BARBARA DAVIS GALLERY
Helen Lessickwww.lessick.net
EDUCATION
University of California/Irvine, Master of Fine Art in Studio Art, 1982.
Reed College, Portland, Oregon. Bachelor of Art in Studio Art, 1976.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2009: “Other Arrangements,’ Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, TX.
2005: Nonet, Pinckney Center for the Arts, Bend, OR.
2004: “The Human Condition,” Gallery 727, Los Angeles, CA.
2002: “Resident Houses,” Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA.
1999: Esther Claypool Gallery, Seattle, WA.
1996: "The Invisible World," Gallery 114, Portland, OR.
1995: "The Crowning Glory of Tacoma," Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, WA.
1992: Butters Gallery, Portland, OR. Catalog.
1990: "Art = Anthropology," Butters Gallery, Portland, OR.
1989: "Pastel Drawings," Sierra Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, NV.
1988: "Structural Expressionism," Northwest Artists Workshop, Portland, OR.
1985: "Oasis," Fine Arts Gallery, Alverno College, Milwaukee, WI.
1980: Wentz Gallery, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2009: “EVO,” Los Angeles, CA.
2008: “Cucamonga Peak/Art Avalanche,” Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
“California Visual Artists,’ Second City Arts Council, Long Beach, CA. Curator Jay Belloli.
2007: “LA Open,” Municipal Gallery at Barnsdall, Los Angeles, CA.
2006: ‘Phantom Galleries: LA,’ sanctioned public art exhibition in commercial warehouse, Pasadena, CA.
2004: “Olympic Project” exhibition on the route of the Olympic torch, Ianna Petropolis, curator Athens, GREECE.
“LA Open,” Municipal Art Gallery, City of Los Angeles, CA.
2003: ISC@GFS, Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, New Jersey.
2002: “FIAC XXIX: Edition,” Porte de Versailles, Paris FRANCE. Catalogue.
“River Alchemy,” site-specific installations along the Los Angeles River, Los Angeles, CA.
2002: Faire Internationale d’Arte Contemporaine (FIAC), Paris, France. Catalogue.
2001: “(seclusion),” offsite outdoor exhibition for Secluded Alley Works, Seattle, WA.
“Bronson Foundation 10th Anniversary Exhibition,” Reed College, Portland, OR.
2000: “Counter Canvas,” Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR.
2000: “The 2000 Behnke FellowshipAwards,” Bank of America Gallery, Seattle, WA. Catalog.
1999: “Game Show,” Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA.
Horsehead International, Belfast, North Ireland.
1998: "The View from Here: The Centennial of Mt. Rainier National Park,"
Seafirst Gallery, Seattle, WA. Catalogue. Travelling to Japan and through WA State in 1999.
1997: "The Garden Show," Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR.
1996: "Utopian Visions," Port Angeles Fine Art Center, Port Angeles, WA.
1995: "USA/VdA: Artists' Meeting," Valle d'Aosta, Italy. Catalog.
1994: "Maquettes," Lookout Urban Space, New York, NY. Travelling internationally. Catalog.
"Animal Farm," James Corcoran Gallery, Santa Monica, CA.
1993: "Books as Objects," Comus Gallery, Portland, OR. Travelling nationally.
Group show, Wurrtembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart, Germany.
1991: "The Oregon Biennial '91," Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR. Catalog.
1990: "The 1990 New York Flower Show," Pier 52, New York, NY.
1989: "Sculpture City," Socrates Sculpture Park, New York, NY. Catalog.
1986: "Outside/In," Oregon Art Institute, Portland, OR.
1979: "The Tom, Dick, and Helen Show," and/or, Seattle, WA.
1978: "9 Artists/8 Rooms," Henry Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Catalog.
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Bolton Hall Museum, Tujunga, WA.
Bronson Foundation, Portland, OR.
Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA.
Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY.
New York Public Library, New York, NY.
Oregon Health Science Center, Portland, OR.
City of Portland, Oregon.
Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, Miami Beach, FL
City of Seattle, WA.
Swedish Medical Foundation, Seattle, WA.
University of Washington Campus Public Art & UW Library Book Arts Collections, Seattle.
Washington State University, Cheney Cowles, WA.
