhibition, FIG Gallery, “Woman's Work”, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
1995 “Turning in Space and Time”, FIG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1972 Rockefeller University, New York, NY; three works purchased for the University's permanent collection
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2006 “Wood”, Zane Bennett, Santa Fe, NM
2006 “Inaugural Exhibition”, Costello/Childs Contemporary, Phoenix, AZ
2005, “Nouvelle Nuptials”, San Francisco Museum of Craft + Design, San Francisco, CA
2004, “Rooted in Innovation: Contemporary Wood Sculpture”, Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AK
2004, “New Gallery Artists Exhibition”, Thomas Ingerick Gallery, Aspen, CO
2002, “Wood Turning in North America Since 1930”, Yale University Art Gallery, Boston, MA
2002, “Materials and Contemporary Illusions: Innovations in Lathe Turning”, The Lynn Tendler Bignell Gallery, Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield, CT
2002, “3rd North American Wood Invitational”, The American Art Co., Tacoma, WA
2002, “New Works in Wood”, Gallery Materia, Scottsdale, AZ
2002, “Branching Out: Contemporary Wood Turning in 2002”, Ellipse Arts Center, Arlington, VA
2001, “3rd Annual North American Wood Invitational”, The American Art Co., Tacoma, WA
2001 “The Spirit of Wood”, California State Fair 2001, Sacramento, CA
2001 “Challenge VI-Roots: Insights and Inspirations to Contemporary Turned Objects”,
Wood Turning Center, Philadelphia, PA
2001 “Diversity and Exploration: New Forms in Wood”, R. Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2001 “Wood Turning in North America Since 1930”, Minneapolis Institute of Arts,
Minneapolis, MN
2000 “The Birthday Party”, Brand Library and Galleries, Glendale, CA
2000 “Turned Wood Treasures and Wood Sculptures”, Finegood Art Gallery, West Hills, CA
2000 “Group Exhibition”, Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque, NM
2000 “Artful Wood - The Mari and Irving Lipton Collection of Turned and Carved Wood”, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
2000 “An Inaugural Gift”, Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, NC
2000 “Living with Form: The Horn Collection of Contemporary Crafts”, Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AK
2000 “Collaborators” with Jason Russell, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2000 “Not Boxed In” with Merryll Saylan, Tercera Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
1999 “Turned Wood: An Invitational”, The American Art Company, Tacoma, WA,
1999 “Beyond Bounds-Beyond Borders”, Johnson County Community College Gallery of Art, Overland Park, KS
1999 “Turned Multiples”, Craft Alliance, St. Louis, MO
1999 “American Woodturners Profile I”, R. Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO
1998 “Murmur”, FIG Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
1998 “Sculptural Rhythms”, Platt Gallery, University of Judaism, Los Angeles, CA
1998 “Small Treasures”, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1998 “Beyond Tradition: Masterworks of Contemporary Wood”, Heller Gallery, New York, NY
1998 “Group Exhibition”, Armand Hammer Museum Rental Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1997 “Curators Focus”, Berman Museum, Collegeville, PA
1997 “Made in California”, Brea, CA
1997 “Book Art”, FIG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1996 “Pursuit-Maze II,” Wignall Museum Gallery, Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA with Pat Warner
“Pursuit-Maze I,” Fullerton College Art Gallery, Fullerton, CA, with Pat Warner
Venice Art Walk Silent Auction, Venice Family Clinic, Venice, CA
1996, “Growth Through Sharing”, Guilford College Art Gallery, Greensboro, NC
1995 “Chance and Desire,” SITE Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Strictly Sculpture,” Orange County Center for Contemporary Art,” Santa Ana, CA
“Wooed Wood: Contemporary Paintings and Sculpture,” Century Gallery, Sylmar, CA
“Happy Accidents, Musings and Follies,” SITE Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“92nd National Open,” Long Beach Arts, Long Beach, CA
“Soup to Nuts,” Wharton Esherick Museum, Malvern, PA
“Flat and Fat II,” FIG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“New Gallery Artists,” FIG Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“Black and White,” Robert Berman Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1994 “XXIV Exhibition,” Brand Library, Glendale, CA
Creative Arts Center, Burbank, CA
“19th Annual Multi-Media Juried Show,” Banaker Gallery, San Francisco, CA
“Three Women Two,” Topanga Canyon Gallery, Topanga, CA
Signature Gallery, San Diego, CA
“Design in Wood,” 13th Annual Del Mar Fair, Del Mar, CA
International Book Art Project,” La Corona, Spain
“Challenge V: International Lathe-Turned Objects”, Wood Turning Center, Philadelphia, PA; traveling exhibition 1994-97
“Images”, Galeria Tonantzin, San Juan Bautista, CA
1993 “XXIII Exhibition,” Brand Library, Glendale, CA
“Depayser”, Artspace, Woodland Hills, CA
“In SITE-Out of SITE”, Platt Gallery, University of Judaism, Los Angeles, CA
“Double Vision”, Art Store Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“L.A. Biblioteca,” SITE Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Three Women,” Topanga Canyon Gallery, Topanga, CA
1992 “Portraits”, Topanga Canyon Gallery, Topanga, CA
1992 “Sweet Charity”, Venice Family Clinic, Venice, CA
1991 Los Angeles County Museum of Art Rental Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1990 Matrix Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1990 Los Angeles County Museum of Art Rental Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
REVIEWS AND CATALOGS
“Wood Art at Zane Bennett Contemporary Art”, “Focus/Santa Fe”, August/September 2006, pp.22-23.
