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More about Amy

 

Biography

Born in Kenosha, WI
Lives and works in Southeastern Wisconsin
MFA in Interdisciplinary Studio Art at the American University, Washington DC, 2008

Amy Misurelli Sorensen is an artist, teacher and curator.

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Amy recently joined the drawing faculty at Colorado State University, where she was the Visiting Artist/Instructor in Drawing 2015-16. She has taught at the University of Wisconsin Parkside and Carthage College and has been a visiting artist at several other institutions. Her work as a professional artist has been shown internationally and nationally with over 75 exhibitions to date. Amy has also curated and co-curated exhibitions independently and as the Gallery Director and Curator at The University of Wisconsin Parkside Galleries. She engages deeply with art and the practicalities of how art gets shown and made. She is also committed to curating and exhibiting her work in provocative exhibitions that challenge visual culture and explore issues in society, politics and art. 

 

 

Artist Statement

As an artist, I specialize in the area of drawing with concentrations in printmaking, painting, and performance. Research engages a conceptual framework to inform media choices and processes but it always begins with drawing and drawing is often the end result.


As a contemporary artist, my work is concerned with distorted images of identity and sexuality imposed by societal ideals. My images of women are both provocative and shocking and act as commentary on how women are viewed in contemporary culture. My research is influenced by feminist theory, queer theory and everyday life.

 

 

Education

2008   M.F.A. American University, Washington, DC

2005   School of The Art Institute, Chicago, IL

2004   B.A.University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI

 

 

Teaching Experience

Visiting Artist/ Instructor in Drawing, Colorado State University

Present

  • Introduction to Drawing

  • Intermediate Drawing

  • Figure Drawing

  • Advance Drawing/ Graduate Critiques


 

Drawing Lecturer, Study Abroad Program Italy, University of Wisconsin Parkside

Summer 2015-2016

  • Plein Air Drawing and Painting


 

Lecturer, Carthage College, Kenosha, WI

2011-2015

  • Drawing 1

  • Introduction to 2d Design

  • Printmaking including silk screen, intaglio, and relief

  • Illustration


 

Lecturer, University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, WI

2009-2015

  • Senior Critique Seminar

  • Introduction to Drawing, Intermediate Drawing and Advanced Drawing

  • Focused Drawing Topics

  • Figure Studio


 

Visiting Art Teacher, Woodrow Wilson High School, Washington, DC

2007

  • AP Studio Art


 

Teaching Assistant, American University, Washington, DC

2006-2008

  • Printmaking


 

Visiting Artist Lectures

Front Range Community College, 2016, Fort Collins, CO

Colorado State University, 2016, Fort Collins, CO

Loveland Art Museum, 2016, Loveland, CO

College for Creative Studies, 2009, Detroit, MI

Trinity Christian College, 2008, Palos Heights, IL

American University, 2008, Washington, DC


 

Professional Artist Solo Exhibitions

2016 The Mollusk And Her Quahog, Directions Gallery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

2011 That’s What She Said, Lucky Star Gallery, Milwaukee, WI


 

Professional Artist Selected Group Exhibitions

  2015 


  2014

  • Group Show, Walker’s Point Center For The Arts, Milwaukee, WI

  • The Kinsey Institute Juried Art Show, Grunwald Gallery, Bloomington, IN

  • The Printed Image 5, Sabatini Gallery, Topeka, KS

  • Figure Studies, University of WI Parkside Foundation Gallery, Kenosha, WI

 
  2013

  • The Photographic Self, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL

  • In The Flesh, Target Gallery, Alexandria, VA

  • Watercolor Wisconsin, RAM, Award Winner, Racine, WI

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  2012

  • Forward Wisconsin, Charles Allis Museum, Milwaukee, WI

  • Invitational, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI

 

  2011

  • That’s What She Said, Lucky Star Gallery, Solo, Milwaukee, WI

  • Caseworks, AMUM, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN

  • Vicinity, RAM, Racine, WI

 

  2010

  • Re-Vision, Katzen Museum, Washington, DC

  • The Kinsey Institute 2010 Juried Show, SoFA, Bloomington, IN

  • Chicago Art Open, Chicago Artists Coalition, Chicago, IL

  • Uncle Cory’s Art Show, The Fridge, Washington, DC

 

  2009 The Dirty Show, International Exhibition of Erotic Art, Detroit, MI

 