PUBLIC ART PROJECTS
2009: “LA AIR,’ Public Works Air Quality Facility #1, Los Angeles Public Art Program, CA (scheduled).
2006: Soil Sample. site-specific exhibition checklist to public soils, with outdoor exhibition and community workshops. Project supported by Gunk Foundation, NY & Los Angeles Cultural Affairs, CA
ArtCans 2006, Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Beautification Committee project, Los Angeles, CA.
2005: “The Trees: A Play in Three Acts by the Plant Community, week-long multi-site installation with
playbill, and tickets, Santa Monica Arts Commission, Santa Monica, CA.
2003: “Decimal•Points,” Seattle Public Library, Seattle Arts Commission, WA.
2002: “River/Water/Shed,” Arroyo Arts, Los Angeles, CA.
2001: “Vestige,” site-integrated sculpture, Bronson Foundation, Reed College, Portland, OR.
“Salt/Water,” United Arts Council, Naples, FL.
2000: “The Office of the Artist in Residence,” site-related installation, print project and web site
Multnomah County government., Portland, OR.
“On the Fringe of Philadelphia,”Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Philadelphia, PA.
1999: Collect 'Ems, site-specific permanent plaques and collectible cards and plaques, Safeco Field. Commissioned
by the Stadium Public Facilities District, Seattle, WA.
“Rapunzel,” site-specific installation, Prince Albert Memorial, Belfast, North Ireland.
1998: Hidden Treasures of Greater Tacoma, public artists' book distributed in Pierce Transit
Riders' Guide, summer edition; partnership with Tacoma (WA) Arts Commission.
“DreamHouse for BAM,", outdoor installation & book, Bellevue (WA) Art Museum.
1997: "The American Century," site-specific installation, Sand Point Naval Air Station
Hangar #2, Seattle Arts Commission, WA.
"House of Earth," window installation, Seattle Art Museum Rental Sales Gallery, WA.
1996: "The Uses of Enchantment," public art installation, University of Washington, Seattle.
Worm World, a public artists book project distributed in The Stranger, Seattle, WA.
"The Great Crown of Kent," outdoor installation, Kent Arts Commission, Kent, WA.
1995: "The Grand Crown of Tacoma," temporary outdoor installation, Tacoma Art Museum.
Squirrel World, artists book project, KIDSTAR 1250 Magazine, Spring issue, Seattle, WA.
1994: "HOMEWORK," temporary public installation sponsored by the Tacoma Arts Commission &
Municipal Housing Authority, Tacoma, WA.
1993: Metro Hair Survey, site-related public artists book project, sponsored by the Metro Art
Committee, Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle, WA.
"Le Paysage Vivant," ephemeral landscape, Lycée Agricole du Valentin, Valence, France.
"Home: House of Memory," site specific installation, New Langton Arts, San Francisco CA.
1987: "House for Summer," permanent sculpture of living trees, Hoyt Arboretum, Portland OR
PERFORMANCES
2007 ‘Arbor Vitae: The Life of Trees,” Hoyt Arboretum, Portland, OR.
2005: “The Trees,” Clover Park, Santa Monica, CA.
2002: “Dream House/Anniversary,” Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue WA.
1998: "Dream House for BAM," on- site of the planned Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA.
1997: "House for Summer Songs," Hoyt Arboretum, Portland, OR.
1996: "The Great Crowns of Kent," site-related participatory performances in Earthworks Park, Kent, WA
1995: "The Crowned Jewels of Tacoma," participatory performance parade
through public streets of Tacoma, WA. In collaboration with the Tacoma Art Museum,
Tacoma Arts Commission, Tony Gomez and the Lost Boys, and citizens of Tacoma.
1992: "partitio," Industrial site, Portland, OR. Performance and exhibition of artist-fabricated works
curated by Lessick. Original performance written and directed by K. Edmunds.
1991: "House for Autumn/Equinox," Bybee Howell Territorial Park, Sauvie Island, OR. With
filmmaker Kristy Edmunds, readers Belinda Biedermann, Carolyn Lee, George Littlechild.
1990: "Kepler's Dream," Hoyt Arboretum, Portland, OR.With composer M. Stirling and dancer R. Burns.
