William Stoehr
Artist Statement
Starting with a vague or elusive expression and an uncertain context, I hope to provoke viewers into visually completing my portraits with their own more complete and ideal mental image and to then create the narrative based on their own experience and feelings.
We are attracted to faces – it is our nature. If I fill the canvas with a big face then there is little room for external leading context. I think that the large size and closely cropped image creates an elevated sense of intimacy. Searching for meaning, viewers may turn inward to create a subjective reality.
If I engage you with eyes then I can also start to do other things peripherally with line and color. I can color outside of the lines and your mind will resolve it. Vague and scribbled outlines and graphic vectors become part of a recognizable whole while a hint of “unreal” complimentary and equal value color causes the eyes to seem life-like. I experiment with the amount and type of information required to evoke an image and to find those characteristics that cause the viewer to emotionally respond to the portrait.
All of my paintings start with a live model and then I work from reference photographs. I have developed a practice of deliberately reacting to less than controlled and/or accidental incidences.
I use a limited pallet of acrylic paint. I vary the coverage, spraying varnish between layers and then scrubbing, scraping, scratching or sanding the surface while applying a variety of marks – strokes, dots and other adjustments. I try not to differentiate between my drawing and painting.
These paintings tend to be layers of fresh starts. I believe I might have a finished face one day but soon I brush, flow or spill paint all over the surface, leaving traces – a template to guide the next iteration.
It seems that whenever I think I have a new idea I find someone who did it, sometimes, centuries ago. I am not interested in imitation. I am interested in continuing their inquiries. I consider myself to be a traditional artist in search of ways to build on the past. In the end I am attempting to facilitate alternative emotional experiences through the use of changing and alternate points of view, engaging gaze, uncertain context, elusive emotion and naturalistic cues.
Artist Bio
In 1964 I was 16 years old and I wanted to be an artist. Willem de Kooning was my art hero but, the Vietnam War was raging, I couldn’t afford art school and I probably just didn’t know what I wanted to do. I became an engineer and ultimately president of National Geographic’s world-wide mapping businesses. 40 years later in 2004, I retired to become a full-time artist. I could afford to define success in my own way. It took a few years to find my voice – you know that which differentiates my work and specifies a moral foundation and vision.
What is the larger conversation; the wider dialog that I want to be part of? How can I affect and activate viewers? For me, this painted dialog is one of the characteristics of a successful work of art. The essence of my art is the exploration of fundamental issues of our time. I explore intolerance, discrimination, addiction, violence and war with its victims, witnesses and survivors.
Many if not most of my 300,000 social media followers are from regions wracked by violence and discrimination. Some write to me. A Syrian woman in a refugee camp wrote to tell me that after seeing one of my paintings that she knew I understood her and that she wanted to die. She went on to say that the next morning, she looked at the same painting and saw hope in the woman’s eyes. She said she knew then that she too could have hope. She told me that I saved her life. This is why I paint.
My work is exhibited internationally at universities, art centers, museums and galleries. I am a frequent speaker and lecturer and my work has been featured and reviewed in local, national and international media.
