Marthe Keller | Bio
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BIO

 
 

New York artist Marthe Keller has been exhibiting internationally since 1974. Her paintings, collages and prints are represented in public collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA New York, the Whitney Museum, the British Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and many others. Keller has received grants, awards and residencies from institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the MacDowell Colony, the Chicago Art Institute, Princeton University, Ohio State University, University of Connecticut, Virginia Commonwealth and the Vermont Studio Center.

After her early years in the Hudson River Valley, Keller moved to Rome, Italy. She attended school and found new roots in Italy where she returns annually to paint. She received her B.A. degree from the Maryland Art Institute, attending Boston University and Temple University/Tyler School of Art in Rome as well as the Art Therapy M.A. program at George Washington University. She has an MFA pending in 2013 from Queens College, CUNY.

Keller is an adjunct professor in the Art Department at Hunter College, New York. She directs the BAU Institute Arts Residency in New York and Puglia, Italy, and serves as editor of the American Abstract Arts Journal.

Marthe Keller's most recent solo show was rain kiss on me back, paintings and prints in the Garrison Art Center, Garrison, New York (Spring 2012). Her 2011 one-person survey of paintings and assemblages, My Life in the Wake was shown in two concurrent exhibitions at the New Arts Program in Kutztown, Pennsylvania and Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Marthe exhibited Fold Color Replay in FLUID, a traveling three-person installation during Spring/Summer 2011, at Towson University, Baltimore, Maryland, and the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art in Wilmington. In 2008-2009 Keller's one-person exhibition, Corso Ricorso, toured Italy and Germany. Contact us to obtain a hardcopy of the Corso Ricorso catalog with essays by Elisabetta Longari and Lilly Wei, (available for $16.00 USD plus shipping and handling), or download a low-resolution version here.

Keller's recent group shows include American Abstract Arts Journal International 75th Anniversary; paris CONCRET, Paris, France; MIC CHECK:Occupy, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York; OK Harris Works of Art, New York; the AAA Exhibition, Splendor of Dynamic Structure, at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Ithaca, New York; It's All Good!!, apocalypse now, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg, (Brooklyn) New York; American Abstract Artists International, Otranto, Italy; Anonyme Zeichner #10, Berlin; Dialoghi D'Accanto, Viterbo, Italy; and Linked: small works, BIG IDEAS, at the Heskin Contemporary gallery, New York.

 
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Exhibitions


Solo / Group

2012 rain kiss on me back, Balter Gallery of the Garrison Art Center, April 7 - May 6, 2012
2011 Marthe Keller, New Arts Program, Kutztown, PA
Marthe Keller, Northhampton Community College, Northhampton, PA
2010 Dialoghi D'Accanto, Viterbo, Italy
Linked: small works, BIG IDEAS, at Heskin Contemporary, New York, NY
2009 Corso Ricorso IV, GB Kunst, Galerie Palais Walderdorff, Trier, Germany
Corso Ricorso III, St Stephen's Cultural center Foundation, Rome, Italy
2008 Corso Ricorso I, Miralli Gallery, Palazzo Chigi, Viterbo, Italy
Corso Ricorso II, Studio Fontaine, Viterbo, Italy
2005 Soho Myriad, (featured artist), Atlanta, GA, curator Sarah Hall
2002 Fold Color Replay, Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, New York, NY
2000 Marthe Keller and Karen Shaw, Conversation, Art Resources Transfer, NY, March/ April (two-person)
1999 Atrium Gallery, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, Saul Ostrow, Curator
1998 Desistance, Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, NY, accompanying publication by Stephen Melville
1997 Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, NY
1994 Halsey Gallery, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC
Turchetto Gallery, Milan, Italy
1993 Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, New York, NY, Catalogue
1992 Stephen Rosenberg Gallery (two-person)
1991 Galleria Plurima, Udine, Italy
1986-7, 1989 Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, New York, NY
1982 Whitaker Foundation Museum, Palermo, Italy
1978 Albuquerque Arts Center, University of New Mexico
1976 John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
1974 Lepofsky Gallery, Baltimore, MD

