Artist Jessica Drenk

Jessica Drenk - Artist Statement

By transforming familiar objects into nature-inspired forms and patterns, I examine how we classify the world around us. Manufactured goods appear as natural objects, something functional becomes something decorative, a simple material is made complex, and the commonplace becomes unique. In changing books into fossilized remnants of our culture, or in arranging elegantly sliced PVC pipes to suggest ripple and wave patterns, I create a connection between the manmade and the natural. In my installations, I combine these seemingly opposite concepts, presenting my artifact-like sculptures in small collections of our own natural history. My interests in archaeology, paleontology, biology, botany, and geology influence not only the shapes and textures of my sculpture, but also lend a visual framework for creating, collecting, and classifying my own specimens of the present.

Resume

2007 MFA, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

2002 BA, Art Major, Cum Laude, Pomona College, Claremont, CA

Exhibitions

Solo:

2012 Falk Gallery, Christopher Newport University, Newports News, VA

2011 Riverworks Gallery, Greenville, SC

2010 Jessica Drenk: Materials and Balance”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2009 “Archaeologica”, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ

2009 “Reading Our Remains”, Smith Campus Center, Pomona College, Claremont, CA

2007 Beard Arts Center, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN

2007 MFA Exhibition, University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ

2006 “Imprints”, Lionel Rombach Gallery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

2005 “Reading Our Remains”, University of Arizona Library, Tucson, AZ

2011 Cain Schulte Contemporary Art, San Francisco, CA

2010 “Before, During, After”, Catherine Person Gallery, Seattle, WA

2008 “Compelling Matter”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2006 “The Turning World”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ

Group and Juried:

2011 Un-Speak-Able, The Art Center, Corvallis, OR

2011 Reconstructions, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2010 Aqua Art Miami, represented by Conrad Wilde Gallery, Miami Beach, FL

2010 Anderson Arts Center, Anderson, SC

2009 Catherine Person Gallery, Seattle, WA

2009 “The Book: Wide Open”, Business of Art Center, Manitou Springs, CO

2009 “Continuum”, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

2008 “Penumbra”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, CA

2008 “Book-Art Object 08”, 25th of May Museum, Belgrade, Serbia

2008 Lana Santorelli Gallery, New York, NY

2008 “Book Forms”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2007 “She Objects II”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2006 Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ

2006 Biennial Southwest, The Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM

2006 Sheldon Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, IN

2006 Art One Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

2006 Casa Libre, Tucson, AZ

2006 “Art D’Art”, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ

2005 “Arizona Biennial”, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ

2005 8th International Book Fair of Contemporary Creative Books, Marseille, France

2005 “Residual Pull”, Dinnerware Contemporary Arts, Tucson, AZ

2005 “Bound and Unbound”, Tohono Chul Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2005 Hayward Area Forum of the Arts, Hayward, CA

2005 “Re-Visions III”, Tohono Chul Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2009 Artist Project Grant, Arizona Commission on the Arts

2006 International Sculpture Center's Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Awards

2006 Arizona Artist’s Guild Scholarship

2006 Creative Achievement Award for graduate work in Art, University of Arizona

2006 Coris Family Trust Fine Arts Award, University of Arizona

2005 Centennial Sculpture Award, University of Arizona

2005 Medici Scholars Award, University of Arizona

2002 Louisa Moseley Fine Arts Prize, Pomona College, Claremont, CA

2011 SFGate.com, April 14: Jessica Drenk and Shawn Smith: Cain Schulte show
2010 Tucson Citizen.com, November 6: Jessica Drenk at Conrad Wilde Gallery
2009 East Valley Tribune, April 24: article on Jessica Drenk at Mesa Contemporary Arts
2008 Tucson Weekly, July 24: review of Conrad Wilde Gallery
2008 Book-Art Object Catalog, Belgrade, Serbia
2007 University of Arizona MFA Thesis Exhibition Catalog
2006 Sculpture Magazine, October issue: description and image of work
2006 The Albuquerque Museum, Biennial Southwest Exhibition Catalog
2006 The Albuquerque Tribune, October 5: review of Biennial Southwest
2005 University of Arizona College of Fine Arts publication, Transformations
2005 KUAT-TV “Arizona Illustrated” PBS interview and review of Residual Pull
2005 KUAT-TV “Arizona Illustrated” PBS review of Arizona Biennial
2003 Pomona College Magazine, Winter issue.

Lectures, Workshops and Residencies

2012 Artist-in-residence. Monte Azul, Costa Rica
2011 Visiting Artist: slide lecture and workshop. Metropolitan State College, Denver, CO
2010 Guest Speaker: gallery talk. Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2010 Guest Speaker: slide lecture. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
2009 Panelist: symposium slide lecture, Clemson Univerity, Clemson, SC
2008 Guest Speaker: slide lecture. Pima Community College, Tucson, AZ
2008 Guest Speaker: gallery talk. Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2007 Visiting Artist: slide lectures. Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN
2005 Guest Speaker: slide lecture. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ


Jessica Drenk • 2009 • Erosions 20 • 24x13x3 • PVC Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Bibliophylum 8 • 41x54 • Books, Wax, Pins Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Cerebellum • 36x60 • Books, Glue, Wax Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Erosions 37 and 38 • 21x15 • PVC pipe on panel Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Carving 7 • 11x9x4 • Book and wax Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Erosions 39 and 40 • 21x15 • PVC pipe on panel Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Erosions 41 and 42 • 21x15 • PVC pipe on panel Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Erosions 43 and 44 • 21x15 • PVC pipe on panel Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Erosions 47 • 31x24 • PVC pipe on panel Jessica Drenk • 2011 • Erosions 48 • 68x44 • PVC pipe on panel
	Jessica Drenk - Artist Statement By transforming familiar objects into nature-inspired forms and patterns, I examine how we classify the world around us. Manufactured goods appear as natural objects, something functional becomes something decorative, a simple material is made complex, and the commonplace becomes unique. In changing books into fossilized remnants of our culture, or in arranging elegantly sliced PVC pipes to suggest ripple and wave patterns, I create a connection between the manmade and the natural. In my installations, I combine these seemingly opposite concepts, presenting my artifact-like sculptures in small collections of our own natural history. My interests in archaeology, paleontology, biology, botany, and geology influence not only the shapes and textures of my sculpture, but also lend a visual framework for creating, collecting, and classifying my own specimens of the present. Resume Education 2007 MFA, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 2002 BA, Art Major, Cum Laude, Pomona College, Claremont, CA Exhibitions Solo: 2012 Falk Gallery, Christopher Newport University, Newports News, VA 2011 Riverworks Gallery, Greenville, SC 2010 Jessica Drenk: Materials and Balance”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2009 “Archaeologica”, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ 2009 “Reading Our Remains”, Smith Campus Center, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 2007 Beard Arts Center, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN 2007 MFA Exhibition, University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ 2006 “Imprints”, Lionel Rombach Gallery, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 2005 “Reading Our Remains”, University of Arizona Library, Tucson, AZ Two Person: 2011 Cain Schulte Contemporary Art, San Francisco, CA 2010 “Before, During, After”, Catherine Person Gallery, Seattle, WA 2008 “Compelling Matter”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2006 “The Turning World”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ Group and Juried: 2011 Un-Speak-Able, The Art Center, Corvallis, OR 2011 Reconstructions, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2010 Aqua Art Miami, represented by Conrad Wilde Gallery, Miami Beach, FL 2010 Anderson Arts Center, Anderson, SC 2009 Catherine Person Gallery, Seattle, WA 2009 “The Book: Wide Open”, Business of Art Center, Manitou Springs, CO 2009 “Continuum”, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 2008 “Penumbra”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, CA 2008 “Book-Art Object 08”, 25th of May Museum, Belgrade, Serbia 2008 Lana Santorelli Gallery, New York, NY 2008 “Book Forms”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2007 “She Objects II”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2006 Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ 2006 Biennial Southwest, The Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM 2006 Sheldon Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, IN 2006 Art One Gallery, Phoenix, AZ 2006 Casa Libre, Tucson, AZ 2006 “Art D’Art”, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ 2005 “Arizona Biennial”, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ 2005 8th International Book Fair of Contemporary Creative Books, Marseille, France 2005 “Residual Pull”, Dinnerware Contemporary Arts, Tucson, AZ 2005 “Bound and Unbound”, Tohono Chul Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2005 Hayward Area Forum of the Arts, Hayward, CA 2005 “Re-Visions III”, Tohono Chul Gallery, Tucson, AZ Awards 2009 Artist Project Grant, Arizona Commission on the Arts 2006 International Sculpture Center's Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Awards 2006 Arizona Artist’s Guild Scholarship 2006 Creative Achievement Award for graduate work in Art, University of Arizona 2006 Coris Family Trust Fine Arts Award, University of Arizona 2006 Albert Haldeman Scholarship, University of Arizona 2005 Centennial Sculpture Award, University of Arizona 2005 Medici Scholars Award, University of Arizona 2004 Graduate College Fellowship, University of Arizona 2002 Phi Beta Kappa, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 2002 Louisa Moseley Fine Arts Prize, Pomona College, Claremont, CA Bibliography 2011 SFGate.com, April 14: Jessica Drenk and Shawn Smith: Cain Schulte show 2010 Tucson Citizen.com, November 6: Jessica Drenk at Conrad Wilde Gallery 2009 East Valley Tribune, April 24: article on Jessica Drenk at Mesa Contemporary Arts 2008 Tucson Weekly, July 24: review of Conrad Wilde Gallery 2008 Book-Art Object Catalog, Belgrade, Serbia 2007 University of Arizona MFA Thesis Exhibition Catalog 2006 Sculpture Magazine, October issue: description and image of work 2006 The Albuquerque Museum, Biennial Southwest Exhibition Catalog 2006 The Albuquerque Tribune, October 5: review of Biennial Southwest 2005 University of Arizona College of Fine Arts publication, Transformations 2005 KUAT-TV “Arizona Illustrated” PBS interview and review of Residual Pull 2005 KUAT-TV “Arizona Illustrated” PBS review of Arizona Biennial 2003 Pomona College Magazine, Winter issue. Lectures, Workshops and Residencies 2012 Artist-in-residence. Monte Azul, Costa Rica 2011 Visiting Artist: slide lecture and workshop. Metropolitan State College, Denver, CO 2010 Guest Speaker: gallery talk. Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2010 Guest Speaker: slide lecture. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 2009 Panelist: symposium slide lecture, Clemson Univerity, Clemson, SC 2008 Guest Speaker: slide lecture. Pima Community College, Tucson, AZ 2008 Guest Speaker: gallery talk. Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2007 Visiting Artist: slide lectures. Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN 2005 Guest Speaker: slide lecture. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ





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