MARY KESTER

90 Oswego Street
Baldwinsville, New York 13027

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Solo Exhibitions   Juried Exhibitions  Selected Invitational Group Exhibitions
Public Collections  Commissions  Work Experience  Statement  Links

EDUCATION

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, Syracuse, New York, M.F.A. 1981
Areas of Study: Fibers, Drawing, Papermaking, Art History, Figure Drawing

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA, Cedar Falls, Iowa, B.A. 1969
Areas of Study: Fibers, Art History, Drawing, Printmaking, Jewelry, Painting

PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFT, Penland, N.C. 1973
3-week summer session, Fibers
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2008
  • Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, New York
    • 2003
  • Delavan Art Gallery, Syracuse, New York
    • 1990
  • Simpson College, Farnham Galleries, Indianola, Iowa
    • 1983
  • Cortland Arts Council, Cortland, New York
    • 1981
  • Courtyard Gallery, Manlius, New York
  • "Edges", Syracuse University Administration Building, Syracuse, New York
    • 1980
  • "Edges", Lyman Hall, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
    • 1979
  • Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, Iowa
  • Jewish Community Center, Omaha, Nebraska
    • 1977
  • Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa
    • 1975
  • Sheldon Art Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
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    • JURIED EXHIBITIONS

    2010
  • "Elongating the Thread," XL Projects Gallery
    • 2010
  • "Made in New York 2010," Schweinforth Art Center, Auburn, NY
    • 2010
  • American Tapestry Alliance Biennial 8, Touring
    • 2008
  • Everson Biennial, Syracuse, NY
    • 2007
  • Fiber National 2007, Lancaster Museum of Art, Pennsylvania
    • 2006
  • "Made in NY 2006", Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, New York
    • 2005
  • Craft Forms 2005, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
    • 2004
  • American Tapestry Biennial 5, touring Colorado, Minnesota, New Hampshire
  • Crafts National 38, Zoller Gallery, State College, PA.
    • 2003
  • "Festival 2003", Creative Arts Guild, Dalton, Ga.
  • "Fine Crafts: Ancient Practice", Munson Williams Proctor Institute, Utica, NY
    • 2002
  • "Made in New York 2002", Schweinforth Art Center, Auburn, NY
  • "The Hand in Art", Stone Quarry Art Park, Cazenovia, NY
    • 2001
  • Crafts National 2001, Wayne Art Center, Wayne PA.
  • "Made In New York 2001", Schweinforth Art Center, Auburn, NY
  • "New York State Craft Biennial", Art Center, Albany and Tyler Art Gallery, Oswego, NY
    • 2000
  • American Tapestry Biennial III, touring Kentucky, Colorado.
  • "Paper, Stone, Scissors, Target Gallery, Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA.
    • 1999
  • Crafts National 33, Zoller Gallery, Penn State University, College Park, PA.
  • Fiberarts International, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1998
  • Crafts National 32, Zoller Gallery, Penn State University, College Park, PA.
    • 1997
  • BASF Fiber Arts Competition, 3rd prize, Dalton, Georgia
  • Fiberarts International, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1996-97
  • American Tapestry Biennial I, touring Tennessee, Illinois, North Carolina, Colorado.
    • 1996
  • LAA National Juried Show, Lafayette, La.
  • "Three Rivers Arts Festival", Five Gateway Center, Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1995
  • Gallery North's 2nd Annual Textile Exhibit, Setauket, N.Y
  • "Pushing the Limits", The Kirkland Art Center, Kirkland, N. Y.
  • "On and Off the Wall", Visual Arts Showcase, Syracuse, N.Y.
    • 1994
  • BASF Fiber Arts Competition, Dalton Georgia
  • Visual Arts Showcase: "Large Scale Art", Mulroy Civic Center, Syracuse, New York
    • 1993
  • BASF Fiber Arts Competition, first prize, Dalton, Georgia
  • Visual Arts Showcase: "Large Scale Art", Mulroy Civic Center, Syracuse, New York
    • 1991
  • "Three Rivers Festival", Five Gateway Center, Purchase Award by Westinghouse Corp. Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1989
  • "Three Rivers Arts Festival", Five Gateway Center, Pittsburgh, PA.
    • 1988
  • "Everson Biennial", Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York
    • 1986
  • "Connections: Works in Fiber" ,Three Rivers Art Festival, Five Gateway Center,Pittsburgh
  • "Fiber National '86", Adams Memorial Art Gallery, Dunkirk, New York
  • "Everson Biennial", Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York
    • 1985
  • "Fiber Structure National IV", Downey Museum of Art, Downey, California
    • 1983
  • "Fiberarts Design Book II", Selection for inclusion, published in Sept. 1983 by Lark Publ.
    • 1981
  • "Lake Superior '81", 5th Biennial National Craft Exhibition, Tweed Museum, Duluth, MN.
    • 1980
  • "Syracuse Show, Everson Art Gallery, Syracuse, New York.
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    SELECTED INVITATIONAL GROUP EXHIBITIONS