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Group Shows

2011-12 FLUID, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Bieber Ham Gallery, Wilmington, DE (Sept-Jan)
2011 FLUID, (three-person) Towson University Center for the Arts Gallery, Towson MD, curator Susan Isaacs (Feb-April)
Splendor of Dynamic Structure: Celebrating 75 years of the American Abstract Artists, Herbert F Johnson Museum of Art, Ithaca, NY, curator, Nancy E Green., (Jan - Mar)
It's All Good!!, apocalypse now, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg (Brooklyn), NY (Jan-Feb)
2010 The American Abstract Artists International, "L'astrazione vista da un cosmopolita", Aragonese Castle, Otranto, Italy.
Anonyme Zeichner N°10, Bluntenwiess, Berlin, Germany, curator, Anka Becker
2009 Dialoghi D'Accanto, Studio Fontaine, Viterbo, Italy, curator, Federico Sardella
Linked: Small works, BIG IDEAS, Heskin Contemporary, New York, NY, curator Jennifer Riley
It's A Wonderful Life, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg (Brooklyn), NY
2008 Imprint and Echo, Federieke Taylor Gallery, curated by Stephen Maine
Peace, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg (Brooklyn), NY
2007 Material Matter, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg (Brooklyn), NY, curator, Kat Griefen
Contrappunto, BAU Institute Gallery, Hudson, NY, curator Marina Urbach
2006 Winter Salon, Lesley Heller Gallery, New York, NY
Material Sign, Florence Lynch Gallery, NY, four-person exhibition, curator Stephen Westfall
WAR IS OVER, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY
2005 Optical Simulations, Yellow Bird, Newburgh, NY, curator Jill Conner
Ideal, Selections from the AAA, Metaphor contemporary art, Brooklyn, NY, curator Rene Lynch
Soho Myriad, Atlanta, GA, curator Sarah Hall
The Faculty Exhibition, Hunter College/Times Square Gallery
2004-5 Merry-Peace, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY
2004 Intersections, Douglas Elliman TriBeCa Gallery, New York, NY, Ruth Hardinger & Michael Norton, curators
Diva, painting on view in the contemporary collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Women, Exhibition & Auction for Womenęs Cancers, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg (Brooklyn), NY
2003 Eleven Painters Eleven views of Abstraction, Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM
MORE, Mpercent, Cleveland, OH
2002-3 Les Fables de La Fontaine, Centre pour l'Arte et la Culture, Aix-en-Provence, France and USA tour
2001 21st Century Suffragettes, Sideshow, Williamsburg (Brooklyn), NY (July), Merry, (December)
2000 Toward the New: American Abstract Artists, Hillwood Art Museum, Brookville, NY
Hunter College Art Department Faculty Exhibition, Times Square Gallery, NY
Irresolution, Painting and Photography, Rosenberg + Kaufman, New York, NY
Women and Geometric Abstraction, Rubelle and Norman Schaffler Gallery, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
1999 Women and Geometric Abstraction, Pratt Institute Gallery, NY, Kit White curator
1997 Better Color Through Chemistry, Islip Art Museum, NY, Karen Shaw curator
Abstraction Index Condeso/Lawler Gallery, organized by Vincent Longo and Laura Sue Philips
After the Fall: Aspects of Abstract Painting Since 1970, Snug Harbor Cult. Cntr, Lilly Wei curator, catalog
1996 Dots and Lines, 8th Floor Gallery, NY, Theresa. Chong curator
Pioneers of Abstract Art: American Abstract Artists, 1936-96, Mishkin Gallery, Baruch College, Sandra Kraskin curator
Kunstart, Bockenheimer Depot, Frankfurt/M, Germany, Miki Bunge, curator, catalog, CD-ROM, traveled to Galerie Guth-Maas & Maas, Reutlingen, Germany
Jan Maiden Fine Art, Columbus, OH
1995 Semaphore: Placing the Mark, Art Initiatives and Bill Bace
Basic Marks: black & white paintings, Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Art, New York, NY
1994 Art in Embassies Program, Smithsonian Institution, American Mission, Vienna, Austria
The persistence of Abstraction, Noyes Museum, Oceanville, NJ American Abstract Artists
1993 Drawings from 55 Ferris Street, Werner Kramarsky, NY and Jessica Berwind Gallery, Phila, PA
Structure, Lilian Heidenberg Gallery, NY, Hugh Keenan, curator
Family Ties, Krasdale Foods Gallery and Lehman College, Westchester, NY
55 Ferris Street, Brooklyn, NY, Frederieke Taylor, Joe Zito curators, catalog
1992 Vertical Slice, Cummings Art Center, Connecticut College, New London, CT
The Persistence of Abstraction, Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, KS, catalog
Galleria Plurima, Udine and Milan Italy
1991 Paper Trail, Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, NY Conlon Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1990 Surface and Light, Stephen Rosenberg Gallery NY, Fran Kaufman curator
1990 American Abstract Artist's Association Exhibition, 55 Mercer Gallery, NY
1989 Abstract Painting, Illinois Center Gallery, Chicago, IL, Dennis Adrian curator
Contemporary Abstract Drawing, Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, NY
1988 Formal, Dart Gallery, Chicago, IL, Lance Kinz curator, catalog
Partners Gallery, Bethesda, MD
The Gold Show, Genovese Gallery, Boston, MA
Altar/Alter, Carlo Lamagna Gallery, NY, Ken Tisa curator
1986 One and One, Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, NY
Collectors Gallery XX, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX
Line Drives, Gallery 53, Cooperstown, NY, William Zimmer curator
Black, White & Grey, Stephen Rosenberg Gallery, NY
1985 Abstract Presence, Defacto Gallery, NY
9 Americans, New York, NY, curated by Hirondelle Gallery
Small Works, New Abstract Painting, Williams Center for the Arts, Easton, PA and Muhlenberg Gallery, Allentown, PA, curated by Hudspeth & Janowich
1984 Fourth Annual, John Davis Gallery, Akron, OH
17 Artists' Installations, Directions on Broadway, NY
A More Store, Jack Tilton Gallery, NY
Making Marks, Works on Paper, 22 Wooster Gallery, NY
1983 Three Artists, Directions On Broadway, NY
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Awards