1987: "House on Fire," Space/Time Constructs, New York, NY. With performer Eric Derkatsch.
1986: “Discipline + Structure," Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR. With T. Sweetman & D. Goldsmith.
1979: "Anomaly and Bokay," Northwest Artists Workshop, Portland, OR.
1975: "A Christmas Play," Reed College, Portland, OR. In ensemble.
SELECTED GRANTS & AWARDS
2005: Project Grant, Gunk Foundation, Gardiner, NY.
2003: Travel Fellowship, Visual Resources Association, panelist at national conference.
2001: Professional Development Grant, Washington State Arts Commission, Olympia, WA.
2000: Achievement Award, Bonnie Bronson Foundation, Portland, OR.
Monograph grants: Artist Trust, King County Arts Commission, Seattle, WA.
1999: Professional Development Grant, Washington State Arts Commission, Olympia, WA.
1998: Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, New York, NY.
First Prize, 1998 AdWheel Awards, New York, NY. National award for Excellence in
Communications in the public transportation industry, for Hidden Treasures of Greater Tacoma Map, and web site, in conjunction with Pierce Transit, Tacoma, WA.
1997: Seattle Artists Program award, Seattle Arts Commission, WA.
1996: Artist’s Project Grant, National Endowment for the Arts & Warhol Foundation.
1990: Art Matters, Inc. project grant, New York, NY
1985: Art Matters, Inc. project grant, New York, NY.
ARTIST’S RESIDENCIES
2008: Artist in Residence, Department of Public Utilities/Community Redevelopment Authority, City of West Palm Beach, FL. (scheduled)
2005: Artist in Residence District 2, Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA.
2003: Lithographic Residency, Atelier Bordas, Paris, France.
2002: Artist in Residence, Bellevue Art Museum, WA.
2001: Artist in Residence, Padova, Italy.
2000: Residency Project, Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland, OR.
1998 –99: Artist in Residence, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA.
1998: Residency Fellowship, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT.
1993: Residency Fellowship, ART3, Valence, France.
1992: Residency Fellowship, La Vie des Formes, Chalon-sur-Saone, France.
1987: Artist’s Residency, Sculpture Space, Utica, NY.
1985: Sculptor’s Residency, Athena Foundation, Long Island City, NY.
MEDIA PROJECTS
ICAT: Interactive Collaboration Assessment Test, 2008, Public Art Review #38 (collaboration), St. Paul, MN.
Portrait/AntiPortrait, 2001. Interactive cd art game. With Thom Heileson, Seattle, WA
Office of the Artist in Residence Artistic License application, interactive website, 2000. Multnomah County, OR
The Crowned Jewels of Tacoma, 1995. 12:15 video. With videographer Frank Video, Tacoma, WA.
Mathematique Nouveau, 1995. 6:45. With videographer P. Verrier, Beaufort-Gervanne, France.
HOME: House of Memory, 1994. 9:30. With Frank Video, Seattle, WA.
House for Autumn/Equinox, 1991. 9:45. Video of black & white film by Kristi Edmunds, of
site-specific installation and performance directed by Lessick. Portland, OR.
PRESENTATIONS AND LECTURES
Oct. 2008: Moderator, “Context: Site and Sculpture,” Sculpture in Public: Part 2, ISC, Grand Rapids, MI.
April 2008: “temporary Sculpture: Artists Talk,” Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Jan. 2008: Memorials and Monuments panelist, State of the Arts Conference, Richmond, VA.
June 2007: Panelist, ‘Hold ‘Em, Fold ‘Em,’ Public Art Network National conference, Las Vegas, NV.
March 2007: Public Art 388L workshop, California State University/Northridge, CA.
Feb. 2007: ‘Professional Practices,” Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers, FL.
June 2006: Presenter & panelist, Public Art Network National Conference, Milwaukee, WI.
April 2006: Moderator, Design Professionals panel discussion, Public Art Program Workshop #4, Ventura, CA.
Oct. 2005: “Collection Management of Contemporary Public Art,” USC Public Art Graduate Studies, LA.
June 2005: “Temporary Projects, Permanent Effect,” panelist, Public Art Network, Austin, TX.
