Born: Marshalltown, Iowa, 1948
Lives in Gunnison, Colorado
Personal Web Page: www.seastrum.com
Professor of Art: Western State Colorado University
VITA Institute for the Arts a non-profit educational organization. (www.vitainstitute.org)

Having recently returned from Florence this last experience was completely different from all of the other times I have sojourned to Italy.

In the past a good deal of the experience dealt with being in and observing the physical environment. The glorious landscapes, the intriguing physical structures, the general ambiance of the “other.”

On this journey I was struck by location, location in regard to ideas rather than a physical setting(s). Ideas expressed within the context of place, light and concept; the real space of the composition frame and the idea of space as text through the lens of time and the interaction with other people in that physical space. This piece is the first in a new series.

My work is fundamentally that of a studio artist. By that I mean, which might seem quite obvious, one who composes in the studio and not on site. I do use images of human figures, as well as what might more traditionally be called landscapes, however, the human images and landscape components are not intended to be descriptive of specific individuals or places. Rather they are expressions of ideas in pictorial form, substantive and particularized. I begin with an idea, a concept and then select images (shapes) uniting them with the other elements of composition (colors, values, spaces, line, form, texture) and manipulate those to carry the idea (content) of the piece.

As I have traveled I have developed a library of images, both human figures and landscapes that I can later reference in my studio. Most of those images are done using watercolors. When I am in the physical environment in which I am doing studies I am always selectively determining what will be in the study and that which will not be part of the referencial imagery. I am considering the possibilities of the image(s) capacity to carry content, not as descriptive realism, but as references at a later date. I remain the distanced observer rather than an immersed participant.

As a studio based painter for the past five decades my work has been a continuing investigation into the essence and nature of constructed images as individual entities that are neither reliant, nor dependent upon a one to one reproduction of the subject matter referred to in the work of art, Presentational rather than Representational.

During this period of inquiry I have come to understand that these presentations are not descriptions of the thing that has happened, a copy, but rather a depiction of a kind of thing that might happen, an interpretation, never intending that the interpretation should be seen as something other than a drawing, a print or a painting.

Presented in this context, the work I do is both informed and inspired by my studies into the development of a particularized visual vocabulary. Although precisely articulated my works are rendered with no intent at naturalistic description. Since copying is not the desired end, it is the process of choosing specific images, colors, values and patterns of organization for the individual composition that becomes my principle creative concern. To identify this principle of choice within my work, flattened plains and subjective color are used with objective values to underscore the distinction between the models, and the interpreted images referring to those models, stressing the fact that they are painted forms, pigment on canvas, drawn, graphite on paper, or lithographic crayons on stones hand pulled in limited additions. Adding to the distinction between the referenced subject as models and the interpreted images within the work, I employ an original design technique fusing the distortion of forced Renaissance perspective into regions of broken picture planes. The interpreted images are placed on these enigmatic planes, resulting in a somewhat unsettling, sublime, yet compelling depiction of potential realities. The results of this procedure are compositions expressed in terms of the essential nature of descriptive works of fine art, classically modern and presentational, unifying form to content.

