Amy Pleasant: Difference between revisions

From Bhamwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
mNo edit summary
No edit summary
 
(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Amy Pleasant''' (born 1972) is an [[United States|American]] [[painting|painter]] living and working in [[Birmingham, AL]] with representation by the Jeff Bailey Gallery ([[New York, NY]]).<ref>[http://www.baileygallery.com/artists_02.cfm?fid=107 Amy Pleasant :: Jeff Baily Gallery :: New York]</ref>  She received a BFA from [[The School of the Art Institute of Chicago]] and an MFA from the [[Tyler School of Art]] at [[Temple University]].
'''Amy Pleasant''' (born [[1972]]) is a [[Birmingham]]-based artist known for her figurative, free associative paintings and drawings that explore simple, daily acts in slowly unfolding narratives.  


Pleasant is best known for her figurative, free associative paintings and drawings that explore simple, daily acts in slowly unfolding narratives. In an article from [[Art in America]], Max Henry wrote that her work “chronicles everyday life…full of existential angst and loneliness, her paintings are able to evoke an empathetic response from the viewer.”<ref>[http://www.amypleasant.com/Images/Art%20In%20America%20.jpg “Amy Pleasant at Jeff Bailey Gallery”, ''Art in America'', December 2004]</ref>  [[David Moos]], who had a close relationship with Pleasant at the BMA, wrote of Pleasant’s work that through “fragments of overlapping narratives” the viewer is allowed to “glimpse the formation of images” and is “made aware of how the painter makes decisions in paint, amending a passage and visibly editing the composite image.”<ref>"Contemporary American Art," US Embassy, Prague, Czech Republic</ref>
Pleasant got an early start as an artist, exhibiting work in a show arranged by [[Thelma Pritchett]] when she was five years old. She graduated from [[Shades Valley High School]], then earned a bachelor of fine arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a master of fine arts from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. For much of her career she has worked out of a studio near the [[Alabama Theater]] that was later renovated as the [[Hill Event Center]].


In addition to the Jeff Bailey Gallery, Pleasant has held solo exhibitions at the [[Birmingham Museum of Art]], The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center ([[Atlanta, GA]]), the Tandem Gallery ([[Birmingham, AL]]), [[Rhodes College]], The Ruby Green Center for Contemporary Art ([[Nashville, TN]]), and the [[University of Alabama, Birmingham]].
In an article in ''Art in America'', Max Henry wrote that her work "chronicles everyday life...full of existential angst and loneliness, her paintings are able to evoke an empathetic response from the viewer."  [[David Moos]], who had a close relationship with Pleasant at the [[Birmingham Museum of Art]], wrote of Pleasant’s work that through "fragments of overlapping narratives" the viewer is allowed to "glimpse the formation of images" and is "made aware of how the painter makes decisions in paint, amending a passage and visibly editing the composite image."


Pleasant has participated in group exhibitions at venues such as the [[Columbus Museum of Art]] ([[Columbus, GA]]), the Wiregrass Museum of Art ([[Dothan, AL]]), the [[National Museum of Women in the Arts]] ([[Washington, DC]]), the [[Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art]] ([[Winston-Salem, NC]]), the [[Art Museum of the University of Memphis]] ([[Memphis, TN]]), the [[Mobile Museum of Art]] ([[Mobile, AL]]), the United States Embassy in [[Prague, Czech Republic]], and the [[Huntsville Museum of Art]] ([[Huntsville, AL]]).
Pleasant has had solo exhibitions at the [[Birmingham Museum of Art]], [[UAB Art Gallery]], [[JoJo Home]] and the [[Tandem Gallery]] in Birmingham; the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center in Georgia; Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennesse; and the Ruby Green Center for Contemporary Art in Nashville, Tennessee.
The recipient of an Individual Artist Grant from the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham and the Alabama State Council on the Arts,<ref>[http://www.arts.state.al.us/news/Mar03awards.htm Alabama State Council on the Arts Fellowship Grant Awards, March 2003]</ref> her work can be found in the collections of the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Columbus Museum of Art, the Wiregrass Museum of Art, and the [[Progressive Corporation]], as well as in many private collections.


