Lisbeth Firmin

Subway Stop, Canal Street
monotype
18 x 18"
Blue Sedan, Havana
monotype
18 x 18"
Cathedral Steps, Havana
monotype
18 x 18"
Jogging Down Houston Street
monotype
18 x 18"
Grand Street I
monotype
18 x 18"
Power Walking, Varick Street
monotype
18 x 18"
Man in the Orange Shirt
monotype
18 x 18"
Old Man, Varick Street
monotype
18 x 18"
Old Jalopy, Havana
monotype
18 x 18"
Walking the Dog, Sixth Avenue
monotype
18 x 18"
Young Man, Chinatown
monotype
18 x 18"
Lisbeth Firmin

Lisbeth Firmin
 
Lisbeth Firmin
Lisbeth Firmin

Lisbeth Firmin
 
Lisbeth Firmin
Lisbeth Firmin

Lisbeth Firmin
 
Lisbeth Firmin
Lisbeth Firmin

Lisbeth Firmin
   
price range | $1,150 to $1,400


artist's statement
I am a contemporary American realist whose imagery explores the relationship between people and their environment. I have absorbed and sought to extend the themes of earlier realists such as John Sloan and Edward Hopper; depicting modern life while exploring timeless themes of solitude and isolation. I am not interested in producing a literal translation of my environment but instead seek a balance between the subject and the pictorial structure that holds it together, boldly riding the line between abstraction and realism. I concentrate on translating my visceral reaction to my subject matter into the work, in hopes of setting up a corresponding emotional response in the viewer.

My technique has been developed on my own over decades. It involves energetic application of blocks of color to produce an abstract interplay of shapes that fall into place when viewed from a distance. My paintings and prints are evolving from genre street scenes into work that concentrates more on interpenetrating the light and shadow that describe the human form in a specific moment.

The monoprints combine traditional landscape drawing and painting with expressive modern imagery. These prints are inspired by the energy of the city and the sometimes alienated places that people occupy in it. Included with the New York City pieces are several monoprints produced after a trip to Havana. I seek the fertile, messy ground of monoprints because this medium frees me to ride that line between abstraction and realism and suits my propensity for ‘the bold stroke’.

It has been my good fortune to be awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Printmaking, for 2007. Several of the pieces in this exhibit were submitted for consideration in this highly competitive competition. I am grateful for the continued support and enthusiam that the Bachelier Cardonsky Gallery has shown for my prints through the years and it is a thrill and honor to be able to show this body of work here in Kent, CT this year.

 


 


 

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Lisbeth Firmin

education
1965 Heron Art Institute, Indianapolis, IN (high-school scholarship)
1966–67 Chouinards Art Institute, Los Angeles, CA (high-school scholarship)
1968–69 University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
1969–70 High Museum School, Atlanta, GA
1971 Provincetown Workshop, MA
1974–79 Painting Workshop, Philip Malicoat, Provincetown, MA
1975–76 • Printmaking Workshop, Seong Moy, Provincetown, MA
1990-93 Monoprint Workshop, Janice Loeb, Parsons School, NYC

solo exhibitions
2006 • Volcano Editions, Oneonta, NY, “Paintin’ the ‘Hood”
• Rice-Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA, “New Urban Landscapes”
2005 • Ballard Fetherston Gallery, Seattle, WA, “Streetlife, Havana”
• Windham Fine Arts, Windham, NY, “People, Places & Things”
• Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “Urban Landscapes, New Paintings”
2004 • Bachelier/Cardonsky Gallery, Kent, CT, “Recent Monotypes”
• Rice-Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA, “Havana, Paintings & Prints”
2003 • Main Street Gallery, Bovina Center, NY “Recent Paintings and Monotypes”
• Bright Hill Press, Treadwell, NY, “Duality”
• Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “Street Life”
2002 • Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY, “Monoprints”
• Rice/Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA, “Recent Paintings”
2001 • van de Griff/Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “New Paintings”
• Michael Ingbar Gallery, NYC, “Urban Passageways, Paintings & Prints”
2000 • Rice/Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA, “Recent Paintings”
1999 • Institute of Culture, Lima, Peru, “Urban Images”
• Rice/Polak Gallery, Provincetown, MA, “Recent Paintings”
• Michael Ingbar Gallery, NYC, “Recent Paintings”
1998 • Marin-Price Gallery, Chevy Chase, MD, “New York, NY”
1997 • Atelier A/E, NYC, “Quintessence”
1987 • Marie Pelliconi Gallery, NYC, “Landscapes, More Landscapes”
1978 • Marie Pelliconi Gallery, NYC, “Souvenir Collages”
                 