    2008
  • Rome Art Center, Rome, New York
    • 2006
  • Structure, Surface and Subtext, Cazenovia College, Cazenovia, NY
    • 1999
  • Wells College Invitational, Aurora, New York
  • "New York State Crafts, NYS Museum, Albany, New York
    • 1998
  • "Upstate New York Invitational", Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, N.Y.
    • 1997
  • "New York State Crafts", NYS Museum, Albany, New York
    • 1992
  • "Vessels", Eureka Crafts Gallery, Syracuse New York
    • 1989
  • "Woven Walls", Liberty Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky
    • 1988
  • "The Haptic Art", Holthaus Fiber Art Gallery, Port Washington, New York
    • 1983
  • "Elemental Threads", FORUM, St. Louis, Missouri; selected to tour nationally through '85
  • "Fibers", Bank Street College, New York, New York
    • 1980
  • "Nebraska Artist Exhibition", Elder Gallery, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, NE
    • 1977
  • "Northwestern Crafts II", Brookings Art Center, Brookings, South Dakota
    • 1976
  • "Cotton: Past and Prologue", National, Greenville, South Carolina
    • 1975
  • "Solstice Continuum Tribute", exhibition and execution of monumental sculpture works in a 48 hour time span, Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, Nebraska: NEA grant
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    PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

  • Onbank and Trust Company, Syracuse, New York
  • Coopers and Lybrand, CPA, Syracuse, New York
  • Sheldon Art Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Hoover State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Ahmanson Law Building, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska
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    COMMISSIONS

    2008
  • Francis House, Syracuse, New York
    • 2002 - 1972
  • Numerous private commissions
    • 1993
  • "The Village", Maplecrest Center, Indianola, Iowa
    • 1978
  • "Conposit", Design Offices St. Louis, Missouri
    • 1977
  • Charles Scudder Law Offices, Omaha, Nebraska
    • 1976
  • Security National Bank, Omaha, Nebraska
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    • WORK EXPERIENCE

    2003
  • Artist Residency at Morgan Road Elementary School, Liverpool, NY
    • 1997
  • Artist Residencies at Long Branch, Elmcrest and Franklin Elementary Schools
    • 1990
  • Simpson College, Felting workshop, Indianola, Iowa
    • 1981-85
  • Syracuse University, Adjunct Instructor; School of Visual and Performing Arts, Fibers Interlocking: design and techniques in tapestry, felting, papermaking, fabric sculpture and basketry.
    • 1979-81
  • Syracuse University, Teaching Assistantship; teaching Fabric Sculpture and Crochet for Sculpture and Introductory Weaving.
    • 1974-79
  • Artist-in-the-schools Program through the Nebraska Arts Council and Iowa Arts Council; residencies in 12 schools from 2-9 weeks
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    • STATEMENT

    I work in tapestry to exploit the tactile woven medium in forms which give the illusion of depth and monumentality. The woven grid expands into actual layers and drawn depth to suggest crevices and hollows--spaces which appear deeper than they really are. The tension between real textural substance and pictured illusion gives my work an interest that calls for a second, longer look.
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