Jeff Wenzel
Artist Bio
Born in Denver in 1959, Wenzel lived in Colorado, California and Alaska as a youth, then returned to California for his postgraduate education. At the University of California at Berkeley, he pursued sculpture and painting, studying and working as a teaching assistant with the renowned abstract expressionist sculptor, Peter Voulkos. He also studied drawing and painting with Elmer Bischoff and Joan Brown, both expressionist painters identified with the Bay Area figurative movement. In 1981, Wenzel earned a Master of Arts degree and two years later a Master of Fine Arts degree from UC Berkeley. He went on to teach pottery and ceramic sculpture at various arts institutions in the bay area. Upon returning to Denver in 1988, in addition to his work in clay, Wenzel began working in large-scale paintings using mixed materials on paper and wood. His work is exhibited and collected nationally.
Selected Exhibitions
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2014 Goodwin Fine Art, Denver, CO
2011 Finding Abstraction, Gallery 1261, Denver, CO
2009 T / Judish Arts, Denver, CO
The Other Side Arts, Denver, CO
2007 Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
The Other Side Arts, Denver, CO
2005 Sandy Carson Gallery, Denver, CO
2003 Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
William Havu Gallery, Denver, CO
Gallery Camino Real, Boca Raton, FL
2001 Ron Judish Fine Arts, Denver, CO
1996 Mackey Gallery, Denver, CO
1994 Mackey Gallery, Denver, CO
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2016 “Art of the State 2”,Curated by Gwen Chanit – Curator at Denver Art Museum, Arvada
Center for the Arts and Humanities, Denver, CO
2013 “Art of the State 1”, Curated by Dean Sobel, Director, Clyfford Still Museum, Arvada
Center for the Arts and Humanities, Denver, CO
“Total Abstraction”, Republic Plaza, Denver, CO
“Write, I See: Ekphrastic Response”, Carson Gallery, Denver, CO
2012 “Colorado Abstract Expressionism”, Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, Denver,
CO
“Extremes: Faculty Sculptors of the League”, Art Students League of Denver, Denver, CO
“14 Collaborations”, Art Students League of Denver, Denver, CO
“Creative Capitol”, Colorado State Capitol Building, Denver, CO
2009 “Colorado Abstract: Paintings and Sculpture”, Center for Visual Arts, Denver, CO
2008 “All Inclusive”, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
2007 “Colorado Masters”, Sandy Carson Gallery, Denver, CO
2005 Linda Steinberg Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
“Mixed Media Invitational”, Art Students League of Denver, CO
2004 “43rd Annual Invitational”, Longview Museum of Fine Arts, Longview, TX
Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
Sandy Carson Gallery, Denver, CO
2002 Seraphin Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
2000 “Volume”, Ron Judish Fine Arts, Denver, CO
1999 “Colorado Abstraction: 1975-1999”, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada,
CO
1999 “Gallery Artists”, Ron Judish Fine Arts, Denver, CO
1998 “CO=Excellence ‘98”, Traveling Exhibition
1996 “Reinventing The Abstract”, Mackey Gallery, Denver, CO
1995 “A Gathering of Galleries/A Gathering of Artists”, Arvada Center for the Arts and
Humanities, Arvada, CO
“Jeff Wenzel and Tim Jag”, Lincoln Center Gallery, Fort Collins, CO
1994 “Abstract ‘94”, Mackey Gallery, Denver, CO
1993 “1st Annual Mackey Invitational”, Mackey Gallery, Denver, CO
1992 “What’s Hot on the Denver Arts Scene”, Core New Art Space, Denver, CO
“Southwest Biennial”, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo, CO
1987 “Language of Form/Voice of Material: Contemporary Works in Clay, Wood
and Fiber”, Richmond Arts Center, Richmond, CA
1986 “Bay Currents”, Richmond Arts Center, Richmond, CA
Faculty Show, Studio One, Oakland, CA
1986 Dorothy Weiss Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1985 MFA Exhibition, University Art Museum, Berkeley, CA
1984 “California Clay ’84”, Civic Arts Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA
“Two Sculptors”, Zellerbach Performing Arts Center, Berkeley, CA
1983 San Francisco Arts Festival, San Francisco, CA
Awards
Best Painting Exhibition (Solo)- Westword: “Best of Denver”
Honorable Mention- “The First Mackey Open”
Artist Residency Grant- California Arts Council
Leslie Toki Memmorial Purchase Award
Anne Bremer Prize
Best of Show- “California Clay ’84”
Tevis Jacobs Memorial Award
Publications
“A gorgeous new Jeff Wenzel solo pairs paintings and ceramics” – By Michael Paglia,
Westword, June 12, 2014
“Painted Sky: 106 Artists of the Rocky Mountain West” – By E. Ashley Rooney,
Schiffer Publishing, 2015
“Free Form: Jeff Wenzel” – Luxe Interiors + Design, Volume 8, 2010, pp. 114-115
“Colorado Abstract: Paintings and Sculpture” – By Michael Paglia and Mary Voelz Chandler,
Fresco Fine Art Publications, January, 2009
“Galleries Put Focus on Abstract Artists” – By Kyle MacMillan, The Denver Post, February 12,
2009
“Colorado Artists Star in Shows at Gallery T and Havu” – By Michael Paglia, Westword,
February 04, 2009
“Staying Power” – By Mary Voelz Chandler, Rocky Mountain News, February 12, 2009
“Cut-Ups” – By Michael Paglia, Westword, April 17, 2005
“Wenzel Draws on Strengths” – By Mary Voelz Chandler, Rocky Mountain News,
March 4, 2005
“Form Follows Feeling” – By Michael Paglia, Westword, April 3, 2003
“Wenzel Work Evolves in Spirit” – By Mary Voelz Chandler, Rocky Mountain News,
March 7, 2003
“Redecorating Beauty” – Kate Williamson, Go – Go Magazine, February 1, 2001
“Wenzel's Bold Works Appealing” – By Kyle MacMillan, The Denver Post, February 2, 2001
“Three-Way” – By Michael Paglia, Westword, February 8, 2001
“The Sixth Open Studios Western Competition” – New American Paintings; Volume 36,
– Juror: Terri Sultan, The Open Studios Press, November, 2001
“Real and Imagined; Ceramics struggle for respect in the art world” – By Michael Paglia,
Westword, March 30, 2000
“Time Marches On” – By Michael Paglia, Westword, September 23, 1999
“Artistic Democracy” – By Michael Paglia, Westword, September 3, 1998
“Instant Gratification” – By James L. Lewis, Sol Day News, July 5 – July 11, 1998
“One Stop Shopping” – By Michael Paglia, Westword, June 21, 1995
“Abstract 94” – By Michael Paglia, Colorado Arts, October, 1994
“Thoroughly Modern Makeover” – By Dan Klinglesmith / Photography by
Linda Hanselman, Colorado Homes and Lifestyles Magazine, July / August, 2000, pp. 36 – 43
“Teaching Art to Emotionally Disturbed Adolescents” – KDOL Television, Oakland, CA, 1986