group exhibitions
2007 • Bachelier Cardonsky Gallery, Kent, CT, “Connect/Disconnect
• Roberson Museum and Science Center, Binghamton, NY, “Susquehanna Regional”
2006 • Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown, NY, Otsego County Arts Festival
• Gallery North, Setauket, NY, “Street Scenes”
• Windham Fine Arts, Windham, NY, “Town & Country”
• Bright Hill Press, Treadwell, NY, “Getting From There to There”
• Windham Fine Arts, Windham, NY, “Paint the Mountaintop”
• Michael Ingbar Gallery, NYC, “It’s About Real Estate”
•Windham Fine Arts, Windham, NY, “Figure & Form”
2005 • Bachelier/Cardonsky Gallery, Kent, CT, “Doorways”
2004 • Castle Hill, Truro Center for the Arts, Truro, MA, “Painting Show”
• Maryland•Federation of Art, Baltimore, MD, “Go Figure Exhibition”,
• Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Il, “Exhibition of American Art”.
2003 • Hofstra Museum, Hempstead, NY, “A Celebration: The Hofstra Museum at 40/Works on Paper”,
• Bachelier/Cardonsky Gallery, Kent, CT, “Their Portraits and Their Works”
• Chatauqua Center for the Visual Arts, Chatauqua, NY, “46th Chatauqua National Exhibition of American Art”
2002 • Fleming Museum, Burlington, Vermont, “VSC/2001”
• DFN Gallery, NYC, NY, “Tribeca Works on Paper Show”
• Bachelier/Cardonsky Gallery, Kent, CT, “Group Show, Gallery Artists”
• Majsternia Gallery, Kiev, Ukraine, “Printmakers From America”
• Galeria Biura Wystaw Artystycznych, Sandomierz, Poland, “American Days Festival”
• Erland Gallery, Budapest, Hungary, “American Printmakers”
• Forrest Scott Gallery, Mill Burn, NJ, “The American Landscape”
• van de Griff/Marr Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “Seventh Annual Realism Invitational”
2001 • New York Historical Society, NYC, “Recent Acquisitions”
• Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT, “Recent Acquisitions”
• Bachelier/Cardonsky Gallery, Kent, CT, “Urban Imagery”
• Liz-Ann Tops Gallery, Easthampton,NY , “Urban Landscape Show”
• Russel-Coates Museum, Bournemouth, England, “Manhattan Graphics Printmakers Show”
2000 • Schoolhouse Center for the Arts, Provincetown, MA, “Artists in Refuge - Five Years at C-Scape Dune Shack”
• van de Griff Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “Seventh Annual Realism Invitational”
• Michael Ingbar Gallery, NYC, “Artists Revisit the Chrysler Building”
• Silvermine Guild Arts Center, New Canaan, CT, “23rd National Print Biennial 2000”
• Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, MA, “2000 National Competition”
• Washington Square East Galleries, New York University, “23rd Small Works Show”
1999 • Alder Gallery, Coburg, OR, “La Petite VII”
• Gallery North, Setauket, Long Island, “Local Color”
• “Art Santa Fe, 1999”, Santa Fe, MN, represented by van de Griff Gallery
• van de Griff Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “Sixth Annual Realism Invitational”
• Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY, “New for the Ninties II”, curator, Nina Del Rio, Director, Prints, Sotheby’s • Cameo Appearances, NYC, “New Jersey”
1998 • van de Griff Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “Fifth Annual Realism Invitational”
•“International Art Expo/1998”, represented by Atelier A/E, NYC, NY
• Atelier A/E, NYC, NY, “Our Essential Images, Portraits by Atelier Artists”
• Micheal Ingbar Gallery, NYC, NY, “NYC Centennial Show”
• Northwest Watercolor Society, Seattle, WA, “58th Annual Exhibition”
• National Academy, New York, NY, “173rd Annual Exhibition”
• Washington Square East Galleries, New York University, “21st Small Works Show”
1997 • State Street Gallery, Sarasota, FL, “Christmas Show”
• van de Griff Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, “Windows”
• Cameo Appearances, NYC, “New York, New York”
• “Works on Paper Show,” represented by Atelier A/E, NYC, NY
• New York Transit Museum & Michael Ingbar Gallery, NYC, (concurrent), “Subway Show”
• Barrett House Galleries, Poughkeepsie, NY “Printwork 97”
• Northwest Watercolor Society, Seattle, WA, “57th Open Exhibition”
• Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD, “Art on Paper”
1996 • Cannondale Gallery, Wilton, CT, “First Anniversary Show”
• Gallery North, Setauket, NY, “By a Clearer Light: Views of Long Island”
• Provincetown Art Association, MA, “Exhibition of Competition Finalists”
• New England Watercolor Society, Boston, MA, “North American Open Watercolor Show”
• Michael Ingbar Gallery, NYC, “102 Stories: 24 Artists - Empire State Building Show”,
• Silvermine Gallery, New Canann, CT, “19th National Print Biennial 1996”
• Perry House Galleries, Old Town Alexandria, VA, “Four Visions”
• Silvermine Guild, New Canaan, CT, “46th Annual Competition, Art of the Northeast”
1995 • Cannondale Gallery, Wilton, CT, “Inaugural Group Show”
• Gallery North, Setauket, NY, “Local Color”
• Gallery North, Setauket, NY, “Bridge & Tunnel Show”
• Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO, “Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition 1995”
• Perry House, Old Town Alexandria, VA, Winter Show, “The Reach of Realism”
1994 • Salmagundi Club, NYC “Annual Invitational Show” of American Artists Professional League • Hampton Square Gallery, Westhampton, NY, “Recent Monotypes”
1993 • Parsons Print Studio, NYC, “Coney Island Dogs”, Monoprints
• Berta Walker Gallery, Provincetown, MA, “Roadscapes”
1992 • Palladium, NYC, “The Last Slide Show,” Red Spot Memorial
1990 • BACA Downtown, Brooklyn, NYC, “Small Works Show”
• Mary Lou’s, NYC, “Recent Paintings”
1988 • Cedar Tavern, NYC, “Cedar Tavern Show”
1985 • Hudson Street Press, NYC, “Last Supper portfolio,” 12 artists, hand-pulled lithography
1984 • A.I.R. Gallery, NYC, “Annual Christmas Invitational Show”
1984/88 • Red Spot Outdoor Slide Theater (eight shows), Soho, NYC
1979 • Provincetown Art Association, MA, “Hot Young Property Show”
2000 • East End Gallery, Provincetown, MA, Group Show
1978 • Avalon Sun Gallery, Provincetown, MA, Group Show
1977 • Galeria Piterre, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1976 • Museo del Bella Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1975 • National Arts Club, “Pastel Society Juried Show”
1975/76 • Galeria Guarguao, San Juan, Puerto Rico (3 shows)
1971 • Paul Kessler Gallery, Provincetown, MA

