Thomas Paquette Works Biography
THOMAS PAQUETTE
I love to travel, as may be obvious from my paintings. The physical expressions of the earth, spelled out on a vast, detailed geological scale, captivate me: the moment-to-moment and place-to-place differences in weather and climate; the traces of geological processes (for example, an immensely scalloped river valley or a jagged mountain ranges sculpted over eons); lands wearing evidence of human impact; and the vital interactions of all life “doing its thing” on this little bit of matter spinning about the sun. I find nothing more satisfying than seeing the plain, mundane world in new casts of light.
Similar to this ever-changing universe, oil paint goes on the canvas in my studio and I never know exactly what forces will conspire to produce exactly what finished work. This unknowing is a great source of inspiration. It keeps my attention like a violent thunderstorm approaching, tempered by the calm of detachment and observation. An unanticipated touch of color often sets off cascades of subsequent shifts on the canvas, and mid-day is sometimes shifted to dusk, a mountain view into a meadow, an intimate scene into a panorama.
Like the course of all evolutions, these things usually shift slowly from one adjustment to the next, and sometimes they resemble the original impetus, sometimes not. I find painting most profound when it is an adventure into the unknown. My mission is to emulate – not reproduce – an experience/scene/or subject. As each subject is unique, each painting should reflect that.
Thomas Paquette, March 2010
Born 1958, Minneapolis
MFA Painting, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL – 1988
BFA Painting, Summa Cum Laude, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN 1985
Solo Exhibitions
2010 Groveland Gallery, Minneapolis, MN (one artist)
Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Jamestown, NY (one artist)
Windham Fine Arts, Windham, NY (one artist) 2009 Dowling Walsh Gallery, Rockland, ME (one artist)
2008 Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, PA
Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Wayzata, MN
2007 Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle, PA
Élan Fine Arts, Rockport, ME
Cummings Art Gallery, Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA
2006 Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2005 Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
Jameson Gallery, Portland, ME
2004 Erie Art Museum, Erie, PA
2003 Jameson Gallery, Portland, ME
Flanders Contemporary Art, Minneapolis, MN
2002 Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT
2001 Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA
Aucocisco Gallery, Portland, ME
2000 The Museum at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL
Flanders Contemporary Art, Minneapolis, MN
American Academy in Rome, Italy (studio exhibition)
1998 Flanders Contemporary Art, Minneapolis, MN
1997 Between the Muse Gallery, Rockland, ME
Maine State Capitol, Augusta, ME
1996 Fischbach Gallery, New York, NY
1995 Tom Veilleux Gallery, Farmington, ME
1994 Lydon Fine Art, Chicago, IL
Mahler Gallery, Washington, DC
Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME
1993 Mahler Gallery, Washington, DC
University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME
1991 Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, FL (three-artist exhibition)
1990 MC Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
1989 MC Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
University City Public Library Gallery, St. Louis, MO
Selected Group Exhibitions
2010 Ann Korologos Gallery, Basalt, CO, “Winterscapes of the West”
2009 D. Wigmore Fine Art, New York, NY, “Adirondack Art Today”
2008-2006 Roberson Museum, Binghamton, NY; Governor’s Residence, Harrisburg, PA; Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown, MD; Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA; and Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA“Visions of the Susquehanna” (traveling)
2008 U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador
2007 Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, “American Acadia”
Crary Art Gallery, Warren, PA, “Picturing Wilderness”
2005 U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece
2004 Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, PA, “Along the Lincoln Highway”
2003 American Institute, Taipei, Taiwan
U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
2002 Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC, “Recent Acquisitions”
Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN, “Defining a Collection: Recent Art Acquisitions”
Art Gallery at University of New England, Portland, ME, “Four Maine Treasure Troves”
2001 U.S. Embassy in St. Petersburg, Russia, “Natural America”
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Vienna, Austria
U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy (seven paintings selected)
1999 Bates College Museum of Art, Lewiston, ME, “The Joy of Collecting Art in Maine”
L.C. Bates Museum and Governor’s Mansion, Augusta, ME; “Katahdin, the Artists’ Inspiration”
1998 Bates College Museum of Art, Lewiston, ME, “Notations of Color: The History of Oil Sketching”
