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James Karsina • Profile
Born in Winona, Minnesota and raised in the Mississippi River Valley, James Karsina developed a connection with the power and beauty of the natural environment unique to the Midwest. Painting for over forty years, he has both a Master of Arts Degree and a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Iowa. For twenty-five years he taught art at the collegiate level in Michigan until leaving academia in 1997 to pursue painting full time.
Karsina's paintings are alive with the spirit and spontaneity of nature. He uses a vibrant palette and lyrical line-work to create a sense of vigorous and undulating movement. If perceived on an abstract level, his landscapes dissolve into an exciting division of color, space, and activity. The paintings are more than a response to a picturesque scene � they reveal their own personality.
James Karsina is the recipient of several awards and has exhibited widely, including a thirty-year retrospective exhibition at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. In addition to his representation in museums and universities, his work is included in over forty corporate collections and more than 350 private collections.
James Karsina • Statement
The paintings seem to have an organic growth; organic is the root of organization and certainly the process is one of organizing thoughts, feelings, intuitions, and the visual elements into a dynamic and communicable whole while at the same time not denying spontaneity and improvisation.
James Karsina • Biography
EDUCATION
1969
Post-Master of Fine Arts in Art History, University of Minnesota, Minnesota
1965
Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
1964
Master of Arts in Painting and Drawing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
1961
Bachelor of Science, Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2006
"Karsina," LaFontsee Galleries, Solo Exhibition, Grand Rapids, Michigan
2005
"Brushworks," LaFontsee Galleries, Two-Person Exhibition, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Dark Side/ Bright Side," Fountain Street Church, Solo Exhibition, Grand Rapids, Michigan
2004
Ann Arbor Art Center, Solo Exhibition, Ann Arbor, Michigan
"Gifts of Art Show," Solo Exhibition, University Hospital, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Fountain Street Church, Art Auction Show, Grand Rapids, Michigan
2003
"Holiday Muse," LaFontsee Galleries, Group Exhibition, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"...plotted and pieced...," LaFontsee Galleries, Solo Exhibition, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Lowell Area Invitational, Lowell Area Art Center, Lowell, Michigan
"Michigan Artists From the Permanent Collection," Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan
Summer Invitational, Park Congregational Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Synchronicity Gallery, Glen Arbor, Michigan; Gallery representation of Paintings
"Sites: Second Sight," Solo Show, Hankins Gallery, East Lansing, Michigan
2002
Solo Show, Park Congregational Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Group Exhibition, LaFontsee Galleries' Fifteenth Anniversary Celebration, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Light to Dark," Two-Person Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, Michigan
2001
"Winter Presents…" Group Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids Michigan
"Common Ground," Three-Person Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids Michigan
Group Landscape Painting Show, Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Featured Artist," Solo Show, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Representation in Synchronicity Gallery, Glen Arbor, Michigan
2000
"Michigan Artist James Karsina," Solo Show, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
"Improvisations," Solo Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1999
Detroit Artist's Market, Detroit, Michigan; Gallery representation of Paintings
"Scene and Unseen," Three-Person Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Michael Pfleghaar and James Karsina," Two-Person Show, Grand Rapids Art Museum Sales & Rental Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"8 Landscape Artists," Group Show, Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Solo Show, Hankins Gallery, East Lansing, Michigan
Two-Person Show, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Group Show, Spectrum Health Downtown Campus, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1998
"Celebration '98," Juried Show, First United Methodist Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Quinn/ Karsina," Two-Person Show, Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, Michigan
Poetry/Art Group Show, Fountain Street Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Botanical Images & Small Expressions," Juried Show, Award, Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, Michigan
"Metamorphosis," Group Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"New Work," Group Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Two-Person Show, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Solo Show, C. S. Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan
1997
"Nature Brueghelesque," A National Juried Exhibition for which three large works were chosen, Clark Gallery, Fernwood Botanic Garden, Niles, Michigan
