Artist Don Griffin

Don Griffin – Artist Statement

The Black Suite was created to be an ongoing suite of small format Collage & Non Objective Drawings. The paper intended for use is “Royal Fiber, Birch Abedul” size 8.5” x 11” the image area is approximately 4.5’ x 7” The Royal Fiber paper is first collaged with newspaper pieces from the City Paper. I like using the City Paper because it has a notice asking when done please recycle and I accommodate in my own way. It’s entitled Black Suite because the media always contains Black India Ink.

These Mixed Media Collages on Paper are in their original state from inception. Working on paper allows me to be more productive / prolific. Often times, Newspaper pages make up the substrate and background field of the work as an element, for some of the work. The substrate is a very forgiving, non consuming space saver. The use of text comes from various sources, including Novel and Encyclopedia pages. One has to be conscious of the negative impact encountered when creating and storing art works.

So, there is a balancing act when the choice of media is determined in terms of storage. A common thread between all the works are the Tracks or Ladders which are seen as sometimes subtle and other times predominant. Viewers see the icons as both “Tracks & Ladders.” In either case, whatever is seen represents a journey in some sense. To me, the Tracks represent a horizontal passage being connected to the earth, while the Ladder represents a vertical journey and more of a Spiritual upward journey.

To me, the Tracks represent a horizontal passage being connected to the earth, while the Ladder represents a vertical journey and more of a Spiritual upward journey.

Resume

Education

1977 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

1976 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

1975 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

Exhibitions

Solo

2005 A State Of Mind, Villa Julie College, Stevenson, MD
2005 Alero, Vastu Gallery, Washington, DC
2004 Matrix, SubBasement Artist Studios, Baltimore, MD
1995 One Man, Henri Gallery, Washington, DC
1995 One Man, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD
1993 One Man, Baltimore County Court House, Towson, MD
1993 One Man, Essex Community College, Baltimore, MD
1993 One Man, Newberry Farms Art Gallery, Newberry, PA
1989 One Man, Gallery 409, Eubie Blake Cultural Center, Baltimore, MD