bibliography
CATSKILL MOUNTAIN GUIDE, Lisbeth Firmin, New Paintings, November, 2006
BOSTON GLOBE, The Cape’s Visual Landscape, August 17th, 2006
BOSTON GLOBE, Summer Destinations, Greater Arts and Minds, May 21, 2006
ART & ANTIQUES, Painting the Town, September, 2005
Hudson Street Press, Art of Our Town, calendar, 2006
JOURNAL OF THE PRINT WORLD, spring, 2004,“Website Gallery Opens: www.Atelier AE.com”
Bright Hill Press Yearbook, “Duality, Poems & Paintings”, 2003
Catskill Mountain Region Guide, “Artist Feature Section, Painters”, December, 2003
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, “Oils Shed Light on New Mexico, New York”, April 20, 2003
JOURNAL OF THE PRINT WORD, 8th Annual Artists’ Showcase Review, winter, 2002
SEVEN DAYS, Burlington, VT, Print Run, July 24, 2002
NEW YORK TIMES, NYC, Frozen in the Amber of the City, January 26, 2001
PROVINCETOWN MAGAZINE, Provincetown, MA, Lisbeth Firmin, Working the Shadows, August 3, 2000
THE REGISTAR GUARD, Eugene, OR, Miniature Art Hits the Big Time, November 14, 1999
A CREATIVE LIFE, The Young Person’s Guide, by Linda Leuzzi, Grolier Publishing, 1999
PROVINCETOWN BANNER, Provincetown, MA, Artists Drawn to the Dune”, July 1, 1999
NEW RENAISSANCE JOURNAL, Mainz, Germany, The Art of Lisbeth Firmin, January, 1999
ART OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, by Robert Heide & John Gilman, publication date, fall, 1999, Harry Abrams-publisher
THE ADVOCATE, Provincetown, MA, Artists Selected for C-Scape Dune Shack Program, April 29, 1999
SARASOTA ARTS & LIVING, Sarasota, FL, City, Land and Seascapes at State Street Gallery, May 7, 1998
SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE, Sarasota, FL, Painter depicts intrigue of the untold story, May 15, 1998
TIME OUT, NYC, NY, You gotta have art, July 2, 1998
THE VILLAGER, NYC, NY, Review of Atelier A/E and Their Artists in Chelsea, Sept., 1997 make, (London-based art publication), Spring 1997
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, NY, Artworks, Jan. 1997
THE WILTON VILLAGER, review of Cannondale’s first anniversary show, Nov. 1996
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE PACKET, Alexandria, VA, Four Visions of Modern Life, Oct. 1996
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE PACKET, Alexandria, VA, Reach of Realism Show, Nov. 1995
THE NEW YORK TIMES, NYC, NY, Urban Themes Are a Source For Imagery in Two Shows, Feb. 1995
AMERICAN ARTIST, Wayne Thiebaud Selects, by Steve Doherty, Oct.1994
ARTSPEAK, Moods and Presences in East Village Area, May, 1987
ARTS, Review of one-person show at 47 Bond Street, by Gordon Brown, March, 1978