"The New Regionalism," Traveling Show, Five Michigan Cities
"New Work," Group Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Personal Perspectives," Two-Person Show, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Come and Be Heard: An Exhibition of Visual Responses to Women's Issues," Juried Show, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Still Saying Goodbye: An Exhibition of Drawings of the Aging Process," Solo Show, Marywood Gallery in the Dominican Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Small Works," Group Show, Grand Rapids Art Museum Sales & Rental Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1996
Thirty-Year Retrospective Exhibition, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Art, Technology and Transformation of Community Exhibition," Invitational Show, East Lansing, Michigan; One of ten artists chosen from across the Midwest
"Visual Culture and Science Since the Enlightenment" Symposium, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan; Paper read at symposium; Large work exhibited
"Tornado Warning!" Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan; Large work selected for group show
"Flora 96 Chicago Botanic Garden," Chicago, Illinois
Lowell Area Competitive Show, Best of Show, Lowell, Michigan
Gallery Group Show, Holland, Michigan
1995-1993
Invitational Show, Fountain Street Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Solo Exhibit, La Rive Gallery, South Haven, Michigan
Two-Person Show, Paint Creek Center for the Arts, Rochester, Michigan
"67th Annual West Michigan Juried Competition," Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan
Two-Person Show, Michigan Commerce Department, Lansing, Michigan
"Self-Portrait Invitational," Muskegon Community College, Muskegon, Michigan
"All Michigan/All Media," Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, Michigan
"7th Annual West Michigan Lowell Area Competition," Lowell, Michigan
Michigan Fine Arts Competition, Birmingham, Michigan
"Regional 66," West Michigan Juried Competition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan
"Festival '93," Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Four-Person Inaugural Exhibition," Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"25th Anniversary Exhibition," The Art Center, Mount Clements, Michigan
Great Lakes Regional Art Exhibition, Midland, Michigan
1992-1980
GVSU-TV Public Television Auction Exhibition, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Juror's Award
Group Show, Fountain Street Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
WGVC-TV Public Television Pre-auction Exhibit, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Permanent Collection Exhibit, DePree Gallery, Hope College, Holland, Michigan
Grant Show - Painting and Photography, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Hefner Galleries Ltd., Grand Rapids, Michigan
Race Street Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Large show of forty paintings
Auction 35, WGVC-TV, Annual Public Television Fund-raising, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Painting selected for Premiere Auction and Reproduction
"Invitational Drawing Show," Muskegon Community College, Muskegon, Michigan
"Nuclear Armament Strategic Weapons, The Artist's Vision," University Art Gallery, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Artists for Nuclear Disarmament, Race Street Gallery,
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Solo Show, Creative Arts Gallery, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Solo Show, Muskegon Community College, Muskegon, Michigan
"Annual West Michigan Juried Competition," Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan
Ferris State College Art Gallery, Big Rapids, Michigan
"Michigan Artists Competition," Battle Creek, Michigan
"Corporate Art Show," Grand Rapids Arts Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Renaissance '81," Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Ethno-Art," Bank of Commerce, Hamtramck, Michigan; Purchase Award
"Michigan Fine Arts Competition," Birmingham, Michigan
"Heritage '89," Art Competition, Bank of Commerce, Hamtramck, Michigan
1979-1967
"Invitational Group Show," Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Invitational Group Show," Hope College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Invitational Show," Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan
One-Person Show, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Annual West Michigan Juried Competition," Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan; Award
"Calder Festival," Grand Rapids, Michigan
"All Michigan Show," Grand Rapids, Michigan
"Area Competitive Art Show," Charles H. MacNider Museum, Mason City, Iowa; Juror's Award, 1969; Best in Show, 1968
"Minnesota State Art Show," St. Paul, Minnesota; Juror's Award
Drawings U.S.A., St. Paul Art Center, St. Paul Minnesota; Drawing selected -1967 for international two-year tour of American drawings
"National Polymer Exhibition," Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan
"5th Minnesota Artist Biennial," Minneapolis Institute of the Arts, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Annual Exhibition of Prints and Drawings, Oklahoma Art Center, Oklahoma; Drawing Purchase Award, 1967
"National Art Show," Las Vegas, Nevada
HONORS AND AWARDS
1999
Painting reproduced in Washrenaw County's 1999 Arts Guide
