Virginia Maitland
Artist Statement
“I have been painting since I was 12. I always thought of myself as an artist and have never wavered from the life of a full-time painter. I attended The Pennsylvania Academy of The Fine Arts from 1964 – 1969. In my first 2 years I immersed myself in learning to draw and paint in the traditional academic style that PAFA was known for. Very early, I gravitated toward the painting currents of post-WWII America – surrealism, pop art, abstract expressionism – and abstract and sublime artists such as Kandinsky, Turner, Gorky and Matta. I began to wander away from a realistic representation of pictorial space into more fantastical spaces animated by imaginary objects. Francis Bacon’s spaces were very attractive to me then, as well as Kandinsky’s dancing geometric forms (circles, rectangles, curves). In the 1970’s, I experimented with multiple hard-edged forms and spaces playfully juxtaposed on top of each other, often with window-like openings drawing the eye into multiple spaces beyond the picture plane. Even in my most abstract-expression-like paintings, in the 70s and 80s, there was always a sense of space (or spaces) in dialogue with the painted, often stained, poured, splattered surface, and with a sense of power and movement of the forms. Much of my recent work has been influenced by the natural landscape. Like all of my work since the 1970’s, color and delicate texture remain primary, but there is also an abstract sense of flow, movement and natural form that evoke an experience of a sublime imaginary world.”
– Virginia Maitland
Artist Bio
Virginia Maitland has been painting for over 40 years. The irresistible impact of brilliant colors as seen through veils of Rothko-like color field paintings are delicate, ethereal and visceral. Maitland’s paintings are the perfect balance between freedom and structure. She attended the distinguished Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where she studied paintings in the academic tradition.
“My paintings have always been involved with the beauty of pure paint and the illusion of three-dimensional space. Experience of light and space in nature has been my main influence. My first oil paintings—at age twelve—were landscapes and still lifes.
I graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts where I began with academic training in the tradition of Mary Cassatt and Thomas Eakins. There, under the influence of the ‘60s art school experience, I soon moved toward abstraction, influenced by pop art, abstract expressionism and color field painting.
When I relocated to Boulder in 1970, I was captivated by the light, sky and color of Colorado. Since then I have lived and traveled in many places—England, New York City, Italy, Mexico, Maui, Costa Rica—and all have found their way into my art in one form or another. Thus, it was natural to begin to incorporate into my paintings photographs from my travels. I have been able to combine formal and expressive interests, which play out in purely abstract paintings, with the emotional sense of place that photographs bring to the total image. Currently, I find that both styles nurture each other.”
Selected Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2013
Museum of Outdoor Art—Englewood, CO; “Art Abstracted”
2011
Sandra Phillips Gallery—Denver, CO; “Conversations in Color”
2009
Sandra Phillips Gallery—Denver, CO; “A Mirror of Abstraction: Paintings Across Time”
Sangre de Cristo Art Center—Pueblo, CO; “Journeys Through an Abstract Landscape”