Group

2009 Variety, L O F Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2009 Vastu, Vastu Gallery, Washington, DC
2008 Sanlun Yishu, Beijing China Project, Beijing, China
2008 Penned, Artscape, Pinkard Gallery, Bunting Center, Maryland Institute College Art, Baltimore, MD
2008 Aktuell, Cade Gallery, Annapolis, MD
2007 Quintessence, Paperwork Gallery, Annapolis, MD
2007 Beaux Arts Fair, Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Baltimore, MD
2007 Passport To Equinox, Audio Visual Collaborative Installation, Sub Basement Artist Studios, Baltimore, Md
2007 All That Remains, H & H Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2007 Get Over It, Artscape, Sowebo Arts Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2007 Mini-Curated-Micro-Books, A project of the Baltimore Book Festival, Baltimore, MD
2007 Fashion Magazine Drawing Project, Stand-Baltimore Area 405, Baltimore, MD
2007 Miles Davis, Teaology Arts and Music Collaboration with the Kevin Robinson Ensemble, Baltimore, MD
2007 Non-Directed Scribbling Project, Current Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2007 Reenactments (a show of drawings recreated from memory) Current Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2007 Just This, Paperwork Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2006 The Human Pixel Projection, Venice, CA
Bus Billboard Project, Artscape, Baltimore, MD
2006 Lotta Art, School 33 Art Center, Baltimore, MD
2006 Flux Factory, New York, NY
2005 Baltimore City Arts: Turnin Tha’ Corner, Morgan State University, James E. Lewis Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
2005 The Masters’ Mystery Art Show, Florida International University, Miami, FL
2005 Baltimore Crabtown Project, Public Art Sculpture, Baltimore, MD
2005 Narrative Inclination, An Audio/Visual Artist & Jazz Musicians Collaborative with Jazz Musicians Greg Thompkins Quartet, John Coltrane Celebration, Xando’s Arts and Music Collaboration
2004 The Masters' Mystery Art Show, Florida International University Miami, FL
2004 Handmade Book Show, Flux Factory, Long Island City, NY
2004 Fusion, Artscape, 2004 Satellite Exhibition Creative Alliance at the Patterson, Baltimore, MD
2004 Images 2004, Central Pennsylvania Festival of The Arts, The Robeson Gallery, Pennsylvania State College University, Park, PA
2004 Out of Order, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD
2003 Public Art Installation, Doors and Windows Project, Artscape Baltimore, MD
2003 Art for Art's Sake, Decker Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Curated by Darsie Alexander, Associate Curator BMA, Baltimore, MD
2003 Lotta Art, School 33 Art Center Baltimore, MD
2002 Pathways, Artscape, School 33 Arts Center, Baltimore, MD
2002 Lotta Art, School 33 Art Center Baltimore, MD
2002 All Hung Show, Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD
2002 Ideas, Elements, and Expressions, Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD
2002 100% American, Sassafras Gallery, Baltimore Maryland
2002 Play-National Exhibition, Curated by Ivan C. Karp, O.K. Harris, New York, NY Kauffman Gallery, Huber Art Center, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA
2002 Images 2001, Virginia Museum, Pennsylvania State University State College, PA
2002 Wish You Were Here, 4th Annual Post Card Exhibition, Stocker Center Gallery, Elyria, OH
2002 Hexagon, Sassafras Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2000 Wish You Were Here, Third Annual Postcard 2000 Exhibit, Cuyahoga Valley Art Center Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
2000 Works by Contemporary Maryland Artists 2000, Government House, Annapolis, MD
1999 Bold Poetry, Cade Gallery, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, MD
1999 Sense of Place, Goverment House, Annapolis, MD
1998 16th Annual Exhibition Ivan Karp Selects, Pleiades Gallery, New York, NY
1998 14th Annual Exhibition National College Society, Wickenden Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio
1998 Art MD "98", Director Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
1998 Howard County Arts Center Ellicott City, MD
1998 Abstraction "98", The Stage Gallery Robeson Gallery, Merrick, NY
1997 International Art Expo at Carnegie Hall, The Floating Gallery, New York, NY
1997 Images '97, HUB Art Galleries Pennsylvania State College, State College, PA
1997 Group Show Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD
1997 Out of Order II, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD
1996 Group Show Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD
1996 Group Show, Henri Gallery, Washington, DC
1996 Intranatura, Museum and Sculpture Garden Washington, DC, School 33 Arts Center, Baltimore, MD
1994 Group Show Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD
1994 Group Show Henri Gallery Washington, DC
1993 State of The Art '93", The New England Fine Art Institute's National Invitational Exhibition of American Contemporary Art Boston, MA
1993 Group Show, Artshowcase, Baltimore, Maryland Collage Invitational, Dundalk Community College, Baltimore, MD
1992 Group Show, Henri Gallery, Washington, DC
1992 New Abstraction, Pascal Art Gallery, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, MD
1991 Group Show, Henri Gallery, Washington, DC
1990 Group Show, CDS Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
1990 Group Show, Corporate Exhibit: Eppler Guerin & Turner, Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico
1990 Group Show Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD
1990 Group Show, Interiors by M.E., Inc., Baltimore, MD
1990 Group Show, Tomlinson Crafts Collection, Baltimore, MD
1989 Group Show, Langsdale Gallery, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
1989 Large Canvas Exhibition, Gallery on the Circle, Annapolis, MD
1987 Group Show, Johns Hopkins Turner Auditorium, Baltimore, MD
1987 Group Show, Art Gallery of Fells Point, Inc., Baltimore, MD
1987 Group Show, Gallery 11 West, St. George, UT

Awards

2004 Artist Studio Competition, Won the Top Award in the 1st Annual Friends of Art Baltimore Competition, Baltimore, MD
2004 Matrix, Selected for Top Ten Best Shows, Baltimore City Paper, One Man Show featuring Two Individual Installations
1999 Virtuosity, (an eternal exhibition), a virtual Art Fair and the first and largest Art Exhibition ever assembled on interactive 3-D CD-ROM. Virtuosity is a celebration of the most selective standards of Connoisseurship complimented by the expansive technology for the fine arts in New York City, NY
1997 Award of Excellence, for Outstanding Achievement and Participation in The Floating Gallery International Art Expo At Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY
1994 Distinguished Merit Award, The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Riverdale, MD
1989 Finalist Award, Selected as one of the 175 Finalist Artists from over 4,300 entrants in the Artist’s Liaison National Competition. Finalists were documented in a full color catalogue