1998
Award, "Botanical Images & Small Expressions," Juried Show, Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, Michigan
Painting featured on cover of On-The-Town Magazine, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Cover for Tessera, the Dominican quarterly magazine
Museum Lecture, Mathias Alten Show, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1996
Best of Show, Lowell Area Competitive Show, Lowell, Michigan
Honor, two paintings accepted into the Grand Rapids Art Museum collection, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Lecture: Luminist Landscapes, Kalamazoo Art Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Paper read; Large work exhibited, "Visual Culture and Science Since the Enlightenment" Symposium, GVSU, Allendale, Michigan;
One of ten Artists selected for commission; West Michigan Priority Health, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1995
Honor, Sabbatical Exhibition, AMC Gallery, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1993
Honorable Mention, All Michigan/All Media 1993, Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, Michigan
Best of Show, 7th Annual West Michigan, Lowell Area Competition, Lowell, Michigan
1992
Juror's Award, GVSU-TV Public Television Auction Exhibition, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1990
Honor, Grant Show, Painting and Photography, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1987
Painting selected for Premiere Auction and Reproduction, Auction 35, WGVC-TV, Annual Public Television Fund-raising, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1986
Inaugural Show with ceramist, Grand Rapids Art Museum Sales and Rental Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1985
Sabbatical Show of Paintings, AMC Gallery, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1983
Purchase Award, Finalist, "Ethno-Art," Bank of Commerce, Hamtramck, Michigan
Best of Show Award, Annual West Michigan Juried Competition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan
1982
Juror's Special Mention, Calder Festival '82, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1981
2nd Prize Painting, "Renaissance '81," Grand Rapids Art Museum, Michigan
1979
Award, Annual West Michigan Juried Competition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan
1978
Award, Annual West Michigan Juried Competition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan
1976
Honor, One-Person Show, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1969
Juror's Award, "Area Competitive Art Show," Charles MacNider Museum, Mason City, Iowa
1968
Best in Show Award, "Area Competitive Art Show," Charles H. MacNider Museum, Mason City, Iowa
Juror's Award, Minnesota State Art Show, St. Paul, Minnesota
Drawing selected for international two-year tour of American drawings, Drawings U.S.A., St. Paul Art Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
1967
Drawing Purchase Award, 9th Annual Exhibition of Prints
and Drawings, Oklahoma Art Center, Oklahoma
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1997-1970
Drawing, Painting, and Art History Professor, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1969-1966
Chair, Drawing, Painting, and Art History, Lea College, Albert Lea, Minnesota
Frequent lectures at various regional art institutions, including:
1998
"Mathias Alten," Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan;
"Luminist Landscapes," Kalamazoo Art Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
- Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Attwood Corporation, Lowell Michigan
- Auto Cam, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Bank of Commerce, Hamtramck, Michigan
- Custer Office Environment, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Daverman Associates, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Gilda's Club, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- The Frey Foundation
- Ferris State College, Big Rapids, Michigan
- Hamilton Shannahan and Associates Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Haviland Products, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Hope College, Holland, Michigan
- Muskegon Community College, Muskegon Michigan
- Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan
- Muskegon Public Schools, Muskegon, Michigan
- Oklahoma Art Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Ottawa County, Michigan
- Priority Health of West Michigan, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Haworth Company Offices, Naples, Florida
- Spectrum Health Downtown Campus, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Spectrum Health East Campus, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Steelcase Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York
- Saint Mary's Hospital, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Union Bank and Trust Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan
- University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Warner, Norcross & Judd, Grand Rapids and Detroit, Michigan
- Waters Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- WGVC-TV, Channel 35, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Private Collections throughout the United States, Canada, and France
SELECTED COMMISSIONS
- Priority Health, 1996
- Private Commissions, 1990
- Attwood Corporation, 1989
- Steelcase Corporation, 1986
- Aquinas College, 1986