Selected Exhibitions
Solo
2020
Den Gallery – Kuwait City, Kuwait (upcoming)
2019
Sunny Art Center – London, UK (upcoming)
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (upcoming)
Space Gallery – Denver CO (upcoming)
2018
Bill Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Ponzio Art Center, Colorado Academy, Denver CO
Space Gallery, Denver CO
2017
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, “Black and White”, juried by Alison Hokanson of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (awarded Special Recognition)
Boulder Creative Collective, Boulder CO
2016
Space Gallery, Denver, CO
2013
Space Gallery, Denver, CO
Firehouse Art Center, Longmont, CO
2011
Space Gallery, Denver, CO
2010
Space Gallery, Denver, CO
Dairy Center for the Arts, Boulder, CO
2008
Gallery St Thomas, Virgin Islands
Gallerie Porto 34, St Barth, FWI
2007
Gallery St Thomas, Virgin Islands
Exhibitrek – the Gallery, Boulder, CO
2006
Exhibitrek – the Gallery, Boulder, CO
Gallery St Thomas, Virgin Islands
2005
Gallery St Thomas, Virgin Islands
2004
Gallery St Thomas, Virgin Islands
Neo Art Gallery, Denver CO
Group
2019
Torres Bicentennial Museum, Toluca, Mexico (upcoming)
Art of the State 2019, Arvada Center CO (upcoming)
2018
Den Gallery, Vigour, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Monmouth University Center for the Arts, Artivism, West Long Branch NJ
Concordia University, Kreft Center for the Arts, Ann Arbor MI
Arts Longmont, Drawn to the Figure, Longmont CO (awarded 1st place)
Colors of Humanity, “Red”, International exhibition (awarded Best in Show)
ARTBOX.Project New York, Stricoff Gallery, Chelsea NYC NY
Art Market, International Art-Competition 2018, The Human Condition (awarded Honorable Mention)
2017
Den Gallery, “Release”, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Space Gallery, Best of 2017, Denver CO
Dairy Arts Center, Two-person collaboration – A New Perspective, Boulder CO
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, “Art and Conflict”, Arvada CO
Canyon Gallery, Open Studios, Boulder CO
Seven-State Biennial, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Goddard Center, Museum of the Red River, (awarded 1st Place)
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, juried by Alison Hokanson – Metropolitan Museum of Art (awarded Special Recognition)
2016
Art Gym, Political BS, Denver CO
Windows to the Divine, Exhibition 2016, Denver CO
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, “Color”, juried by Lillian Tone – MOMA
Bill Lowe Gallery, Carnaval: A New Exuberance”, Atlanta GA
Art Gym, Selfies, Denver CO
The Great Frame Up, Longmont CO
Space Gallery, Best of 2016, Denver CO
Canyon Gallery, Open Studios, Boulder CO
History of Visual Arts in Boulder, Rembrandt Yard Art Gallery, Boulder CO
2015
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, juried by Christiane Paul – Whitney Museum of American Art (awarded a Best in Show)
Habitat Gallery, Best of Denver Santa Fe Art District.
Governors Art Show, Loveland Museum. Loveland CO
Art Students League of Denver, juried by Christoph Heinrich – Denver Art Museum
Bill Lowe Gallery, “Ancestors: Origins and Return”, Atlanta GA
Gallery St Thomas, Virgin Islands
2014
Florida State University Museum of Fine Art, Tallahassee FL
Governors Art Show, Loveland Museum, Loveland CO
New York Hall of Science, Science Inspires Art
Seven State Biennial, Goddard Art Center, juried by Mark White – Fred Jones Museum-University of Oklahoma
Knoll Gallery, Best of Denver Santa Fe Art District
Dairy Center for the Arts, Boulder CO
Canyon Gallery, Open Studios, Boulder CO
Space Gallery, Denver CO
2013
Stephen F. Austin State University, juried by Peter Selz past MOMA and UC Berkeley Museum (awarded 3rd Place)
Knoll Gallery, Best of Denver Santa Fe Art District (awarded Best in Show)
Masur Museum of Art, Monroe LA, juried by George T.M. Shackelford – Kimbell Art Museum
San Joaquin Delta College, Stockton CA, juried by Rene de Guzman – Oakland Museum of California
Center for Contemporary Art, Newark NJ – Studio Montclair, juried by Helaine Posner – Neuberger Museum of Art Arvada Center, “Art of the State”, juried by Collin Parson – Arvada Center and Dean Sobel – Clyfford Still Museum Canyon Gallery, Open Studios, Boulder CO
2012
Barrett Art Center, “New Directions”, juried by Susan Cross – Mass MoCA (awarded 2nd Place)
b.j.spoke gallery, “Expo 31”, juried by Margot Norton – New Museum
Space Gallery, Denver CO
Canyon Gallery, Open Studios, Boulder CO