Collections

Permanent Exhibit, The Baltimore Hilton Convention Center and Hotel, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD
Permanent Exhibition via Photographic Documentation of Celebrated Maryland Visual Artists, Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Museum, Baltimore, MD
Collection of Ellen Myette, Assistant Director, Renwick Gallery of The National Museum of American Art, Washington, DC
Doreen Bolger, Director Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
FTI Consulting, Baltimore, MD
John Lewis, Art Editor Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore, MD
Collection of Mr. And Mrs. John Bachner, Great Falls, VA
Collection of Helen Schnoebelen, Meredith, NH
Collection of Amy Johanson, Baltimore, MD
Vic Carter, WJZ TV Anchorman, Baltimore, MD
Ken Warwick, Architect, Baltimore, MD
Carole Morgan, Lutherville, MD
Clara Ines Arana, Baltimore, MD
Martina P. Callum, Baltimore, MD
Danae N. Hampton, Upper Marlboro, MD
Ebby and Dick Malmgren, Annapolis, MD
Barry Glossman, Baltimore, MD
Ruby Glover, Baltimore, MD
Diana Harris, Baltimore, Maryland
Candy McBride, Arlington, VA
Juan Torres, Harlem, NY
George R. McKinley Martin, Silver Spring, MD

Representation

Henri Gallery, Washington, DC
Infinity Fine Art, Mission Viejo, CA
SubBasement Artists Studios, Baltimore, MD
Harris Fine Arts, Gwynn Oak, MD
Sassafras Gallery, Baltimore, MD

Professional Experience

President, Internationale ComZee Project, Baltimore, MD
Juror, Individual Artist Awards, Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts, Baltimore, MD
Curator, Satellite Exhibition in Conjunction with Artscape and Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD
Exhibition Specialist, Intercultural Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
Guest Artist and Instructor, The Contemporary Arts Sax Jazz Camp at Loyola University, Baltimore, MD
Artist in Residence, The Baltimore City Alternative School Program at Roland Park, Baltimore, MD
Guest Lecturer, The Anne Arundel Community College, Annapolis, MD