Pleasant's work, which has become a darling of the corporate scene due to its lack of controversy, continues to thrives across the country. After working with David Moos, whose wife is prominent artist, Julie Moos, Pleasant's work reached a national audience. These promotional efforts of her child-like work have found a popular audience. Often lacking in depth, or technical skill, they have a mass appeal among children and novice art collectors. They are a hybrid of the folk and trained artist.
In addition, her work has been included in group exhibitions at the Huntsville Museum of Art in Huntsville; the Wiregrass Museum of Art in Dothan; the Mobile Museum of Art in Mobile; the Columbus Museum of Art in Columbus, Georgia; the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Art Museum of the University of Memphis, Tennessee; the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C.; and the U.S. Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic.
 
She has been awarded an Individual Artist Grant from the [[Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham]] and the [[Alabama State Council on the Arts]]. her work can be found in the collections of the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Columbus Museum of Art, the Wiregrass Museum of Art, and the [[Progressive Corporation]], as well as in many private collections. In [[2015]] she received Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Award and the Mary Hambidge Distinguished Artist Award. In [[2018]] Pleasant was presented with the "South Arts Prize" for Alabama, and also awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship.
 
Pleasant currently works from a home studio in [[Avondale]]. She has a daughter, Cameron, and a son, Ellis.
 
==References==
* "[http://www.arts.state.al.us/news/Mar03awards.htm Fellowship Grant Awards]" (March 2003) Alabama State Council on the Arts
* Henry, Max (December 2004) "[http://www.amypleasant.com/Images/Art%20In%20America%20.jpg Amy Pleasant at Jeff Bailey Gallery]" ''Art in America''
* Moos, David (n. d.) "Contemporary American Art". US Embassy, Prague, Czech Republic
* Harvey, Alec (October 16, 2011) "Birmingham artist Amy Pleasant opens show at New York's Jeff Bailey Gallery." {{BN}}
* Edgemon, Erin (April 19, 2018) "Birmingham artist receives coveted Guggenheim Fellowship." {{BN}}
 
==External links==
* [http://www.baileygallery.com/artists_02.cfm?fid=107 Amy Pleasant] at Jeff Bailey Gallery website
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pleasant, Amy}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Shades Valley graduates]]
[[Category:Artists]]
[[Category:Artists in the BMA]]

Latest revision as of 16:43, 19 April 2018

Amy Pleasant (born 1972) is a Birmingham-based artist known for her figurative, free associative paintings and drawings that explore simple, daily acts in slowly unfolding narratives.

Pleasant got an early start as an artist, exhibiting work in a show arranged by Thelma Pritchett when she was five years old. She graduated from Shades Valley High School, then earned a bachelor of fine arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a master of fine arts from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. For much of her career she has worked out of a studio near the Alabama Theater that was later renovated as the Hill Event Center.

In an article in Art in America, Max Henry wrote that her work "chronicles everyday life...full of existential angst and loneliness, her paintings are able to evoke an empathetic response from the viewer." David Moos, who had a close relationship with Pleasant at the Birmingham Museum of Art, wrote of Pleasant’s work that through "fragments of overlapping narratives" the viewer is allowed to "glimpse the formation of images" and is "made aware of how the painter makes decisions in paint, amending a passage and visibly editing the composite image."

Pleasant has had solo exhibitions at the Birmingham Museum of Art, UAB Art Gallery, JoJo Home and the Tandem Gallery in Birmingham; the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center in Georgia; Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennesse; and the Ruby Green Center for Contemporary Art in Nashville, Tennessee.

In addition, her work has been included in group exhibitions at the Huntsville Museum of Art in Huntsville; the Wiregrass Museum of Art in Dothan; the Mobile Museum of Art in Mobile; the Columbus Museum of Art in Columbus, Georgia; the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Art Museum of the University of Memphis, Tennessee; the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C.; and the U.S. Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic.

She has been awarded an Individual Artist Grant from the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. her work can be found in the collections of the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Columbus Museum of Art, the Wiregrass Museum of Art, and the Progressive Corporation, as well as in many private collections. In 2015 she received Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Award and the Mary Hambidge Distinguished Artist Award. In 2018 Pleasant was presented with the "South Arts Prize" for Alabama, and also awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship.

Pleasant currently works from a home studio in Avondale. She has a daughter, Cameron, and a son, Ellis.

References

External links

Retrieved from "http://bhamwiki.com/w/index.php?title=Amy_Pleasant&oldid=147144"