  2008

  • Transformer gallery Auction, Washington, DC

  • Misery Factory, Renegade Printmakers, SGC, Richmond, VA

  • Girlish Ways, Bobby Fisher Memorial Center, Washington, DC

  • Brightest Young Thing, Pink Line Project, Washington, DC

  • Proximity, Katzen Museum, Washington, DC

  • Drawing, Nance Street Studios, Houston, TX

 

  2007

  • Other, Katzen Museum, Washington, DC

  • Works on Paper, Heineman Myers Contemporary, Bethesda, MD

  • Art on Paper, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD

  • Fear4, Art Bar, Milwaukee, WI

  • Artomatic, Washington, DC

 

  2006 Wall Mountable, DCAC, Washington, DC

 

  2005

  • Wisconsin Artists Biennial, Madison, WI

  • Watercolor Wisconsin, Wustum Museum, Racine, WI

  • Heart…, Walker’s Pint Center for the Arts, Milwaukee, WI

  • National Small Print Exhibition, University of Wisconsin, Parkside, WI


 

Artist Residencies

Rome Art Program, 2014, Rome, Italy

Tom Huck’s Woodcut Bootcamp, 2013, 2010, Studio Assistant, St. Louis, MO

Scuola Internazionale di Grafica Venezia, 2012, Venice, Italy

Vermont Studio Center, 2010, Johnson, VT


 

Other Professional Experience
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Gallery Director and Curator, UW-Parkside Galleries, Kenosha, WI

2013-2015

  • Upholding the vision and mission statement for three galleries

  • Planning exhibition cycles and creating gallery calendars for three galleries

  • Organizing and publicizing gallery receptions, artist talks and community events

  • Maintaining loan and insurance agreements and co-managing the gallery budget

  • Overseeing delivery, return and sales of exhibited artwork

  • Developing prospecti for juried exhibitions and arranging professional juror for juried exhibitions. Creating, managing and reviewing “call for proposals”

  • Hiring, coordinating and supervising student interns

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Curated Exhibitions

  • 24th Parkside National Small Print Exhibition, 2015, Organizer, Juried Exhibition, Catalogue

  • Justseeds Artists Cooperative, 2015, North American Group Exhibition, Co-curator

  • Androgyny: An Exhibition by Lois Bielefeld, 2014, Curator, Catalogue, Portrait Society Gallery

  • The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen; Also Featuring Original Comic Art by R. Crumb, Al Capp and Will Eisner, 2014, Co-organizer, Kenosha Festival of Cartooning

  • Old Hands in Clay, 2014, Coordinator, NCECA Conference in Milwaukee, WI

  • Branding Creativity, An Exhibition by Plaid Tuba, 2014, Co-coordinator, Hanson Dodge Creative

  • Figure Studies: Inspired by Philip Pearlstein, 2014, Invitational, Co-curator

  • Terrance Campagna, On the Surface of the Midwest, 2013, Curator


 

Printmaking Internship, Pyramid Atlantic, Silver Spring, MD

2007-2008

  • Organization and maintenance of studios and gallery

  • Assisted art students in print production in silk screening, woodcuts and papermaking

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Museum Internship, Katzen Museum, Washington, DC

2006-2007

  • Museum installer and docent

  • Cataloguing permanent collection


 

Juror

Racine Unified School District K-12, 2014, Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Racine, WI

Monument Square Art Festival, 2011, Racine, WI

Student Juried Art Exhibition, 2010, Carthage College, Kenosha, WI

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Awards

Professional Development Grant, Colorado State University, 2016, Fort Collins, CO

Mellon Research Grant, American University, 2008, Madrid, Spain

MFA Graduate Scholarship, American University, 2007-2008, Washington, DC

Academic Achievement, 2004, University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, WI

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Publications, Press

Shepherd Express Milwaukee. “Surprises At This Year’s Watercolor Wisconsin.” 20 December 2012.

Collaborations

2016 Public Art, Pianos About Town, Fort Collins, CO

2015 Installation of Art in Public Spaces, Public Brewery, Sazzy B’s, Kenosha, WI

2012 Cover Illustration for “Mother Box, and Other Tales”

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Collections

2016 Fort Collins’ LGBT Lounge, Fort Collins, CO

2010 The Kinsey Institute Collection, Bloomington, IN

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Awards

2008   Mellon Grant

2007   MFA Graduate Scholarship, American University, Washington, DC

2006   MFA Graduate Scholarship, American University, Washington, DC

2004   Academic Achievement, University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, WI

2003   Steve Vasy Endowed Art Scholarship

2002   Steve Vasy Endowed Art ScholarshipSelected Exhibitions, Publications and Collections​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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