2006
Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS)-Colorado Springs, CO: “Floating Worlds”
The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA)—Boulder, CO; “Risky Spaces”
2004-05
Studio Aiello Gallery—Denver, CO; “Opened Windows: A Four-Decade Retrospective”
2002
The Dairy Center for the Arts—Boulder, CO
1998
Harmony Park Gallery, Fort Collins, CO
1997
Collage Children’s Museum—Boulder, CO; “Family Portrait Project III”(Collaboration with Jack Collom and Safehouse families)
1996-9, 2000-02
Open Studios, Boulder CO
1995
The Boulder Public Library Exhibition Space—Boulder, CO; “Shifts in Body, Mind and Spirit”
The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art—Boulder, CO; “The Family Portrait”
The Boulder Public Library Exhibition Space—Boulder, CO; “The Family Portrait”
1992
Alpha Gallery—Denver, CO
1989
Alpha Gallery—Denver, CO
1988
Boulder Center for the Visual Arts—Boulder, CO; “Visions of Tuscany”
Anderson Ranch Art Center—Snowmass Village, CO
1987
Arvada Center for The Arts and Humanities—Arvada, CO
1986
McIntosh Gallery—Atlanta, GA
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts—Peale House Galleries, Philadelphia, PA
1985
The Wright Gallery—Dallas, TX
Inkfish Gallery—Denver, CO
1984
Elaine Horwitch Gallery—Santa Fe, NM
1983
Sebastian-Moore Gallery—Denver, CO; “KVOD Symphony Marathon Show”
1982
Elaine Horwitch Gallery—Scottsdale, AZ
1981
Ludlow-Hyland Gallery—New York, NY
Todd Gallery—Phoenix, AZ
1980
Sebastian-Moore Gallery—Denver, CO
Women’s Bank—119 East 57th Street, New York, NY
Sharks Lithography—Boulder, CO
1978
Sebastian-Moore Gallery—Denver, CO
1977
Joseph Magnin Gallery—Denver, CO
1975
Attitudes Gallery—Denver, CO
1974
Sun Sign Gallery—Boulder, CO
1971
Egress Gallery—Boulder, CO
1969
University of Pennsylvania—Philadelphia, PA Y.M.H.A. Gallery—Philadelphia, PA
Group Exhibitions
2018
Space Gallery, Denver CO
2016
Center for Visual Art— Metropolitan State University of Denver, CO; “Colorado Women in Abstraction” (July – Oct)
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities—Arvada, CO; “Looking Back / Moving Forward, A 40th Anniversary Exhibition” (Sept – Nov)
Dairy Arts Center—Boulder, CO; “A History of the Visual Arts in Boulder” (Sept – Nov)
2014
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts —Philadelphia, PA; “Something Clicked in Philly: David Lynch and his Contemporaries”
Redline—Denver, CO; “Transit of Venus: Four Decades, Front Range Women in the Visual Arts”
Sandra Phillips Gallery—Denver, CO; “Movers & Shapers”
Edge Gallery—Denver, CO; “Directions in Abstraction”
2013
Sandra Phillips Gallery—Denver, CO; “Cloth ” (Jun – Jul)
Republic Plaza—Denver, CO; “Total Abstraction”
Sandra Phillips Gallery—Denver, CO; “New Beginnings” (Jan – Feb)
2009-2010
Sandra Phillips Gallery—Denver, CO; “Small Works” (Dec-Jan)
2009
Sangre de Cristo Art Center—Pueblo, CO; “Colorado Moderns”
Center for Visual Arts-Denver, CO; “Colorado Abstract; Paintings and Sculpture” (January-March)
Sandra Phillips Gallery—Denver, CO; “The Book Show” (January-March)
2008
Sandra Phillips Gallery—Denver, CO; “Abstraction” (May – June 2008)
2007
Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art—Denver, CO; “Driven to Abstraction: 1880 to 2007” (Dec 2007 – May 2008)
2006
Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art—Denver, CO; “60 Years of Colorado Modernism” (Sept 2006 – Feb 2007)
2005
Studio Aiello– Denver, CO; “Coming Together” (February– March)
Emmanuel Gallery – 5 Prominent DEnver Galleries featuring 5 Works of Art (June – July 2005)
