ABOUT
My images start with dreams and visual memories of time and places, not as they were actually seen but as they are remembered. This allows me to focus on what was most powerful about that visual experience without the distraction of the visual noise. I have been most inspired by the late work of George Inness who stated that he did not strive to represent what he had seen, but he tried to convey the essence of the intimate landscape by working from memory. For me the meaning of the phrase ”intimate”, means placing the viewer in a place and time of quite reflection, on a human scale, either with my abstract renderings or reflections on the American landscape. I would not have reached this point in my experience or with my art work if my profession had been something else. I have been fortunate to have some of the worlds greatest art pass through my hands, while executing my professional tasks. My work at the National Gallery, has allowed me to ask question of curators, paw through catalogs, and examine art in a most private and intimate way. Even in the most mundane days when I am unframing Rembrandt’s prints and drawings I take that brief reflective moment to examine how he and others achieved their vision through execution. It was this process that gave me in depth exposure to the work and philosophy of George Innes, that today has the strong influence on my work. Without the up close personal examination of the works by Valenciennes, Daubigny, Constable, and Jasper Johns I would not have learned the joys and techniques of manipulating medium to express my own personal voyage.
RECENT EXHIBITIONS
Riverview Arts Space, Craddock Terry Gallery, Lynchburg, VA
9th annual juried show, Nov 3rd-Dec. 15th, 2017
Marta Staudinger, curator, director of Latela Art Gallery
“Asseateaugue Pool”, palladium print, 8.5 x 11
“Meagan Bowl of Blossoms”, palladium print with watercolor, 8.5 x 11
Marylad Federtion of the Arts, Annapolis, MD
Small Wonders, Nov 27- Dec 27, 2017
Roger Dun, curator
“Georges’s Pond, watercolor 5 x 6
Center For Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO
Small Works , Nov 17th- Dec. 16th, 2017
Kat Kiernan, curator, Editor in Chief, Don’t Take Pictures and Director of Panoticon Gallery
“Asseateugue pool”, palladium print 8.5 x 11
Villa Said, USA Embassy Residence, Paris
Works of Two N American Photographers, June 15-July 25
Chris Hegadorn, Deputy Ambassador to the Unesco Mission
10 palladium prints, 8.5 x 11
Arts Club of Washington, Washington, DC
100 paintings by 100 artists, May 6th-June 3rd, 2016
“Kings Creek at James River”
oil on wood, 7 x 8.5
JOAN HISAOKE HEALING GALLERY, Washington, D.C.
2016 Alchemical Vessels 125 works by 125 artist, March 18-May 6th, 2016
“ I Always Float”, wooden box, oils, roses and thorns, 8 x 8
Maryland Federation of the Art, Annapolis, MD
Stormy Weather, Feb 25-March 25
2 watercolors, Morning At the E Shore, 14 x 14
Greenbelt Federal Courthouse, Maryland
UNDERTOW, Nov 2 – Dec 16 2015
Curator; Bobby Dovanavn
“Study for Luxembourg Gardens”, and “Dunes @ Rehoboth”, watercolors, 20 x 36
“For every Silver lining”, oil on wood, 8 x 36
The Arts Club of Washington
Michael Pierce Landscapes, solo exhibition, Oct 5-Nov 5, 2015
Curator; Eric Denker, Senior Lecturer, National Gallery of Art
30 paintings and watercolors
MARYLAND FEDERATION FOR THE ARTS
SMALL WONDERS , Dec. 2-Dec 27, 2010
Annapolis, Maryland
Curator; Diane DeSalvo
“Frog Pond”, oil on wood, 4.5” x 10”
University of Mary Washington Galleries
ART MUSEUM ARTIST, Oct. 22-Dec 4, 2009
Curator:Anne Timpano
“Storm at Whites Ferry” oil on canvass, 5’ x 15ft.
“Cape Henolopen”, oil on wood, 7.5 “ x 14”
The Arts Club of Washington
Light and Air; solo exhibition at the MacFeely Gallery, November 3rd--22nd , 2006
Curator; Eric Denker, Senior Lecturer, National of Gallery of Art
20 paintings, 6 watercolors
Washington Project for the Arts and Corcoran
SILVER ANNINVERSERY “CENTER PIECE” AUCTION, February 10th, 2006
Curator; Linden Cline, Curator for Washington Project of the Arts, Adjunct professor art Corcoran School of Art
“Life Cycle in no Particular Order”, free standing reliquary of mixed media
Maryland Federation of the Arts, Annapolis, Maryland
Curator; Ross Merrill, Cheif of Conservation, National Gallery of Art
September-November, 2004
“Cape Henlopen”
Falls Church City Center for the Arts
ELEMENT , March 7- April 14, 2003
Curaor; by Lisa Chun
Seven paintings, three watercolors
Arts Council of Fairfax County
ARTS COUNCIL OF FAIRFAX COUNTY OPEN EXHIBITION 2002;
Curator; Stacey Schmidt, Assistant Curator of Contemporary art, Corcoran
October 31-December2, 2002
“When I See an Elephant Fly”, oil on wood,
GRANTS
Arlington Arts Council
Grant ($4,000) awarded in Sept 2004, for painting and installation of a 15 ft picture in a storefront venue, by Oct 2005.
Friends Of French Art
Grant of $8,000 to study and work in the Jacques Gouchon Gilding and Gold Leaf studio for one year, Paris 1985-1986.
WORK HISTORY
Senior Conservator for Exhibitions and Loans
National Gallery of Art
June 1988-July 2015
Collections Management
Smithsonian, Castle Building
June 1982-June 1988
Restoration Technician
Smithsonian, Air and Space Museum, Paul Garber Facility
Sept 1978-June 1982
STUDIES
1976
BA in Art History and Fine Arts
James Madison University
1977-78
Printmaking
N. Virginia Community College
1978-80
Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, in preparation for Graduate studies
George Mason University
1980-85
Graduate Studies in Conservation of Fine Arts
George Washington University