Feb. 2005: “Physical Thinking,” Pinckney Center for the Arts, Bend OR.
July, 2004: “Temporal Shift,” moderator & presenter, Public Art Network, Washington, D.C.
March 2004: Panelist, Visual Resources Association national conference, Portland, OR.
Oct. 2001: “Ground Work: Maintaining Robert Morris’ public earthwork,” Sackler Museum,
Harvard University, Cambridge (MA) Art Council Public Art Program
Oct. 2001: “Temporary Public Art Works,” Seattle Arts Commission, Seattle, WA.
May 2000: “The Artist in Residence and You,” Portland Building, Project of RACC, Portland, OR.
Jan. 2000: “HorseHead International Projects,” Contemporary Art Council, Seattle Art Museum.
May, 1999: “Public Art 101: Artist Initiated Models,” Seattle Art Commission Public Art Program
May 1998: "Maintaining Outdoor Public Art" panel, International Sculpture Conference,
Art Institute of Chicago, IL. Sponsored by Save Outdoor Sculpture!, Washington, D.C.
Oct. 1997: "Structure as Sculpture," Alibi Room, Seattle. Sponsor: space.city Seattle, WA.
May 1997: "Public Participation Art Projects Workshop," Kent Arts Commission, Kent, WA.
Jan. 1997: "The Narrative Landscape: Public Artists' Book Projects," Univ. of Washington , Seattle, WA.
Sept. 1995: "The Changing Role in Public Art," Community arts panel organized by the Seattle &
King County Arts Commissions. Rainier Valley Community Center, Seattle, WA.
June 1994: "public/private: temporary public art installation," Tacoma Central Library, WA.
Nov. 1993: "Speaking of Art," Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR.
May, 1991: "Censorship in the Arts," Oregon Education Association, Portland, OR.
RELATED PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2008 – current: Director of Civic Art + Design, Houston Arts Alliance, TX.
2008 – 09: Collection Recommendations and Assessments, City of Austin, TX.
2007: Guest curator, Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, CA.
2007: Exhibitions Manager, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA.
2005 – 2007: Public Art Specialist, City Wastewater Holding Ponds Public Art, Public Art Program, Ventura CA.
2006 - 2007: Collection Recommendations & Assessment, City of Norfolk Cultural Affairs, VA.
2006 - 2007: Program Assessment and Opportunities, University of Southern California
Roski School of Fine Art Graduate Program in Public Art Studies, Los Angeles, CA.
2002- 04: Metro Art Collection Manager, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles, CA.
2001- 02: Waterfront Masterplan Design Team, City of Portland (OR) Parks and Recreation, OR.
1994 - 98: Public Art Collection & Gallery Manager, King County Office of Cultural Resources, Seattle, WA.
1993 – 93: Artists’ Opportunities & demonstration project, Metro Art Program, Metro Transit of (greater) Seattle.
1990 - 93: Art in Public Places Project Manager, Washington State Arts Commission, Olympia, WA.
Major projects in Dept. of Corrections, Dept. of Labor & Industry & Community College System.
1989 - 90: Public Art Consultant, Portland State University/Oregon Arts Commission, Portland, OR.
1988 - current: Writer on art and public art issues, varied regional and national publications.
1986 – 1990: Project Facilitator, Socrates Sculpture Park, New York, NY.
ARTICLES
Allan, Lois, "Natural Acts," Artweek, April 8, 1993.
"Within Nature's Context," Artweek, July 19, 1990.
"House Hued with Multiple Meanings," Women In UNISON, Feb./March, 1990.
"Defining a House," Artweek, April 23, 1988.
Askey, Ruth, "Bound for Glory," Visions (Los Angeles), Summer, 1994.
Barden, Renardo, "Lessick's More," Willamette Week (OR), July 12, 1990.
Bargreen, Melissa, "Metro artwork that makes your head spin," Seattle Post Intelligencer. 2. 28, 1993.
Boylan, John, "Community Art," Reflex (Seattle, WA) Aug./Sept. 1995
Boninsinga, Kay, "Helen Lessick," Reflex (Seattle, WA), March/April 1992.
Cachert, Maurian, "Un support vache," Le Dauphine (France) 25 May, 1993.