2000
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art—Boulder, CO; “Front Range Women in the Visual Arts: Elbows and Tea Leaves” June 9—August 28,
1999
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities—Arvada, CO; “Colorado Abstraction”
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities—Arvada, CO; “Summer Vacations: On the Road with Artist”
1998
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities—Arvada, CO; “20/20 Vision”
1995
The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art—Boulder, CO; “Pure Painting”
1994
Boulder Public Library—”15th Anniversary Exhibit of The Boulder Arts Commission Grant Recipients”
1993
CU Art Galleries—Boulder, CO; “Boulder Flow”
Alpha Gallery—Denver, CO; Pastels
1992
The McIntosh Gallery—Atlanta, GA; “Three Person Show”—Monoprints
Alpha Gallery—Denver, CO; “Monoprints”
1991
One West Contemporary Art Center—Fort Collins, CO; “Large Painting”
Alpha Gallery—“Tenth Anniversary”—Denver, CO
1990
Gensler and Associates/Architects—Denver, CO; “Contemporary Color”
1988-89
The National Museum of Women in the Arts—Washington, D.C.; “Significant Colorado Women Artists of the 20th Century”
“Traveling Exhibition” of this show to:
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities—Arvada, CO
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center—Colorado Springs, CO
Sangre de Cristo Fine Arts Center—Pueblo, CO
1988
Boulder Center for the Visual Arts—Boulder, CO; “Sharks Incorporated”—Selected Prints
Boulder Sister City Exhibit—Duschanbe, Russia
1987
Alpha Gallery—Pastels—Denver, CO
1986
Inkfish Gallery—Denver, CO; “Mono Types”
Wright Gallery—Dallas, TX; “Three Person Show”
Inkfish Gallery—Denver, CO; “Gallery Artist Group Show”
Boulder Center for the Visual Arts—Boulder, CO; “Award Exhibition—Tenth Anniversary”
1985
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center—Colorado Springs, CO; “Strokes: Abstraction in an Age of Pluralism”
Wright State University—Dayton, OH; “Bud Shark, Ltd. Contemporary Prints”
1984
Sebastian-Moore Gallery—Denver, CO; “Collectors Show”
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities—Arvada, CO; “A Colorado Painting Show”
Spark Gallery—Denver, CO; “Hells Angels”—13 Contemporary Women
Boulder Center for the Visual Arts—“A Decade of Women’s Arts”
University of Colorado Memorial Art Gallery—Boulder, CO; “Front Range Women: 10 Years”
1983
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center—Colorado Springs, CO; “Colorado 83”
Colorado Graphic Arts Center—Denver, CO; “Invitational Print Show”
Horizons Gallery—Ft. Collins, CO
1982
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs—Colorado Springs, CO; “Colorado a State of the Arts”
Denver Art Museum—Denver, CO; “Shark’s Lithography”
Elaine Horwitch Gallery—Scottsdale, AZ
The Plains Museum—Sander’s Collection—Moorehead, MN
Sebastian-Moore Gallery—Denver, CO
1981
Sebastian-Moore Gallery—Denver, CO
Arapahoe Community College Gallery of Art—Denver, CO; “Front Range: Women in the Visual Arts, Traveling Exhibition”
The Plains Museum—Moorehead, MN
ARC Gallery—Chicago, IL
Sebastian-Moore Gallery—Denver, CO
1980-81
Hartford School of Art, University of Hartford—“The Contemporary Print Workshop”
1980
Shark’s Lithography—Boulder, CO; “Gallery Artists”
American Standard—New York, NY
Blue Door II Gallery—Denver, CO
Ashawagh Hall—The Springs, East Hampton, NY; “Ludlow-Hyland Gallery Artists”
Boulder Center for the Visual Arts—Boulder, CO; “Arts: 80” Juried Show
Washington Women’s Art Center—Washington, D.C.
