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An artist with strong ties to minimal art, the works Theodora Varnay Jones produces is the phenomena themselves. Their primary significance is optical and sensory. In her three-dimensional pieces she structures layers upon layers to achieve dimensional depth. The deeper levels are observed through the translucent materials used for the upper layers. The play of light upon and within the inherent surfaces is a physical activity as well as the interplay of the layers, and the slight color shifts determined by the angle from which the work is viewed. Tiny units of similar shapes build the graphite and color pencil drawings on paper; their correlation is as important as the function of the layers in the dimensional works. For a more substantial presence these surfaces are mounted on wood support and covered with several coats of acrylic polymer. Varnay Jones’ work relies on abstract art’s pure language derived from geometry and musical compositions. Her perception of art history, our time’s social concerns and psychology are the underpinnings apparent in her compositions of balance, and indifference. As she constructs and draws every detail by hand she has not only full control, but also perhaps most importantly demonstrates the vanishing input of the craft of art making. A significant aspect, as she points out “the details are the forming elements, the carriers of an unexplainable intricacy of personal history and sensitivity.” Formal clarity, investigative depth, meditation on space and the act of seeing emphasize the value of her uncomplicated yet complex works of art in this exhibition. Born and educated in Budapest, Theodora Varnay Jones has lived in San Francisco for over thirty-five years. Her works have been exhibited extensively, nationally, and in Europe and Asia and she has received numerous awards and grants.
Theodora Varnay Jones
San Francisco, CA b. Budapest, Hungary B.F.A., M.F.A. Academy of Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary s o l o e x h i b i t i o n s 2008 Translucent Phenomena, Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA 2007 Structures, Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA Theodora Varnay Jones and Tom Bills, Pacifica Center for the Arts, CA 2005 Galerie Reinfeld, Bremen, G e r m a n y Undercurrents, Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2004 Between, Memorial Union Art Gallery, University of California, Davis, CA with Dee Hibbert-Jones 2003 Dialectica, Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA Gallery Hirawata, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, J a p a n Gallery Naufu, Gifu City, J a p a n 2002 Theodora Varnay Jones and Lee Imonen, Campbell Hall Gallery, Western Oregon University 2001 Transparentia, Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA Galerie Reinfeld, Bremen, G e r m a n y Mixed Media Works, Shasta College Art Gallery, Redding, CA Traces, Palo Alto Art Center, CA with Christel Dillbohner and Mary Ijichi 2000 Kassenarztliche Vereinigung, Bremen, G e r m a n y with Hoh Yin Ping Microcosmos, Invited artist, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Bad Segeberg, G e r m a n y Microcosmos, Kieler Kloster, Kiel, G e r m a n y 1999 Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1998 Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1997 Plaza Gallery, Tokyo, J a p a n 1996 Theodora Varnay Jones, a Survey, Vasarely Museum, Budapest, H u n g a r y 1995 Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA Shirakawa Gallery, Kyoto, J a p a n 1994 Collectors Gallery, The Oakland Museum, CA 1993 Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1992 Theodora Varnay Jones, Concourse Gallery, Bank of America World Headquarters, San Francisco, CA Shirakawa Gallery, Kyoto, J a p a n Chicashige Gallery, Okayama, J a p a n 1991 Collectors Gallery, The Oakland Museum, CA 1990 Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA Art Forum Yanaka, Tokyo, J a p a n Tamura Gallery, Tokyo, J a p a n Gallery 88, Sendai, J a p a n Heian Gallery, Kyoto, J a p a n 1989 Richard Hanson Fine Arts, Fresno, CA 1988 Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, CA with Kazuko Watanabe 1985 Taller Galleria Fort, Cadaques, S p a i n From a Different Perspective, The Art Corridor, Menlo Park, CA with Peter Baczek 1984 Rorick Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1981 Rorick Gallery, San Francisco, CA with Vicki Ann Scuri 1978 Theodora Varnay Jones, Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA
s e l e c t e d g r o u p e x h i b i t i o n s a n d a w a r d s 2008 “Paralell Lines” Works on Paper from Monterey County Collections , Hartnell College Gallery, Salinas, CA 2007 Pillow Talk: Small Comforts in Hard Times, Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Monotype Marathon 2007, ICA Focus Gallery, San Jose, CA 2007 BANZAI/GODZILLA Japanese Influences in America THEN & NOW, SFMOMA Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2006 The First Illusion: The Transitional Object, Palo Alto Art Center, CA International Women’s Exhibition, Schneider Museum of Art, Southern Oregon University, OR Small Works, New York University, NY flow Miami International Art Fair 04/05 Gallery Hirawata, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, J a p a n 2004 The Ceremony of Tea, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA 2003 Approaching Perfection, The Brewery Project, Los Angeles, CA 2do Annual de Grafica Contemporanea, Galeria Nacional, Museo de Los Ninos, San Jose, C o s t a R i c a 2002 Proximity, The Workspace, New York, NY Concerning Paper, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas. TX 2001 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA 99/00 The 9th International Print and Drawing Biennial, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, T a i w a n At the Millennium: Contemporary Paintings from N. CA, Monterey Museum of Art, CA 1999 Earth, Wind, Fire & Water, Grey McGear Modern, Los Angeles, CA Small Works, New York University, NY (Honorary Award) 1997 Museu d’ Art Modern, Taragona, S p a i n 1995 Artists Books, Museo de Arte y Diseno Contemporaneo, San Jose, C o s t a R i c a Kwang-ju International Contemporary Art Festival, Kwang-ju City Museum, K o r e a UC Berkeley Museum at Blackhawk, CA 1994 The Contemporary Tea Bowl, Palo Alto Art Center, CA (Invitational) 1993 NICAF-Yokohama International Contemporary Art Fair, J a p a n 1992 Directions in Bay Area Printmaking: Three Decades, Palo Alto Art Center, CA 1991 Recent Acquisitions, Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Recent Works by California Artists, Takada Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1990 Fitchburg Art Museum, MA 1989 Third Biennial of Prints, Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama, J a p a n 1988 Van Straaten Gallery, Chicago, IL 1987 Abstraction and Minimalism, Don Soker Gallery, San Francisco, CA Recent Acquisitions, Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, The Fine Art Museums of San Francisco 1986 Prints USA, International Tour: Museo Carrilo Gill, M e x I c o D F; America Haus, Berlin, G e r m a n y; Malmo Konsthall, S w e d e n JPA-CSP Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, J a p a n 62nd Annual International, The Print Club, Philadelphia, PA (Barbara and Henry Miller Award) Pacific Prints, Palo Alto, CA (Second Prize) 1985 Small Graphic Forms, 4th International, Lodz, P o l a n d The Hanga Annual, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, J a p a n 13th Annual Print Exhibition, The Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA (Purchase Award) National Print and Drawing Exhibition, Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA (Purchase Award) Cabo Frio International Print Biennial, Traveling Exhibition: Universitade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, B r a z i l Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Campinas, Sao Paulo, B r a z i l (Honorary Award) 1984 Prints USA, International Tour: World Print Gallery, San Francisco, CA; National Museum, R e p u b l i c o f S i n g a p o r e; National Gallery, Bangkok, T h a i l a n d Mid America Biennial, Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, KY (Purchase Award) International Exhibition of Prints, Kanagawa Prefectural Gallery, J a p a n Northern California Regional Print Competition, Palo Alto, CA (First Prize)