“Abstract Art”, Stuart Ashman, Curator, Suzanne Deats, Writer, 2003.
“The Birthday Party - A Review”, “Los Angeles Times”, Metro Section, (Friday, 6 April, 2001), p.17.
Scarpino, Betty, “The Birthday Party”, “Turning Points” vol. 14 no. 1 (Spring 2001) pp. 14-16.
“The Birthday Party”, catalog, Brand Library and Galleries, Glendale, CA. 2001.
“Living with Form: The Horn Collection of Contemporary Crafts”, catalog, The Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AK, 2000.
“An Inaugural Gift - The Founders' Circle Collection”, catalog, Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, NC, 2000.
“Woman's Work”, Cover of “The Argonaut” (23 September, 1999).
Oilman, Leah, “Mississippi's ‘Garden': From Here to Eternity”, “Los Angeles Times” Calendar (Friday, 19 February, 1999). p. F30.
“Art to the Touch”, “Los Angeles Times”, Metro (Thursday, February 11, 1999), p. B4.
Chiang, Sharline, “Art in Hand of the Beholder”, “Los Angeles Daily News” (Thursday, 11 February, 1999), pp. 3-5.
Fox, Jacqueline, “Artistic Vision”, “Glendale News-Press” (Thursday, 11 February, 1999), p.l.
Taylor, Penny, “Connie Mississippi, Like the River, Tunelessly Rolls on”, “Messenger”, (28 January , 1999). pp. 10-11.
Zone, Ray, “Connie Mississippi”, “Art Scene”, Vol 18. No.5 (January 1999) pp. 15-16.
Oilman, Leah, “Something Real Among All the Fakes. ““Los Angeles Times”, Calendar
(Friday,4 September, 1998), p.F22.
“Curators Focus”, catalog, Wood Turning Center, Philadelphia, PA, 1997.
“Growth Through Sharing: Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the American Association of Woodturners”, catalog, Guilford College Art Gallery, Hege Library, Greensboro, NC, 1996.
“ Pursuit-Maze I & II”, catalog, Fullerton Fine Arts Gallery & Wignall Museum Gallery, Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 1996.
Alvarez, Maria, “Proyecto Libro de Artista/Book Art Project”, La Coruna, Spain, “Diputacion de la Coruz”, 1994.
Blackburn, Graham (Editor), “Gallery of Woodwork”, “Woodwork Magazine” no. 14
(March/April 1992), p. 57.
Chung, Roy, “Heavy Machinery, Black Holes and Other Artistic Delights”, Los Angeles
Times, Westside Weekly (3 September 1995), p. 3.
Csaszar, Tom, “Focus: Challenge V: International Lathe-Turned Objects”, “American Craft” (June/July 1994), pp. 72-73.
Doyle, Leo, “Connie Mississippi: Turning in Space and Time”, “Turning Points”, vol. 8, no 4 (Winter 1996), p. 11.
Kandel, Susan, “Art Reviews: Expressionists and Mississippi's Woodworking”, Los Angeles Times (13 August 1955) p. F11.
Kapitanoff, Nancy, “Group Effort Blends Trio of Talents”, Los Angeles Times, (23 September 1994), “Valley Life” section, p. 4.
LeCoff, Albert (Editor), “Hidden Talent”, “Woodturning” (East Sussex, England) no. 20
(February 1994), p. 21.
Linn, Pam, “Mississippi Turning”, Malibu Times (24 August 1995), “Life and Arts” section, p.1.
“Communique”, “NoMoPoMo” magazine, Fall 1996.
“Pursuit: Maze I and Maze II”, Fullerton, CA: Fullerton College Art Gallery and Wignall
Museum, Chaffey College, 1995. Exhibition catalog with essays by Merle Schipper, Connie Mississippi and Pat Warner.
“Mississippi Show Makes Wooden Waves”, “The Messenger” (Topanga, CA) (7 September 1995), p. 12.
Rivas, Manuel. “Libros de Artistas”, La Coruna, Spain: Imprenta Provincial; Archer Milton Huntington, 1995.