University of Texas, Tyler TX Annual International Exhibition
2011
Nassau Community College, juried by Samantha Rippner – Metropolitan Museum of Art (awarded Merit Award)
The Visual Art Center of New Jersey, juried by Joan Young – Solomon Guggenheim Museum
The Museum of the Living Artist, juried by Roxana Velasquez – San Diego Museum of Art
Lana Santorelli Gallery, Chelsea NYC NY
Canyon Gallery, Open Studios, Boulder CO
Rembrandt Yard Art Gallery, Boulder CO
2010
Santa Cruz Art League, juried by George Rivera – Triton Museum of Art
Denver International Airport – Denver Council for the Arts
Colorado State Capital – Denver Council for the Arts
Denver Botanic Gardens – Contemporary Response to Henry Moore
Metropolitan State University Center For Visual Art, Denver CO
Denver International Airport – 33 Ideas
Courthouse Art Center, Woodstock, IL, juried by G, Hertzlieb – Bauer Museum of Art (awarded 2nd place)
Lana Santorelli Gallery, Chelsea NYC NY
Canyon Gallery, Open Studios, Boulder CO
2009
Rembrandt Yard Art Gallery, Boulder CO
Canyon Gallery, Open Studios, Boulder CO
2008
Space Gallery, Denver, CO
2007
ArtExpo, New York, NY
2006
Safety Zone International Exhibition, St John, Virgin Islands
2005
Safety Zone International Exhibition, Virgin Islands
Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, New York NY
Beau Art Festival, Lowe Art Museum, Coral Gables FL
2004
Neo Art Gallery, Denver, CO
Awards
2018
Arts Longmont, Drawn to the Figure, Longmont CO (awarded 1st place)
Colors of Humanity, “Red”, International exhibition (awarded Best in Show)
Art Market, International Art-Competition 2018, The Human Condition (awarded Honorable Mention)
2017
Seven-State Biennial, Univ of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Goddard Center, Museum of the Red River, (awarded 1st Place)
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, juried by Alison Hokanson – Metropolitan Museum of Art (awarded Special Recognition)
2015
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, juried by Christiane Paul – Whitney Museum of American Art (awarded a Best in Show)
2013
Stephen F. Austin State University, juried by Peter Selz past MOMA and UC Berkeley Museum (awarded 3rd Place)
Knoll Gallery, Best of Denver Santa Fe Art District (awarded Best in Show)
2012
Barrett Art Center, “New Directions”, juried by Susan Cross – Mass MoCA (awarded 2nd Place)
2011
Nassau Community College, juried by Samantha Rippner – Metropolitan Museum of Art (awarded Merit Award)
2010
Courthouse Art Center, Woodstock, IL, juried by G, Hertzlieb – Bauer Museum of Art (awarded 2nd place)
Publications
2018
Ello – The Creators Network – featured Artospective – feature interview
Khaleejesque Magazine Kuwait 1 HD Kuwait TV
2017
Boulder Weekly – feature article
Boulder Daily Camera – feature article
Boulder Daily Camera – feature article
2016
Westword – review
2015
NPR Science Friday Web – interview
Reality Serum Magazine – feature article
2014
Milano Art Expo – feature article
Saatchi Art – featured
SciArt in America – review
Denver ArtScape Gallery Directory – front cover
Voice of R – International Youth Magazine – feature article
2013
Boulder Daily Camera/Times-Call, Colorado Daily – feature article
ColectiveArtsInk – Episode 2 podcast interview
Westword – review
2012
Invisible Museum – feature article
2011
Westword – review
Boulder Museum of Contemp. Art – co-creator/host “Your Brain on Art”
2010
Caribbean Art World Magazine – feature article
Boulder Daily Camera – feature article
2009
American Contemporary Art Magazine – feature article
2007
Art Fusion Magazine – feature article
St John Tradewinds – feature article
Activities
2017
Dairy Art Center, Boulder CO – presentation/lecture
Boulder Creative Collective – presentation/lecture
2016
Boedecker Theater – Dairy Arts Center, Boulder CO – lecture
Dairy Art Center, Boulder CO – presentation/lecture
Firehouse Art Center, Longmont CO – speaker
Art Gym Denver – presentation/lecture
Boedecker Theater – Dairy Arts Center, Boulder CO – lecture
2014
Dairy Art Center/Sterling Rice Group Artful Chef – artist presenter
2013
Front Range Community College – guest artist lecture
2012
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art – presentation/lecture
2010
Johns Hopkins Univ., Amer. Visionary Art Museum, presenter
2008
CultureHaus at Space Gallery – featured exhibit and presentation
St. Barth International Book Festival – featured artist
2007
Colorado Art Ranch, Durango CO – workshop presenter
Denver Art Museum, Denver CO – untitled #5 presenter