Sebastian-Moore Gallery—Denver, CO; “Gallery Artists”
1979
Marion Locks Gallery—Philadelphia, PA; “Looking Forward”
Allan Stone Gallery—New York, NY; “Talent”
100 Artists—New York, NY; “Windows on 54th Street”
Arvada Center for the Arts—Arvada,CO; “Juried Show for Colorado Women in the Arts Month”
Utah State University—Ogden, UT; “Front Range Women in the Visual Arts”
1978
Women’s Bank Denver—Denver, CO; “Women’s Bank Opening”
Boulder Art Center—Boulder, CO; “Portrait of the Woman as a Young Artist”
Boulder Art Center—Boulder, CO; Group Invitational Show
Denver Art Museum—Denver, CO; Fifth Colorado Annual—Invitational
1977
Boulder Art Center—Boulder, CO; “Boulder Art 77”—Juried Show
October, 1977 Carson and Levine—Studio Show—Denver, CO
Womenspace—Boulder, CO; “Front Range Women in the Visual Arts”
1976
Boulder Art Center—Boulder, CO; “Boulder Festival of the Arts”
1975
Colorado Women’s College—Boulder, CO; “Front Range Women in the Visual Arts”
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs—Colorado Springs, CO; “Front Range Women in the Visual Arts”
University of Colorado—Boulder, CO; “Front Range Women in the Visual Arts”
1974
Denver Art Museum—Denver, CO; All Colorado Show
Boulder Art Center—Boulder, CO; First Boulder Annual—Invitational
Boulder Fine Arts Center—Boulder, CO; Instructor’s Show
1973
Denver Art Museum—Denver, CO; Denver Metropolitan Regional Show
1972
Jewish Community Center—Denver, CO; Regional Show
1968-69
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts—Philadelphia, PA; Annual Show
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts—Philadelphia, PA; Fellowship Show
Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts—Wilmington, DE; Regional Show
reviews
2011
Westword Summer’s End — Michael Paglia, September 1
2009
The Denver Post — Kyle MacMillan
2006
Independent (Colorado Springs, CO) —”Feeling the Flow”–Kerry A. Bennett, Sept 28 – Oct 4
The Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO) —”Channeling Inspiration”– Mark Arnest, September 22
2005
Westword– Michael Paglia, January
2004
Rocky Mountain News– Mary Chandler, December 24
The Denver Post— Kyle McMillan, December 17
1999
Independent (Colorado Springs, CO)—John Hazlehurst Westword—Michael Paglia
1998
Reporter Herald. Art Scene (Ft. Collins, CO)—Review: Phyllis Walbye
1997
The Boulder Planet—“Drawing Families Together”; Jennifer Heath
1996
American Dreams—Paul Clee/Violeta Radu-Clee; Cover Artist
1995
Westword—“Pigments of the Imagination”; Michael Paglia; September 24
Sunday Camera—“Art in the Abstract”; Niki Hayden; July 30
Spacious Body—Jeffrey Maitland; Cover Artist
1994
The Christian Science Monitor—“Art Now”; Marilynne Mason; April 28
The Denver Post—“Family Portraits”; Leslie Petrovski
1992
Reflecting on Art—John Andrew Fisher; Cover Artist; November
1990
Vitality Digest—Cover & Feature Article; February
1989
Rocky Mountain News—Jennifer Heath; November 10
Muse (Colorado Journal of Arts)—“Artist Profile”; February—March
1988—89
Significant Colorado Women Artist Catalogue—Traveling Exhibition
1988
Sunday Camera—Reed Glenn; September 18
Colorado Daily—Dianne Zuckerman; September 22
Rocky Mountain News—Jennifer Heath; September 18
1987
Sunday Camera—Feature Article—Reed Glenn; November 1
The Denver Post—Irene Rawlings; October 2
1985
Artspace—Feature Article—Jane Fudge; Spring
Artspace—Colorado Letter—Jane Fudge; Summer
The Denver Post—Lively Arts—Feature Article—Max Price; September
The Sunday Camera—Feature Article—Reed Glenn; September 8
Longmont Times—Call—Leisure Time Magazine—Jennifer Heath; September 12
1984
The Sunday Camera—March 4
The Denver Post—March 3
The Sunday Camera—February 19
Rocky Mountain News—February 24
Art Review—Boulder Center for the Visual Arts; April
Colorado Daily—Means and Media; March 9—10
Westword—March 6
Audience Magazine—March 1
1983
The Denver Post—Feature Article; February
Rocky Mountain News—Feature Article; February
1982
Boulder Daily Camera—Feature Article; February
1981
Colorado Daily—Review; Spring
1980
Artspace—Feature Article; Summer
The Denver Post—September and November
The New York Times Supplement—September
Boulder Daily Camera—September
Artspace—Feature Article; Summer
Straight Creek Journal—July
Spree—May
Boulder Daily Camera—April
Rocky Mountain News—May
The Denver Post—April
1979
Artspace—Summer
Colorado Women in the Arts Catalogue—May
1978 Boulder Daily Camera—October
Colorado Daily—October
1977 Rocky Mountain News—April
October, 1978; October
Town and Country Review—August and March
1975 Rocky Mountain News—May