	Don Griffin – Artist Statement The Black Suite was created to be an ongoing suite of small format Collage & Non Objective Drawings. The paper intended for use is “Royal Fiber, Birch Abedul” size 8.5” x 11” the image area is approximately 4.5’ x 7” The Royal Fiber paper is first collaged with newspaper pieces from the City Paper. I like using the City Paper because it has a notice asking when done please recycle and I accommodate in my own way. It’s entitled Black Suite because the media always contains Black India Ink. These Mixed Media Collages on Paper are in their original state from inception. Working on paper allows me to be more productive / prolific. Often times, Newspaper pages make up the substrate and background field of the work as an element, for some of the work. The substrate is a very forgiving, non consuming space saver. The use of text comes from various sources, including Novel and Encyclopedia pages. One has to be conscious of the negative impact encountered when creating and storing art works. So, there is a balancing act when the choice of media is determined in terms of storage. A common thread between all the works are the Tracks or Ladders which are seen as sometimes subtle and other times predominant. Viewers see the icons as both “Tracks & Ladders.” In either case, whatever is seen represents a journey in some sense. To me, the Tracks represent a horizontal passage being connected to the earth, while the Ladder represents a vertical journey and more of a Spiritual upward journey. To me, the Tracks represent a horizontal passage being connected to the earth, while the Ladder represents a vertical journey and more of a Spiritual upward journey. Resume Education 1977 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1976 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1975 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD Exhibitions Solo 2005 A State Of Mind, Villa Julie College, Stevenson, MD 2005 Alero, Vastu Gallery, Washington, DC 2004 Matrix, SubBasement Artist Studios, Baltimore, MD 1995 One Man, Henri Gallery, Washington, DC 1995 One Man, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD 1993 One Man, Baltimore County Court House, Towson, MD 1993 One Man, Essex Community College, Baltimore, MD 1993 One Man, Newberry Farms Art Gallery, Newberry, PA 1989 One Man, Gallery 409, Eubie Blake Cultural Center, Baltimore, MD Group 2009 Variety, L O F Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2009 Vastu, Vastu Gallery, Washington, DC 2008 Sanlun Yishu, Beijing China Project, Beijing, China 2008 Penned, Artscape, Pinkard Gallery, Bunting Center, Maryland Institute College Art, Baltimore, MD 2008 Aktuell, Cade Gallery, Annapolis, MD 2007 Quintessence, Paperwork Gallery, Annapolis, MD 2007 Beaux Arts Fair, Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Baltimore, MD 2007 Passport To Equinox, Audio Visual Collaborative Installation, Sub Basement Artist Studios, Baltimore, Md 2007 All That Remains, H & H Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2007 Get Over It, Artscape, Sowebo Arts Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2007 Mini-Curated-Micro-Books, A project of the Baltimore Book Festival, Baltimore, MD 2007 Fashion Magazine Drawing Project, Stand-Baltimore Area 405, Baltimore, MD 2007 Miles Davis, Teaology Arts and Music Collaboration with the Kevin Robinson Ensemble, Baltimore, MD 2007 Non-Directed Scribbling Project, Current Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2007 Reenactments (a show of drawings recreated from memory) Current Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2007 Just This, Paperwork Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2006 The Human Pixel Projection, Venice, CA Bus Billboard Project, Artscape, Baltimore, MD 2006 Lotta Art, School 33 Art Center, Baltimore, MD 2006 Flux Factory, New York, NY 2005 Baltimore City Arts: Turnin Tha’ Corner, Morgan State University, James E. Lewis Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD 2005 The Masters’ Mystery Art Show, Florida International University, Miami, FL 2005 Baltimore Crabtown Project, Public Art Sculpture, Baltimore, MD 2005 Narrative Inclination, An Audio/Visual Artist & Jazz Musicians Collaborative with Jazz Musicians Greg Thompkins Quartet, John Coltrane Celebration, Xando’s Arts and Music Collaboration 2004 The Masters' Mystery Art Show, Florida International University Miami, FL 2004 Handmade Book Show, Flux Factory, Long Island City, NY 2004 Fusion, Artscape, 2004 Satellite Exhibition Creative Alliance at the Patterson, Baltimore, MD 2004 Images 2004, Central Pennsylvania Festival of The Arts, The Robeson Gallery, Pennsylvania State College University, Park, PA 2004 Out of Order, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD 2003 Public Art Installation, Doors and Windows Project, Artscape Baltimore, MD 2003 Art for Art's Sake, Decker Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Curated by Darsie Alexander, Associate Curator BMA, Baltimore, MD 2003 Lotta Art, School 33 Art Center Baltimore, MD 2002 Pathways, Artscape, School 33 Arts Center, Baltimore, MD 2002 Lotta Art, School 33 Art Center Baltimore, MD 2002 All Hung Show, Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD 2002 Ideas, Elements, and Expressions, Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD 2002 100% American, Sassafras Gallery, Baltimore Maryland 2002 Play-National Exhibition, Curated by Ivan C. Karp, O.K. Harris, New York, NY Kauffman Gallery, Huber Art Center, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA 2002 Images 2001, Virginia Museum, Pennsylvania State University State College, PA 2002 Wish You Were Here, 4th Annual Post Card