Valerie S. Mann

Artist's Statement

   At any given time I have several different bodies of work going in my studio – it's a way of working that opens doors to more ideas for me. I work in 2-D, 3-D and relief methods and I use the materials that best help me explore and communicate the idea at the time. I consider this way of working as a translation of ideas from media to media.

   Much like translating a language, an idea can change slightly - or a great deal - when expressed in a different language/media. Those changes that happen through the translation – the ones that make me hand over control to the process and blur the line between what I'm making happen and what the material demands - are the Zen moments when a piece of art can take on a life of its own.

   Pattern, texture,color, line and shadow interest me, as well as, pushing the boundaries of possibility with materials. Humor definitely has a role in my work.   Sometimes I express humor in my combination of materials, colors, concept or title.  After all, it is fun to make art - and to be able to approach the world with balance and humor is a necessity.

Education

MFA, Sculpture, Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 1989-91

BFA, Painting, University of Illinois

Champaign-Urbana, IL 1985-89

Selected Exhibitions

2012

Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Regional Biennial Sculpture Exh.

Saginaw, MI  Honorable Mention

Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Michigan Fine Arts Competition

Birmingham, MI

Anton Art Center, Annual All-Michigan XXXVIII

Mt. Clemens, MI

2011 WSG Gallery, Evening Gowns for the Midwestern Woman (solo)

Ann Arbor, MI

Community House, Our Town

Birmingham, MI Best of Show

2010 Kunsthalle Tubingen, WSG Artists in Tubingen

Tubingen, Germany

Muskegon Community College, Self/Awareness (solo)

Muskegon, MI

WSG Gallery

Ann Arbor, MI

2009 WSG Gallery, Fortunes and Other Work (solo)

Ann Arbor, MI

Judith Racht Gallery, Dee -Lightful

Harbert, MI

Paint Creek Center for the Arts

Rochester, MI

Signature Gallery

Kalamazoo, MI (collaborative work with Barbara Yerace)

2008 Side Door Gallery, Fortunes (solo)

Dexter, MI

Rosewood Arts Centre Gallery, HxWxD

Kettering, OH

Downriver Council for the Arts, Collaborative Constructions

Taylor, MI(collaborative work w/Barbara Yerace)

2007 212 Arts Center, Practice (solo)

Saline, MI

Rosewood Arts Centre Gallery, HxWxD

Kettering, OH award of merit

WSG Gallery, 12x12

Ann Arbor, MI

Smart Shop, Glass Month

Kalamazoo, MI (collaborative work w/Barbara Yerace)

2006 Lenawee Council for Visual Arts, ReCYCLE

Adrian, MI

Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Michigan Fine Arts Competition

Birmingham, MI

2005 Fitton Center for the Arts, The Domestic Arts (solo)

Hamilton, OH

Buckham Gallery, Functionally Functional, (featured show)

Flint, MI

2004 University of Michigan, Pierpont Commons (solo)

Ann Arbor, MI

Concordia University, Glass Connections, 2-person show w/Barbara Yerace(2004, cont'd)

Ann Arbor, MI

The Community House, Our Town

Birmingham, MI juror's award

Downriver Council for the Arts, 1x2: Artists Collaborate, w/Barbara Yerace

Taylor, MI

2003 South Haven Center for the Arts (solo)

South Haven, MI

Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Michigan Fine Arts Competition

Birmingham, MI

Oakland County Office of Arts, Culture & Film, Glass Art 2003, w/ Barbara Yerace

Pontiac, MI first place

2002 Ella Sharp Museum, Women in Glass, collaborative w/ Barbara Yerace

Jackson, MI

University of Michigan, Gifts of Art, collaborative w/Barbara Yerace

Ann Arbor, MI

The Community House, Our Town, collaborative w/Barbara Yerace

Birmingham, MI best of show

2001 Dublin Arts Council, Translations in Texture (two-person)

Dublin, OH

Coconino Center for the Arts, ArtCultureNature

Flagstaff, AZ

2000 Ann Arbor District Library, Letters, Quilts and Kids (solo)

Ann Arbor, MI

Galerie Blu, Recent Works

Pontiac, MI

1999 Indiana State University, Passages (two-person)

Terre Haute, IN

1998 McHenry County College (solo)

Crystal Lake, IL

South Bend Regional Mus. Of Art, Midwest Sculpture Exhibition

South Bend, IN merit award, purchase award

Detroit Arists Market, Undefining Sculpture

Detroit, MI

1997 Paint Creek Center for the Arts, MotherSculptin'Wifeypoo (solo)

Rochester, MI

Jay County Arts Council, Woman's Work (solo)

Portland, IN

Greater Lafayette Museum of Art, Rural Routes (three-person)

Lafayette, IN

Ann Arbor Art Center, Just Corn (two-person)

Ann Arbor, MI

1996 Matrix Gallery, Landmarks (solo)

Ann Arbor, MI

Paint Creek Center for the Arts, 10th Annual Celebrate Michigan Artists

Rochester, MI best of show

A.R.C. Gallery, A.R.C. Regional

Chicago, IL

Fernwood Botanic Garden, Outdoor Sculpture Competition

Niles, MI

1995 A.R.C. Gallery, Valerie Mann, Farm Girl

Chicago, IL

Fernwood Botanic Garden, Outdoor Sculpture Invitational (1995 cont'd)

Niles, MI

ACME Art Co. (two person)

Columbus, OH

1994 Michigan Heart and Vascular Institute (solo

Ypsilanti, MI

Detroit Artists Market, FORE!, collaborative mini-golf hole w/Cherna Bednarsh

Detroit, MI

1993 Artemisia Gallery (solo)

Chicago, IL

Lansing Art Gallery, Michigan All Media

Lansing, MI outstanding 3D award

1992 St. Xavier University Gallery, Continuum (solo)

Chicago, IL

University of Wyoming, Form and Object (traveling exhibit)

Laramie, WY

Gallery Lambton, Look 92

Sarnia, ONTARIO

1991 Florida State University, Florida National

Tallahassee, FL

1990 I.M. Pei's City Hall, Common Ground: New Directions

Dallas, TX

1989 South Bend Regional Museum of Art, Her Art Show

South Bend, IN best of show

Gallery Representation

WSG Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI

Side Door Gallery, Dexter, MI

Collections

Parkview Hospital, Ft. Wayne, IN

Muskegon Community College

Grosse Pointe Public Library

Saline District Library

South Bend Regional Museum of Art

Purdue University, Northwest

numerous private collections

Teaching and Organizational Experience

Art Instructor, COPE, alternative ed high school program, Ypsilanti, MI 2008, 2010-now

Coordinator, Circle of Art, fund-raiser for Food Gatherers, Saline, MI 2004-now

Juror, Adrian College, Muskegon Community College, Lenawee Council for Visual Arts

Visiting Artist, Honey Creek Community School, Ann Arbor, MI 2006 – now

Board Member, Saline Men's Waterpolo,, Saline, MI, 2011 - now

Adjunct Instructor, sculpture, Adrian College, Adrian, MI 2005-08

Coordinator, Artists Among Us lecture series and book acquisition project, Saline Dist. Lib. 96-2007

Black History Month Lecture Series, Saline Dist. Lib. 2000-07

Visiting Artist, Saline Alternative Ed. High School, Saline, MI, 2001-02 academic year, Indiana State

University 1/99

Committee Member, Reproductive Health Advisory Committee, Saline Schools 2001-07

Art Instructor, Oak Trails Montessori, Ann Arbor, MI 1992-94, 1998

Education Director, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, MI 1993-4

Teaching and Research Assistant, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 1990-1

Gallery Intern, Zolla Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL 1988