U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile, “Maine Light”
Selected Commissions
2003 Commission: 2 oil on canvas paintings
HMS Queen Mary 2, Cunard Line
1999 Percent-for-Art Commission:
College of Technology, MT State University, Great Falls, Montana
1998 Commission: 4 oil paintings: 7 x 5.5 feet o/c
Federal Reserve Bank, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1996 Percent-for-Art Commission: 6.5 x 32 feet o/c
Central Lakes College, Brainerd, Minnesota
1991 Percent-for-Art Purchase: 3.5 x 8 feet o/c
Brainerd College, Brainerd, Minnesota
1990 Percent-for-Art Commission: 4.5 x 11 feet o/c
Centennial Building, St. Paul, Minnesota
Selected Residencies/Fellowships/Grants
2006 American Artist Abroad, U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassy in Athens
2004 Residency, Robert M. MacNamara Foundation, Westport Island, Maine
2000 Visiting Artist, American Academy in Rome, Italy
1999 Guest Artist, Aegean Arts and Cultural Exchange, Mytilini, Greece
1999 Visiting Artist, Plymouth University, Exeter, England
1999 Visiting Artist, University of Wales, Cardiff, Wales
1998 Travel Grant, John Anson Kittredge Educational Fund
1997 Artist-in-Residence, Yosemite National Park
1994 Artist-in-Residence, Acadia National Park
1993 Artist-in-Residence, Rocky Mountain National Park
1993 Shep Forest Fellowship Residency, Millay Colony for the Arts
1989-1991 Fellowship and Residency, National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts
1985 Graduate Fellowship, Southern Illinois University
Collections
| Acadia National Park Museum
Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp Bank of America Banknorth Carlson School of Management Cigna Museum Colby College Collier, Shannon, and Scott, LLC Commerce Bancshares Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers Cunard Lines – Queen Mary II Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Fidelity Investments Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum Holland America Ministry of Economics, Taiwan, R.O.C. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Minnesota Historical Society Mint Museum of Art National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts
|
Norwest Banks
Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Rocky Mountain National Park Museum Smith Barney Southern Illinois University Museum SPX Corporation State of Maine, Percent-for-Art collections State of Minnesota, Percent-for-Art collections State of Montana, Percent for Art collection Thomson Financial U.S. Department of State (Loans to U.S. Embassies in Havana, Athens, Taipei, Vienna, St. Petersburg, Rome, U.S.T., Inc UNUM Westmoreland Museum of American Art Woodhill Country Club Yosemite National Park Museum |
Selected Publications
McAvoy, Suzette.“Capturing the Color of Light” (article)
Maine Home+Design. [Portland, ME] August 2009.
Molarsky, Mona. “Adirondack Art Today” (review)
ARTnews. [New York, NY] May 2009.
Hon. Glazer, Charles. “United States Embassy, San Salvador” (exhibition catalog)
Art in Embassies Program, U.S. Department of State. 2008.
Parker, Charley. “Thomas Paquette, Updated.” (review)
Lines and Color. [Weblog] 18 Sept 2008.
Little, Carl. “In Residence.” (article)
Island Journal [Rockland, ME]. 2008.
O’Hern, John. “Coming of Spring.” (article)
American Art Collector [Scottsdale, AZ]. Mar 2008.
Rose, Joshua. “American Arcadia.” (article)
American Art Collector [Scottsdale, AZ]. Mar 2007.
Parker, Charley. “Thomas Paquette.” (review)
Lines and Color. [Weblog] 13 Mar 2007.
Mansfield, Sally E. Thomas Paquette – Gouaches. (book essay)
Eyeful Press [Warren, PA]. Jan 2007.
Dearinger, David.Visions of the Susquehanna: 250 Years of Paintings by American Masters.
(traveling exhibition catalog) Lancaster Museum of Art. [Lancaster, PA]. Sept 2006.
Kontaraki, Despina. “Art is a global language.” (feature)
Apogevmatini. Athens, Greece. 27 Jan 2006.
Barka, Fotini. “The gallery of the American Ambassador.” (feature)
Eleftheriotypia. Athens, Greece. 27 Jan 2006.
Rose, Joshua. “Thomas Paquette: A…Perfect Mix of Structure and Theory.” (article)
American Art Collector [Scottsdale, AZ]. Aug 2006.
Zafeiriadou, Martina. “Art, the Best Ambassador.” (feature)
Eleutheros Typos. Athens, Greece. 27 Jan 2006.
Mayo, Marcia, ed.“United States Embassy, Athens.” (exhibition catalog)
Art in Embassies Program, U.S. Department of State. 2006.
Strauss, R.B. “Delaware Roundup.” (review)
Art Matters. [Philadelphia, PA] Jan 2005.
Hoffman, Tim. “Art Theft.” (news)
Free Press. [University of Southern Maine, ME] 7 Sep 2004.
O’Hern, John. “Traversed Lands.” (exhibition catalog essay)
Erie Art Museum [Erie, PA]. Oct 2004.
Shaw, Kurt. “Landmark exhibit documents historic Lincoln Highway.” (review)
Pittsburgh Tribune Review. 14 Mar 2004.
Thomas, Mary. “Historic Lincoln Highway drives exhibition of painting, photography.” (review)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 4 Mar 2004.
Isaacson, Philip. “At Jameson Gallery, pure poetry on canvas.” (review)
Maine Sunday Telegram. [Portland ME] 12 Oct 2003.
Gannon, Victoria. “Resonant Views.” (review)
Casco Bay Weekly, Portland, ME. 17 Oct 2002.
Wells, Dean. “Thomas Paquette: The World of Naturalism.” (cover story feature)
Artefakt Magazine, Buffalo, NY, PA. Sept 2002.