Exhibition, Stocker Center Gallery, Elyria, OH 2002 Hexagon, Sassafras Gallery, Baltimore, MD 2000 Wish You Were Here, Third Annual Postcard 2000 Exhibit, Cuyahoga Valley Art Center Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 2000 Works by Contemporary Maryland Artists 2000, Government House, Annapolis, MD 1999 Bold Poetry, Cade Gallery, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, MD 1999 Sense of Place, Goverment House, Annapolis, MD 1998 16th Annual Exhibition Ivan Karp Selects, Pleiades Gallery, New York, NY 1998 14th Annual Exhibition National College Society, Wickenden Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio 1998 Art MD "98", Director Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD 1998 Howard County Arts Center Ellicott City, MD 1998 Abstraction "98", The Stage Gallery Robeson Gallery, Merrick, NY 1997 International Art Expo at Carnegie Hall, The Floating Gallery, New York, NY 1997 Images '97, HUB Art Galleries Pennsylvania State College, State College, PA 1997 Group Show Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD 1997 Out of Order II, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD 1996 Group Show Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD 1996 Group Show, Henri Gallery, Washington, DC 1996 Intranatura, Museum and Sculpture Garden Washington, DC, School 33 Arts Center, Baltimore, MD 1994 Group Show Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD 1994 Group Show Henri Gallery Washington, DC 1993 State of The Art '93", The New England Fine Art Institute's National Invitational Exhibition of American Contemporary Art Boston, MA 1993 Group Show, Artshowcase, Baltimore, Maryland Collage Invitational, Dundalk Community College, Baltimore, MD 1992 Group Show, Henri Gallery, Washington, DC 1992 New Abstraction, Pascal Art Gallery, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, MD 1991 Group Show, Henri Gallery, Washington, DC 1990 Group Show, CDS Gallery, Albuquerque, NM 1990 Group Show, Corporate Exhibit: Eppler Guerin & Turner, Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico 1990 Group Show Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, Laurel, MD 1990 Group Show, Interiors by M.E., Inc., Baltimore, MD 1990 Group Show, Tomlinson Crafts Collection, Baltimore, MD 1989 Group Show, Langsdale Gallery, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 1989 Large Canvas Exhibition, Gallery on the Circle, Annapolis, MD 1987 Group Show, Johns Hopkins Turner Auditorium, Baltimore, MD 1987 Group Show, Art Gallery of Fells Point, Inc., Baltimore, MD 1987 Group Show, Gallery 11 West, St. George, UT Awards 2004 Artist Studio Competition, Won the Top Award in the 1st Annual Friends of Art Baltimore Competition, Baltimore, MD 2004 Matrix, Selected for Top Ten Best Shows, Baltimore City Paper, One Man Show featuring Two Individual Installations 1999 Virtuosity, (an eternal exhibition), a virtual Art Fair and the first and largest Art Exhibition ever assembled on interactive 3-D CD-ROM. Virtuosity is a celebration of the most selective standards of Connoisseurship complimented by the expansive technology for the fine arts in New York City, NY 1997 Award of Excellence, for Outstanding Achievement and Participation in The Floating Gallery International Art Expo At Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY 1994 Distinguished Merit Award, The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Riverdale, MD 1989 Finalist Award, Selected as one of the 175 Finalist Artists from over 4,300 entrants in the Artist’s Liaison National Competition. Finalists were documented in a full color catalogue Collections Permanent Exhibit, The Baltimore Hilton Convention Center and Hotel, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD Permanent Exhibition via Photographic Documentation of Celebrated Maryland Visual Artists, Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Museum, Baltimore, MD Collection of Ellen Myette, Assistant Director, Renwick Gallery of The National Museum of American Art, Washington, DC Doreen Bolger, Director Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD FTI Consulting, Baltimore, MD John Lewis, Art Editor Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore, MD Collection of Mr. And Mrs. John Bachner, Great Falls, VA Collection of Helen Schnoebelen, Meredith, NH Collection of Amy Johanson, Baltimore, MD Vic Carter, WJZ TV Anchorman, Baltimore, MD Ken Warwick, Architect, Baltimore, MD Carole Morgan, Lutherville, MD Clara Ines Arana, Baltimore, MD Martina P. Callum, Baltimore, MD Danae N. Hampton, Upper Marlboro, MD Ebby and Dick Malmgren, Annapolis, MD Barry Glossman, Baltimore, MD Ruby Glover, Baltimore, MD Diana Harris, Baltimore, Maryland Candy McBride, Arlington, VA Juan Torres, Harlem, NY George R. McKinley Martin, Silver Spring, MD Representation Henri Gallery, Washington, DC Infinity Fine Art, Mission Viejo, CA SubBasement Artists Studios, Baltimore, MD Harris Fine Arts, Gwynn Oak, MD Sassafras Gallery, Baltimore, MD Professional Experience President, Internationale ComZee Project, Baltimore, MD Juror, Individual Artist Awards, Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts, Baltimore, MD Curator, Satellite Exhibition in Conjunction with Artscape and Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD Exhibition Specialist, Intercultural Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD Guest Artist and Instructor, The Contemporary Arts Sax Jazz Camp at Loyola University, Baltimore, MD Artist in Residence, The Baltimore City Alternative School Program at Roland Park, Baltimore, MD Guest Lecturer, The Anne Arundel Community College, Annapolis, MD





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