2010 Visitng Artist, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
PSC/CUNY Professional Development Grant, City University of New York
2009 PSC/CUNY Professional Development Grant, City University of New York
2008 Grant, Fifth Floor Foundation, New York, NY
2007 Presidential Travel Grant, Dept of Arts and Sciences, Hunter College, CUNY, NY
Residency Award, Greenberger Foundation, NY
1998 Guest Artist, Ceramics Department, Hunter College, NY
Presidential Travel Grant, Dept of Arts and Sciences, Hunter College, CUNY, NY
1997 Guest Artist, Women and Minority Print Program, Ringling School, FL
1990 Fellowship, The Mac Dowell Colony, July/August
1989 Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts, 1989/90
Fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts, 1989/90
1988 Painting Commission, Progressive Companies, Mayfield Heights, OH
1987 Grant, Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation
1978 CETA Grant, Costume Design, Albuquerque Dance Theatre, Albuquerque, NM

Professional Experience

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2010 Curator, BAU Institute Print Portfolio 2010, http/www.bauinstitute.org/prints
2003-10 Director, BAU Institute, Artists' Residency, Otranto, Italy
2001-08 Editor, American Abstract Artists Journal
2008 Math Studio, site-specific participation, Smith College and APE Space, Northhampton, MA
Guest Artist New Arts Alive, TV Broadcast, BCTV, Berks County, PA, DUTV-54, Philadelphia, Manhattan Neighborhood Network, channel 34/82, NYC
1999 Panelist, College Art Association Conference, Los Angeles, Session: Abstraction and Transcription: the Question of Touch, Buzz Spector, chair
Co-Editor, American Abstract Artists Journal, biannual publication (on-going)
Panelist, Authenticity and the Peony Pavillion, Lincoln Center Festival
Contributor to La Couleur Importee, (Ready-Made Color), Forthcoming publication by Galerie
Jordan Devarrieux, Paris, eds, Kerlidou, Louaver, Perrot, Briand-Picard
1998 Chair, College Art Association Conference, Toronto, Session: Off Color
1996 Panelist, "Abstraction/Meaning", Power Boothe Moderator, American Abstract Artists Panelist, Issues of Abstraction in the late 90's", Vito Giacolone moderator, Kean College, NJ
1991 Judge, Annual Awards, Painting/Sculpture/Photography/Graphics, Kingsborough Community College
1987 Visiting Artist/Presenter to Art Symposium, Univiversity of California, Santa Barbara, CA
1985 Draftsperson, Sol Lewitt wall drawing, John Weber Gallery, New York, NY.
1983-1984 Co-founder and curator, Directions on Broadway Installation Space, New York, NY
1982 Draftsperson, Sol Lewitt wall drawing, John Weber Gallery, Paula Cooper Gallery, NY Visiting Artist, Whitaker Foundation, Palermo, Italy, (one month)
Draftsperson, Sol Lewitt wall drawing retrospective, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT

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Bibliography

2009 Wei, Lilly and Longari, Elisabetta, "Corso Ricorso: Marthe Keller's Recent Painting, " catalogue
2008 Amy, Eshoo, editor. 560 Broadway: A New York Drawing Collection at Work, 1991-2006 © Fifth Floor Foundation, 2008. Yale University, pub
2007 Andrew MacNair, ZAPP Urbanism, Interview with the artist on Collapse of the Stuttering Hand Yassin, Aaron, "The Material Sign", review, David Cohen, editor
2006 Pozzi, Lucio, "AAA: il tizzone si e raffreddato", Il Giornale del Arte, August, page 26
2003 Keller, Marthe, contributor, Readymade Color, La Couleur Importee, Galerie Jordan Devarrieux, Paris, editors, Kerlidou, Louaver, Perrot, Briand-Picard
2000 eller, Marthe, essay, "Further Desistance, I'm Late, I'm Late!", American Abstract Artists Journal #4
2000 Keller, Marthe and Shaw, Karen, Conversation, Art Resources Transfer Exhibition, NY, April www.artretran.com
2000 Artist Profile, Merthe Keller, Ab Art on Line www.abartonline.com
1999 Naves, Mario, review, Martha Keller, New Art Examiner, March
1998 Melville, Stephen, untitled catalogue essay, Rosenberg+Kaufman Fine Art, publisher Johnson, Ken, Art Guide, New York Times, Oct 30, Martha Keller
Wilkinson, Jeanne C., Review, Nov 1, Martha Keller, Desistance
1997 Bell, Tiffany, review, Martha Keller, Art In America, September
1996 Keller, Martha, "Abstract/Meaning, notes for/from the panel", American Abstract Artists Journal #1
1995 MacAdam, Alfred, review, Basic Marks, ARTnews, March
1994 Longari, Elisabetta, review, Juliet n. 69, Oct/Nov, 94, Milan
Drake, Nicholas, review, Charleston Post and Courier, Sept. 25
Zimmer, William, review, New York Times, NJ, Aug.28, "Geometric Abstraction's Varied Moods"
Ferrario, Rachele, review Martha Keller, Flash Art, Italian Edition Summer
Turner, Paige, "Void and Stroke", Halsey Gallery brochure essay, Sept
Wilkinson, Jeanne C., "Bold Contradiction of Minimalism", Cover, April
Wei, Lilly, review, Martha Keller, Art In America, March
Gardner, Paul, "Who Are The Most Overrated and Underrated Artists?" Art News, Feb
1993 Westfall, Stephen, catalogue essay, "Both There and Here", Martha Keller Paintings
1992 Collovini, Diego, review, Tema Celeste, Italian Edition
1991 Perissinotto, Luciano, review, "Variazioni cromatiche nell'arte della Keller", Messaggero Veneto, June
Centioni, Paolo, review, "Martha Keller, Plurima, Udine", Flash Art, Italian Edition, Summer
1988 Masheck, Joseph, catalogue essay, "Formal", Dart Gallery, Chicago, IL
Westfall, Stephen, review, Martha Keller, Art in America, March
Heartney, Eleanor, review, Martha Keller, ARTnews, February
1987 Lieb, Vered, review, "One and One: A Study of Scale", Arts Magazine, February
1986 Westfall, Stephen, review, Martha Keller, Arts Magazine, May "Views & Reviews", Attenzione, Sept./Oct.
1984 Zimmer, William, catalogue essay, "Small Works: New Abstract Painting", Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College & Muhlenburg College, Allentown, PA.
1982 Stuckey, Charles F., catalogue essay, "Martha Keller, Systems for Visions", Fondazione Whitaker, PA., Italy Nickles, Joan, "Breaking Traditions at Palermo's Whitaker", The Arts, Rome Daily American, June 4, Rome, Italy La Monica, Giuseppe, "Segni Umani Nello Spazio", L'Ora, 6/ 12, PA, Italy "I Grandi Spazi Americani", Giornale di Sicilia, 6/ 11, PA, Italy

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Selected Public Collections

  American Mission, Ambassador of the United States of America, Vienna, Austria
Barbara Guggenheim Inc., New York, NY
British Museum, Department of Prints, London, England
Concentric Associates, Inc., NJ
Fogg Art Museum, print collection, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
FoodItalia, S.R.L, Rome, Italy
J. Robert Scott, Los Angeles, CA
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY (painting, Diva, on view from 1993-2005)
Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS
New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, NJ
Parrish Art Museum, South Hampton, NY
Pharmaceutical Peptides, Inc. Cambridge, MA
Pollock Gallery, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Princeton University, rare book collection, Princeton, NJ
Progressive Corporation Collection, Cleveland, OH
Pollock Gallery, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Prudential Corporation Collection, Newark, NJ
San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA
TFX Industries, Plymouth Meeting, PA
University of Richmond Museum, The Joel and Lila Harnett Print Study Center, Richmond, VA
Whitaker Foundation Museum, PA., Italy
Whitney Museum of American Art, print collection, New York, NY