Ellison, Victoria, "Notes from the Underground," The Oregonian (Portland, OR), Aug. 9, 1996.
Evans, Ingrid, "Lessick Draws Pastel Medium Into Tougher Realm,"
Reno Gazette-Journal (Reno, NV), June 4, 1989.
Fleming, Lee, "Piquing Packwood Diaries," Washington Post, Dec. 10, 1994.
Gallvin, Joseph, ‘City’s Tree House Turns 20,” Portland Tribune, June 19, 2007.
Genocchio, Benjamin, “A Show With a Good Sense of Humor,” Sunday New York Times, Aug. 18 2003.
Gessert, George (ed.), "Nature as Art/Art as Nature," Northwest Review , Summer, 1991.
Gragg, Randy, "Exhibit of Helen Lessick's Work Provides Meditative Images,"
The Oregonian (Portland, OR), June 20, 1990.
Hauser, Susan G., "Hanging Senator Packwood," The Wall Street Journal, 9/26/94.
Holiday, Ann, "Artist Uses House as Empty Canvas," West Seattle Herald, 11/10/93.
Kover, Jonas, "Art Meets Fire," Observer Dispatch (Utica, NY), Sept. 16, 1987.
Morrow, Vanessa, ‘The Poetics of Air,” orlo (Portland, OR), December, 2008.
Plank, JoAnna, "Golden Dreams at the Fair," Eastside Journal (Bellevue, WA). 7/15/98.
Raether, Keith, "Map reveals a garden of earthly delights," The News Tribune, May 17, 1998.
Stairs, David, "Promethean Doublebind," Reflex, July, 1990.
Seniuk, Jake, "Utopian Visions," On Center (Port Angeles, WA) , Summer, 1996.
unattributed, "The Book (an idea whose time has come gone remained),"
Contemporary Impressions (Washington D.C.), Spring 1994.
unattributed, ‘Poetics of Air,” Orlo, the magazine of art and environment, Portland, OR. Winter 2008.
Updike, Robin, "Take the Art to the Ballgame," Seattle Times, Oct. 25, 1998.
Updike, Robin, “Images of summer, families,“ Seattle Times, July 22, 1999.
Vernzemnieks, Inara, ‘Inside/Outside,” The Oregonian, June 22, 2007.
Voves, Ed "Revolutionary revelations," Philadelphia Daily News, Feb 14, 1995.
Weinstein, Joel, "No telling these books by covers," Oregonian, Dec. 14, 1993.
Weston, Gavin, “HorseHead International,” London Sunday Times, Ireland, Sept. 12, 1999.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Allan, Lois, "Contemporary Art in the Northwest," University of Toronto Press, 1995.
Lessick, Helen with Brian Wallace, “Waterline Structural Expressionism, Seattle, WA. 2000.
Vogler, Nicholas, “Contemporary Artists Books,” University of California Press, 1999.
BOARDS, COMMITTEES and COMMUNITY SERVICE
2008: Juror, ‘Zone 5 in the City,’ site-related environmental art projects, Arroyo Arts, Los Angeles, CA.
2007: Juror, Commission for Downtown Civic Space, Public Art Program, City of Phoenix, AZ.
2005: Juror, Promenade Public Art commission, Santa Monica Arts Commission, Santa Monica, CA.
2004 - present: Silver Lake Parks and Open Space Committee, Los Angeles, CA.
2003: Juror, Main Street Promenade Public Art Commission, City of Ventura, CA.
1995 - 2002: Art Committee, Washington State Convention and Trade Center, Seattle, WA.
1991 – 2000: Advisory Board, Socrates Sculpture Park, New York, NY.
1997: Special Projects Jury, Seattle Arts Commission, Seattle, WA.
1995: Residency Program Jury, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle, WA.
1987-92: Artist in Residence, Hoyt Arboretum, Portland, OR
LANGUAGES
Spanish, speak, read and write; French: read and comprehend
BIOGRAPHICAL
Helen Lessick was born in Philadelphia, PA. Educated in the American west, she has participated in art projects and artists’ communities in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Reno and across Europe. She currently maintains studios in Houston and Los Angeles.