Email: seastrumstudio@gmaill.com Studio Phone: 970-596-

Exhibitions: Local and Regional

The Mystery of Light in Time: July 31-August 23. One person exhibition of Acrylic and Watercolor paintings and Limited Edition Hand Pulled Stone Lithographs. Eliz' Collection Fine Art Gallery, 975 Lincoln Street, Denver, Colorado.
Perspectives: Watercolor Show. October 5-November 5, 2015. Gallery artists working in the media of watercolor. Eliz' Collection Fine Art Gallery, 975 Lincoln Street, Denver, Colorado.
Expression of Italy: July 10-August 28, 2009. One person exhibition of Acrylic and Watercolor paintings and Hand Pulled Stone Lithographs. Carr Gallery, Willard Arts Center, 450 A Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Visual Language: Alumni Exhibition: September 3rd-September 29th: One person exhibition of Acrylic Paintings, Watercolor Paintings, Hand Pulled Stone Lithographs and Photographs at Quigley Gallery, Western State Colorado University.
Eclectica: September 22nd-October 11th, 2008. A group exhibition at the Gunnison Art Center, Gunnison, Colorado.
Reflection of Italy: October 5th-30th, 2007. A group exhibition of work done in Italy, The Brick Cellar, Gunnison, Colorado.
Studies from Italy: September 1st-30th, 2007. A group exhibition of work done in Italy, May of 2007. Gunnison Gallery, Gunnison, Colorado.
People and Places In Time: July 1- July 31, 2006 Two Person exhibition at the Gunnison Gallery, Gunnison, Colorado
Collaborative Printmaking: February 22-March 1, 2006. Two Person Show of hand pulled lithographs: Quigley Hall Gallery: Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, Colorado.
Regionalism: January 17th-February 17th, 2006. This exhibition featured works from artists living in the state of Colorado yet outside the Denver/Boulder/Front Range area. The work’s depict the artist's individual style and medium, and serve as an introduction of themselves to the Colorado art community at large, bringing awareness and education to the UMC audience on what's happening around the state. The show’s curator was the UMC Art Gallery exhibition committee who selected all of the work exhibited.
Works From Tuscany 2004: October 9-25, 2004: Gunnison Art Center, Gunnison, Colorado.
Contemporary Drawing 2003: May 27-July 27, 2003. T.W. Wood Gallery: Montpelier, Vermont.
The Gunnison Open: March 7 – April 21, 2001.Juried exhibition at the Gunnison Art Center. Gunnison, Colorado.
Works: February 5 – March 2, 2001. One Person Show: Quigley Art Gallery, Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, Colorado.
Six Colorado Artists: June 21- July 15, 1998. Group Show at the Wray Museum, Wray, Colorado.
Group Show: November 7 – December 3, 1998.Helen Karsh Gallery, 2774 South Lansing Way, Denver, Colorado.
Mystery, Memories and Transformation: September 16 – October 5, 1997. Three-person show at Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, Colorado.
Evergreen Pre-School Mural Project: (1997) Jefferson County School District: Jefferson County, Colorado. This was a site-specific mural, approximately forty feet in length and nine feet in height.
Group Show: April 22 – May 14, 1996. Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, 210 North Santa Fe Avenue, Pueblo, Colorado.
Public Works: April 12 – March 15, 1996. Two-man show at the Denver Chamber of Commerce Office, Denver, Colorado.
English and American Artists: August 4 – September 3, 1992. Sean Gallery, London England and Sander-Crichton Gallery, 2134 3rd Avenue, Seattle, Washington.
Diverse Works, Distinguished Colorado Artists: May 12 – June 11, 1990. One West Contemporary Art Center, Fort Collins, Colorado.
23 Artists: September 14 – October 4, 1989. 1999 Broadway Gallery, Denver, Colorado.
Images in Light and Colour II: June 28 – July 22, 1984. The Sloane Gallery of Art, Oxford Office Building, Denver, Colorado.
Images in Light and Colour: October 4 – November 5, 1982. The Sloane Gallery of Art, Oxford Office Building, Denver, Colorado. This was the first exhibition in which American artists exhibited with Russian non-conformist émigré artists.
In Plane View: September 11 – September 29, 1976. Two-man show at The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada, Colorado.
Two Views: June 9 – July 12, 1976. Two-man show at the Lincoln Community Center, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Black and White: September12, - October 17, 1975. Randi’s Art Gallery, Denver, Colorado: One of four featured artists in this exhibition of works done on paper in black and white mediums.

International Exhibitions

May2016
I am very pleased to announce that a painting of mine, entitled "Seeking Color in the Gathering Gray" was selected for inclusion in the international juried exhibition, "Human Rights: Diversity," to be held at the FONDAZIONE OPERA CAMPANA DEI CADUTI | ROVERETO | Trento | ITALY from 21th, May 2016 | World Day for Cultural Diversity- UNESCO until 21th, September 2016 | International Day of Peace – ONU in partnership with the Italian Commission for UNESCO, Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Comune di Rovereto.

Art Festivale Cerreto Laziale: Prima Edizione: Museo D’Arte Moderna E Contemporanea: Cerrto Laziale, Italy. I was invited to exhibit my works at the opening of this new museum of modern and contemporary art just outside of Rome. Of the forty-eight artist asked to participate I am the only artist from the United States.
To view the full exhibition please go to: http: artfestivalcerretolaziale.wordpress.com

Drawing Connections: International drawing exhibition at the Siena Art Institute, Via Tommaso Pendola 37, Siena, Italy. September, 2011.

“wALL:” November 24th- December 15th, 2010. SRISA Gallery of Contemporary Art, 56r Via San Gallo, Florence, Italy. I was one of one hundred local, national and international artists asked to participate in this installation by sending a short written description of a personal work of art or project. The student artists at Santa Reparata, along with Rebecca Olsen (author of the project), and other SRISA faculty installed the exhibition by taking these written statements about singular works and transferring the text by hand onto the walls of the gallery. “wALL” is a project that speaks to creative process, and to the possibilities that technology now affords the artistic community. The gallery, typically a place we go to see works by specific artists or collective exhibitions relating to one or more ideas, becomes an open forum for all creative ideas.

From Italy: May 11th-June 6th , 2009. A one person exhibition of Hand Pulled Stone Lithographs and Watercolors. Santa Reparata International School of Art, Via San Gallo 53/r Florence, Italy.

Portfolio: