Claudia Kleefeld
Contact Information
Education
1987-91 The Bruchion School, as a student under Jan Saether, Los Angeles, CA.
1986-87 Post Graduate Diploma of Art, The Byam Shaw School of Art, London, England.
1983-85 University of California, Los Angeles, CA. B.A.; Summa Cum Laude.
1982-83 Hampshire College, Amherst, MA.
Artist's Statement
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To formulate what I am doing in painting into words, I can say that I have a deep sensitivity to that which is around me. I have known there is this path for me yet I could not define it. In the beginning I did not know what it was that drew me so forcefully into this mysterious process of painting and imagery. As I go, I find out more about this relationship to living. Only now as it has revealed itself can I refer to this way of working in more specific terms, which of course, constantly change.
I am interacting with this unfolding process which expands through time. My aesthetic, my personal process, and the imagery, feels to have always been here. My own unfolding is parallel to my works development. It is an expansive process interweaving all of the aspects of my being and of the universe around me. Increasingly my images are shown to me in advance and then I feel propelled to fulfill them.
There is no time in this place and henceforth there is no time inherent in each image nor a time frame for its creation. This process unfolds organically as it should. It is thus mystical or magical, illusory, and can be referred to as "Summoning the Drala". It is the refinement of my craft combined with the clarity and openness of my vessel which allows this drala to come through in its purest and greatest form. The figure most often being the form I have chosen is commonly seen as one of the most restrictive formats to work in, yet for me, within this form, the freedom is achieved. I agree there is a given sensual element inherent in painting the nude. Though it can be too confining for me to define too closely the subject matter or symbolism in these paintings.
The world of imagery, in the finding and unfolding of it, is thus the alphabet of my existence. This for me is more concrete than the world of the physical in daily life. In the interweavings of the aesthetic memory (recall) and my attentiveness to it, there is a twin aspect, a symbology, daily life influences (magic), the great history of painting, and other parallel universes where all that has ever been and all that is exists; wherein lies the form of creation and the process of painting. In the collision of these aspects is the forming, the birth. This is the greatness of painting for me.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2003 The Historic Taos Inn, Taos, NM.
2001 "The Life of Butterflies", Erie Art Museum, Erie, PA. travelling to Lynne White's-Shriver Gallery, Taos, NM. Gallery Representation. (catalog).
1996 Victoria Maase Stoll Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
1993 "Joining Duality of Male and Female", Paintings, Text, Movement, Video A.C.E. Gallery, Vancouver, Canada.
1992 "External/Internal", Van Gogh's Ear, Venice, CA.
1991 "Women's Souls", Market Street Gallery, Venice, CA.
Selected Group Exhibitions
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2005
New Art Center, Manhattan, NY. Gallery Presentation.
Midtown West Art Associates, Manhattan, NY. Online Gallery Presentation.
"Nude International 2005". Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Steven Assael, The School of Visual Arts, NY.
2004
"Artists Talk On Art". SOHO20 Chelsea Gallery artist's panel talk and The Lab exhibition, NY. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Molly Barnes, Curator of the Molly Barnes Gallery, NYC. Award.
"Great Plains National, Tenth Annual", Fort Hayes State University, Hays, Kansas. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Susan Hapgood, Director of Exhibitions, Independent Curators International, NY.
"47th Annual International Exhibition", The San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, CA. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Peter Gordon, Manager: Cultural Arts Office/City of Carlsbad, CA.
2003
"Annual Miniatures Show and Sale", The Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos, NM. 2003 & 2004
"46th Annual International Exhibition" - The San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, CA. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Hugh M. Davis, Director, Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA.
2002
"Showcase 2002: Recent Work" - The Limner Gallery, Manhattan, NY. National Juried Exhibition.
The Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Gerald Peters, Gallery owner.
"113th Annual Exhibition" - National Association of Women Artists. Awards Judge, Ricardo Viera, Director & Curator, Lehigh University Galleries, PA. Award. (catalog).
"74th Annual Juried Exhibition 2002", Art Association of Harrisburg, PA. Juror, Tracey Bashkoff, Assistant Curator, Guggenheim Museum, NY.
"CAA National Prize Show", The Cambridge Art Assoc. Cambridge, MA. "National Juried Exhibition" Juror, Lisa Dennison, Deputy Dir. and Chief Curator, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museums, NY. Award. (catalog).
Los Angeles Co. Museum of Art, Rental & Sales Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Gallery Representation - 1991 - 2002.
2001
The Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Peter Schjedahl, Educator/Author/Columnist (catalog).
"small things considered" The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts.
Juried Exhibition sponsored by the National Association of Women Artists.
"Prejudice" Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Ursula Kammer-Fox, Artist/Curator.
2000
The Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT. National Juried Exhibition. Juror, Lucy Lippard, Author/Columnist. (catalog).
"Revealing The Nude: A Timeless Passion", Chase Gallery, Boston, MA. Invitational Show.
1999
"International Contemporary Painting Exhibition", Erector Square Gallery, New Haven, CT. Juror Andrew Forge, Painter, Critic, Author and Professor of Painting at the Yale School of Fine Art. Award.
"Northern National Juried Art Competition", Nicolet College Gallery, Rhinelander, WI. Juror, Christopher Brown, Artist / Professor. Award.
"Realism, Photo Realism, and Super Realism", The Harwood Museum, Taos, NM. Curator Robert Ellis, Director of The Harwood Museum.
"Women Artists from the Land of Enchantment", sponsored by National Museum of Women in the Arts at LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM. Jurors, Susan Fisher Sterling, Curator, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC., Lucy R. Lippard, Writer/Curator, MaLin Wilson, Art Critic/Educator, writes for Art Forum, Art Issues, and The Albuquerque Journal North. (catalog).
"Fourteenth Annual International Exhibition", Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, MO. Juror, Jan Schall, Curator. (catalog).
1998
"Appetite for Art", Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Invitational Show and Auction to Benefit the Acquisition and Scholarship Program.
"Woman: In the Broader Sense", St. Louis Artists' Guild in co-operation with Woman's Caucus for Art, St Louis, MO. Juror, Britta Konau, Exhibition Coordinator, The National Museum of Women in the Arts. Award.
"Texas National 98", SFA Gallery, Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, TX. Juror, Martha Mayer Erlebacher, Artist. Award. (catalog).
Awards & Distinctions
For further information, please see Selected Group Exhibitions.
2004
Artists Talk On Art Award. SOHO20 Chelsea Gallery artist's panel talk and The Lab exhibition. New York, NY.
2002
Audrey Hope Shirk Memorial Award. "113th Annual Exhibition". National Association of Women Artists. New York, NY.
Susan Kahn Award. "113th Annual Exhibition". National Association of Women Artists. New York, NY.
Outstanding Painting Prize, "CAA National Prize Show", The Cambridge Art Association. Cambridge, MA.
Juror's Award, Book Art Press, "New Art International 2002", Juried International Fine Art Publication. Woodstock, NY.
1999
Juror's Award, "International Contemporary Painting", Erector Square Gallery, New Haven, CT.
Best of Show, "Silverhawk Fine Arts Internet Exhibition," Taos, NM.
Donor Award, "Northern National Juried Art Competition", Nicolet College Gallery, Rhinelander, WI.
1998
Studio Prize, "Woman: In the Broader Sense", St. Louis Artists' Guild and the Woman's Caucus for Art, St. Louis, MO.
Juror's Award, National Juried Exhibition Celebrating Israel's 50th Anniversary, Jewish Community Center, New Haven, CT.
2nd Place, "Texas National 98", SFA Gallery, Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, TX.
1997
2nd place, "Inland Exhibition XXXIII", San Bernardino County Museum, Redlands, CA.
Juror's Award, "W & J National Painting Show", Washington, PA.
Honorable Mention, "National Juried Art Exhibition", Highland Cultural Center Art Gallery, NY.
1996
2nd Prize, Painting, "Hearts and Other Body Parts", Ashwell Gallery, Beverly, MA.
1994
Best of Show, Painting, "4th Annual Juried Exhibition" Havre De Grace Museum, MD.
Selected Bibliography and Publications
Reflections Artists Journal Vol 1, Margaret L. Holmes publisher and editor, May 2005, p.9.
Phoenix, Casa Editrice Palomar, Italy, Book cover image. 2004
The Taos News Tempo Magazine, "Kleefeld's Cut of the Cards", March 13-19, 2003, p. 4.
"Michael Hearne, Sight & Sound, Songs Inspired by the fine Art of Northern Mexico". Valley Entertainment, Sept. 2001.
THE Magazine, "Claudia Eve Kleefeld: The Life of Butterflies", May 2001, p. 49.
The Boston Globe Weekend Arts & Performance, "Focus on the figurative in CAA prize exhibit". May 31, 2002. p E17, E20.
Her Mark 2002 Calendar, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL. National Juried Competition.
Book Art Press, "New Art International 2002", Juried International Fine Art Publication, Woodstock NY, p. 12, 13, 14, 15.
Erie Times-News SHOWCASE "Enter Claudia's World: The Life of Butterflies". February 22, 2001. Cover, p.17-S, 32-S.
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