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Teaching Experience

2010-present Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Hunter College, CUNY, NY
2007-9 Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Advanced Painting Techniques & Concepts, ART CR 360.11, Hunter College, CUNY
BAU Workshops, Baryshnikov Center, New York, NY, "Painters Call On Painters" advanced seminar
2006 Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Basic Drawing and Advanced Painting Techniques & Concepts, ART360, Hunter College, CUNY
2005 Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Advanced Drawing, Art 101, Hunter College, City University of New York
2004-5 Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Advanced Painting Techniques & Concepts, ART CR 360.11, Hunter College, CUNY
The Arts Center, St Petersburg, FL, Master Artist Workshop, Extending Your Painting Tools
BAU Workshops, Baryshnikov Center, New York, NY, "Painters Call On Painters" advanced seminar
2004 Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Beginning Drawing, Art 101, Hunter College, City University of New York
Visiting Artist/Painting Instructor, Summer Workshop (City College), Otranto, Italy (July)
Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Advanced Drawing, Art 101, Hunter College, City University of New York
2003 Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Basic Drawing and Art 101, Hunter College, CUNY
2002 Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Beginning, Advanced Painting, Intro. Art 101, Hunter College, NY
2001 MFA Seminar, Art and Art History Department, U.Conn, Storrs, CT (Fall Semester)
Visiting Artist, Maryland Institute, Aix en Provence, France
Assistant Professor, Adjunct Faculty, Beginning, Advanced Painting, Intro. Art 101, Hunter College, NY
1999 MFA Seminar, Art and Art History Department, U.Conn, Storrs, CT (reappointed)
Assistant Professor, Drawing I, Hunter College, NY
Artist/Teacher, MFA Program, Vermont College
1998-99 Visiting Artist, Beginning Painting, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Lecturer, "Off Color", California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA
Assistant Professor, Intro. Art 101, Hunter College, NY
Instructor, Painting Seminar, The New School/ Parsons, NY
1997 Artist/Teacher, MFA Program, Vermont College
Visiting Artist, Ringling School of Art, Sarasota, FL
1996-7 Assistant Professor, Adjunct Fculty, Drawing I and Intro. Art 101, Hunter College, NY
Instructor, Intermediate Painting, Studio and Basic Drawing, The New School/ Parsons, NY
1996 Visiting Artist, Advanced Painting, Graduate Seminar, Ohio State University, Colombus, OH
Instructor, Basic Painting, Rhode Island School of Design, (winter session)
1995 Adjunct Instructor, Painting I, II, Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY
Instructor, Painting and Drawing Studio, The New School of Social Research, NY
Instructor, Multi-LevelPainting, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Oxbow, MI (summer)
Instructor, Beginning Drawing, The New School for Social Research, NY (summer)
Guest Lecturer, Advanced Painting, Sculpture and Multi-media, Parsons School of Design, NY
1994 Guest Lecturer, Graduate Painting, Temple University, Tyler School of Art, Rome, Italy
Instructor, Painting and Drawing, ACT, School of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NY (summer)
Adjunct Instructor, Painting I, Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY
1993 Guest Lecturer, Graduate Painting, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Adjunct Instructor, Painting I, II, Western Art Survey, Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY
Instructor, Painting and Mixed Media, 53rd Street YWCA, New York, NY
1992 Instructor, Drawing Marathon, New York Studio School of Painting, Drawing & Sculpture, NY
1991-92 Lecturer in Visual Arts, Intermediate Painting, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Instructor, Multi-Level Painting, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Oxbow, (summer), MI
Guest Lecturer, Advanced Drawing Seminar, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY
1990 Visiting Artist, Graduate & Advanced Painting, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Visiting Artist, (search finalist), Graduate & Advanced Painting, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
1989 Visiting Artist, New York Studio School of Painting, Drawing & Sculpture, NY

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Education

1972-73 George Washington University, Art Therapy, Masters Program
1971 Maryland Institute, College of Art, Painting, BFA
1966-69 Boston University, School of Fine Arts
1968 Temple University, Tyler School of Art, Rome, Italy
1964-66 Saint Stephen's School, Rome, Italy
1961-64 Overseas School of Rome, Rome, Italy

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