public, corporate & private collections
Tides Institute, Eastport, ME
Fleming Museum, Burlington, VT • New York Historical Society, NYC • Hofstra University, Long Island, NY • University of Texas, Blanton Museum of Art • Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS • Zweig Glazer • Odyssey America Reinsurance Group, CT
Beacon Group • Drake Hotel, NYC • I/B/E/S, NYC • Barclay Investments, NYC • Bankers Trust, NYC • Sony Theaters, NYC • Pfizer, NYC • Ardsley Partners, NYC • Joyce Mertz-Gilmore Foundation, NYC • The Jordan Company, NYC • Select Media, NYC • Rehabilitation Insurance Company, NYC • W. B. Doner & Co. Advertising, Baltimore, MD • Savoir Faire, Sausalito, CA • Reliance National Insurance, NYC • Mikasa, Japan • Zurich Insurance; New York, Bermuda, Hong Kong, London, Zurich • Davies & Firmin, San Diego • Cablevision, Long Island, NY • Fidelity Investments, Boston, MA • Dr. George Milne, President, Pfizer Research Division • Roz Chast, Ridgefield, CT • Philip Glass, NYC • Dr. Betty Edwards, Santa Monica, CA • Dr. Alan Egge, McLean, VA • Night Shayamalan, Philadelphia, PA • Robert Rothchild, Matawan, NJ • Anne Farrell, Associate Director, Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA • Performance Equity Management • Aptuit Pharmaceuticals • Terex Corporation

awards
2007 • New York State Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, printmaking
2006 • Community Arts Funding Grant, New York State Council on the Arts
2004 • Saltonstall Arts Colony, Ithaca, NY, fellowship
• Vermont Studio Center, guest artist/printmaking; March, 2004
2003 • Vermont Studio Center, guest artist/printmaking; October, 2003
• Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts, CCVA Award, 46th National Exhibition of American Art, Chautauqua , NY
2002 • Vermont Studio Center, guest artist/printmaking; October, 2002
2001 • New York Print Club, Emerging Artist Award, National Arts Club
• Vermont Studio Center, guest artist/printmaking; October, 2001
2000 • MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, NH, Fellowship
• Organization of Independent Artists, awarded an exhibition: ‘Critic’s Choice’/Juror; Claudia Stone, Allan Stone Gallery
• Manhattan Arts International, Award of Excellence, Urban Visions Competition
1999/00 • Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant
• C-Scape Dune Shack Artist Residency, National Seashore, Provincetown, MA., July/1999
• N.A.W.A., NYC, “Connie Q. Heller Award, 110th Annual Exhibition”
• Vermont Studio Center, Full Fellowship Award, April/1999
1997 • Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS, “Great Plains National” Purchase Award
1996 • Bellport Art Gallery, Bellport, NY, “First Annual Juried Show” prize winner
1995 • La Jolla Art Competition, La Jolla, CA, “Art Prospect 1995” prize winner
1994 • Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery, San Francisco, CA, “LANA International Art Competition Show” First-Prize .


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