Wallace, Kevin (Editor), “Turned Wood, Small Treasures”, Los Angeles: del Mano Gallery, March 1995, Exhibition catalog.
ARTICLES BY THE ARTIST
“By the Mississippi”, “Collectors of Wood Art Forum”, 2002-2007. Interviews with wood artists from around the world.
“Artful Wood at Los Angeles County Museum of Art”, “Turning Points”, vol. 14, no. 4 (Winter, 2001), pp. 14-17.
“Patina Gallery's New Show: Studio Wood/The New Frontier”, “Turning Points”, vol. 13, no 3 (Fall, 2000), pp. 24-26.
“Turning Topics - Turning with Intent”, “Woodworker West”, vol. 12 #1 (Jan-Feb.1999), pp. 34-37.
“Emma Lake 1998”, “Woodwork”, vol. 55, (February 1998), pp. 44-50.
“The Wood Turned Object”, Oakland Museum of CA, “The Museum of CA”, vol. 21, no. 1, Winter 1997, p. 10.
“Translation through Combination”, “Turning Points”, vol. 9, no. 1 (Summer 1996), pp. 89.
“Translation in Turning”, “Turning Points”, vol. 8, no. 4 (Winter 1996), pp.12-13.
“The Educator: Roles and Responsibilities”, “Turning Points” vo1. 8, no. 4 (Winter 1996), pp.14-15.
“A Collaboration -Past and Present”, Marquetry Society of America Inc. Newsletter, vol.
25, no. 4 (July/August 1996), p.7.
Mississippi”AAW, Then and Now”, “American Woodturner”, vol. 11, no. 1 (March 1996), p.?
“Sold on a Grecian Urn”, “Woodturning”, no. 45 (September 1996), p. 25.
“Collectors-Roles and Responsibilities, Arthur and Jane Mason”, “Turning Points” vol. 18, no.3 (Fall 1995), pp. 9-11.
“1995 International Turning Exchange: Another View”, “Turning Points”, vol. 8, no. 3 (Fall, 1995), p.12.
“A Private Vision: Leo Doyle Show”, “Turning Points”, vol. 8, no. 3 (Fall 1995), p.14.
“Drawings and Design”, “Woodworker West” (May/June 1995), p. 10.
“Challenge V in San Francisco”, “American Woodturner”, vol. 9, no. 4 (December 1994), p. 38.
“Northwest Show: Turning the Lathe onto Other Worlds”, “American Woodturner” vol. 10, no. 1 (March 1995), pp. 32-34.
“Small Treasures: A Review of this Year's del Mano Show”, “American Woodturner” (June 1994),
pp. 30-32.
?? 1994), pp. 4-5.1 (Winter 1995), p. 2
“Collectors: Roles and Responsibilities (third in a series)”. “Turning Points” vol. 8, no. 2
(Spring 1995), p. 9.
“Signatures in Wood”. “Turning Points” vol. 6, no. 3 (Fa1ll993/Winterl994), p. 5.
1997 CA State San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA, lecturer 1996 Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, lecturer 1996 Fullerton College, Fullerton, CA, lecturer
1995 Berman Museum, Collegeville, PA, AllTURNatives, conference magazine (Fall, 1996) Fullerton, CA.
AWARDS AND HONORS
First Prize, “Strictly Sculpture” exhibition, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA; juried by Betye Saar (1995).
Second Prize, “Design in Wood,” 13th Annual Del Mar Fair, Del Mar, CA (1994).
Moderator University of California at Davis, Industrial Arts, Davis, CA, AAW
Lecturer 1986-7 Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, CA 1971 Brooklyn Museum School, Brooklyn, NY
“Turning and Studio Furniture”, Glendale, CA (2001).
First Place, cover and 4-page article in the “Communique” issue of “NoMoPoMo”
Patron's Award, “XXIV Exhibition” Brand Library, Glendale, CA (1994).
Juror's Selection, “19th Annual Multi-Media Juried Show”, Banaker Gallery, San Francisco, CA
BOARD MEMBER
American Oceans Campaign, Santa Monica, CA 1987-1996
Wood Turning Center, Philadelphia, PA 1994 - 2005
Collectors of Wood Art, 2010
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
American Oceans Campaign, Santa Monica, CA
Annette Wolf-Kasteler Public Relations, Beverly Hills, CA
Arizona State University Art Museum, Tempe, AZ
Arkansas Museum of Art, Little Rock, AK
Associated Financial Corp., Santa Monica, CA
Environmental Problem Solving Enterprises, Santa Barbara, CA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit MI
Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
Merrill Lynch, Newport Beach, CA
Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, NC
Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Samantha Thomas Caterers, Los Angeles, CA
The White House, Washington, D.C
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Condition
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CONNIE MISSISSIPPI Dream Journal Painting of Artist, Golda Meir, Bobby Short
Estimate $350-$400
Starting Price
$150
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