Zurn, Jon. “Thomas Paquette: The Land Observed.” (exhibition catalogue essay)
Crary Art Gallery, Warren, PA. April 2002.
Baxter, Kathleen. “On View” (featured exhibition at Georgia Museum of Art)
American Artist [New York, NY] Sept 2001.
Bloodgood, J. “Vibrant Excursions: Paintings by Thomas Paquette” (exhibition catalogue essay)
Georgia Museum of Art. [Athens, GA] July 2001.
Bussiere, Gregory. “New Directions in the Visual Arts: Thomas Paquette.” (documentary video)
and Visser, R. Maine Public Broadcasting. (broadcast March and August 2001).
Harlow, Doug. “Painting Recovered.” (news)
Morning Sentinel. [Waterville, ME]. 27 Feb 2001.
Harlow, Doug. “Police investigate art theft at Colby.” (news)
Morning Sentinel. [Waterville, ME]. 22 Jan 2001.
Abbe, Mary. “Gardens of the Mind.” (review)
Minneapolis Star Tribune. [Minneapolis, MN]. 2 Jun 2000.
Beem, Edgar A. “Nine from the Nineties.” (art feature)
Maine Times. [Bangor, Maine] 3 Feb 2000.
Dobbs, Jeff. “Katahdin: Mountain for the People.” (documentary video)
Maine Public Broadcasting. [Portland, ME] 18 March 2000.
Harrison, Helen “Intimate Landscapes.” (review)
New York Times. 3 December 2000.
Holmes, James. “U.S. Ambassador’s Residence, Riga, Latvia.” (catalogue)
U.S. Department of State. [Washington, DC] April 2000.
Wilmot, Paula. “New Art a Must-See at MSU.” (feature)
Maine Sunday Telegram. 1 Aug 1999.
McLean, Genetta.“Carried Away: The Joy of Collecting Art in Maine.” (exhibition catalog)
Bates College Museum of Art, Lewiston, ME, 11 June – 8 Aug 1999.
O’Leary, John. Maine Light. (exhibition catalog)
Art n Embassies Program, Department of State, USA. 1999.
Peladeau, Marius“Looking at Katahdin: The Artists’ Inspiration.” (exhibition catalog)
L.C. Bates Museum, Hinckley, ME. 13 June – 12 Oct 1999.
News interview “Collioure and Painting.” (television news segment)
Channel 2 News [France]. (broadcast 21 May 1998) [Documenting the impact
of the town of Collioure on painting since Matisse and Derain.]
Little, Carl and Art of the Maine Islands. (book)
Skolnick, Arnold Downeast Books [Camden, ME]. 1997.
[cover & inside] “Art in the National Parks.” (featured artwork with story)
Orion Magazine [Great Barrington, MA]. Spring 1997.
Isaacson, Philip. “At Round Top, big things come in little Paquettes.” (review)
Maine Sunday Telegram. 27 Aug 1995.
Greenleaf, Ken. “ ‘Essential Landscapes’ show painter’s colors.” (review)
Maine Sunday Telegram. 10 April 1994.
Sprunt-Tate, H. “Paquette at Maine Coast Artists: two ways to preserve the landscape.” (review)
Maine Times. [Portland, ME]. 22 April 1994.
Fleming, Lee. “Paquette at Mahler.” (review)
Washington Post. [Washington, DC]. 2 Oct 1993.
Isaacson, Philip. “Paintings show Maine to New York gallery crowd.” (review)
Maine Sunday Telegram. 4 July 1993.
Shaughnessy, M. “The Transforming View: Paintings by Thomas Paquette.” (exhibition essay)
University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME. Oct 1993.
Welzenbach, M. “Landscapes of light and shadow.” (review)
Washington Post. 11 July 1992.
Damian, Carol. “Contemporaries in Our Midst.” (exhibition catalog)
Bass Museum, Miami Beach, FL. 2 May 1991.
Kohen, Helen. “Contemporaries in Our Midst.” (review)
Miami Herald. [Miami, FL]. 12 May 1991.
Tuyl, Laura Van. “Miami spotlights new painters.” (feature)
Christian Science Monitor. [Boston, MA]. 19 May 1991.
News interview “South Beach.” (television documentary)
Public Broadcasting Service. (broadcast 7 Feb 1991.) [PBS Special,
spotlighting Miami Beach’s burgeoning cultural and arts scene.]
Cohen, Mark A. “Art in Corporate Collections” (exhibition catalog)
North Miami Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, FL. 4 May 1990.
Phillips, Lisa. “Contemporaries in Our Midst.” (exhibition catalog)
Bass Museum, Miami Beach, FL. 17 May 1990.
Kane, Cheryl. “Artists’ residency may be a dream come true.” (feature)
Miami Today. [Miami FL]. 10 May 1989.
Meadows, Gail. “Artists at the heart of the cultural community.” (feature)
Miami Herald. 8 May 1989.