1983 19th Bradley National, Bradley University, Peoria, IL California Works 83, Sacramento, CA (First Prize) 59th Annual International, The Print Club, Philadelphia, PA (A/N/W Prize) Mini Print International, Taller Galleria Fort, S p a i n (Pasqual Fort Award) 1982 National Print Exhibition, Trenton State Collage, NJ (Purchase Award) Prints USA, Pratt Graphics Center, New York, NY (Purchase Award Pacific States Printmakers, University of Hawaii at Hilo, H a w a i i (Purchase Award) National Print and Drawing Annual, Hunterdon Art Center, NJ Print and Drawing Annual, University of North Dakota, ND National Print Exhibition, State University of New York at Potsdam National Print and Drawing Exhibition, Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA (Purchase Award) Contemporary California Prints, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA 1981 California Printmaking, Artlink, FT. Wayne, IN (Invitational) International Miniature Print Exhibition, Pratt Graphics Center, New York, NY Collectors Gallery, The Oakland Museum, CA California Works ’81, Sacramento, CA (Third Prize) 1980 Book of Hours, Museo de Arte E Historia, M e x i c o Ideas and Images, California State University, Hayward, CA 1979 Marshall-Myers Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1978 Conjunct North-South, Mills College Art Gallery, Oakland, CA 1977 Prints in Series, Richmond Art Center, CA 1976 Van Doren Gallery, San Francisco, CA San Francisco Art Commission Gallery, CA (Purchase Award)
a d d i t i o n a l a w a r d s, h o n o r s a n d g r a n t s 1998/99 California Arts Council, Fellowship Grant Award 1996 Publication, Zyzzyv a Summer issue, Volume XII, No2 1995 Artist in Residence, Kyoto Seika University, J a p a n 1992 Art Matters Inc. Fellowship Support Grant SFMOMA SECA Award finalist 1988 Jerome Foundation Fellowship Award, KALA Art Institute, Berkeley, CA 1986 Print Publication, The Achenbach Graphic Arts Council, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, CA 1985 Print Publication, Adogi, Barcelona, S p a i n 1984 KQED presents Bay Area Artists (calendar)
r e l a t e d e x p e r i e n c e, t e a c h i n g 2008 Slide Lecture, Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA 2007/08 Lecturer, KALA Art Institute, Berkeley, CA 2006; 2004; 2000 Guest Curator Materialism, Summer Group Show, Reflections in Retrospect Don Soker Gallery 2006 Juror, “Passages” Memorial Union Art Gallery, UC Davis 2004 Slide Lecture, UC Davis 2003 Panelist, California Arts Council’s Artist Fellowship 2002 Visiting Lecturer, UC Davis 2001 Side Lecture, Shasta College, Redding, CA 1995 Slide Lecture, Kyoto Seika University, Kyoto, J a p a n 1994 Juror, Substance and Shadow: Our place in Nature California Society of Printmakers 1990 Guest Lecturer, Kyoto Seika University, J a p a n 1989 Guest Lecturer, Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA 1985 Juror, Mini Print International, Cadaques, Spain
s e l e c t e d p u b l i c c o l l e c t i o n s
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, CA Morgan and Betty Flagg Collection, CA The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, CA Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA Museum of Contemporary Art, San Jose, C o s t a R i c a Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA The Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA San Francisco Art Commission, CA Bank America Corporation Art Collection, San Francisco, CA Pratt Graphics Center, New York, NY Kyoto Seika University, Kyoto, J a p a n Kintetsu, Nara, J a p a n Mellon Financial Corporate Art Collection, Pittsburgh, PA Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, CA University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK University of Hawaii, Hilo, H a w a i i Trenton State College, Trenton, NJ Equitable Life Insurance Co., Chicago, IL Swiss Bank Corporation Kaiser Permanente, CA New Canaan Library Permanent Collection, CT AT&T Permanent Collection
b i b l i o g r a p h y Spring Exhibits Invite Appreciation for Obsession Museum gathers Art that Challenges, Felicia Cousart Matlosz, Fresno Bee 3.20.2008 Theodora Varnay Jones and Tom Bills at Sanchez Art Center, Dewitt Cheng, Art Ltd. May, 2007 Theodora Varnay Jones, Structures, Mary Farmer, The Steinberg Farmer Report 11.2.07 Three New Exhibitions, Pacifica Tribune 2.28.2007 Theodora Varnay Jones at Don Soker Gallery, Frank Cebulski, Artweek 02.2006 Konfigurationen von Fundstucken Varnay Jones in der Galerie Reinfeld, Stefanie Beckroge, Weser Kurier 6.3.2005 Bremen, Germany The Moments between Moments, Linda Rentner, The Davis Enterprise12.2.2004 Between, Robin Hill, Catalog Essay 2004 Between, Heather M. Mikolaj, Catalog Essay 2004 Modern Inconveniences, Kathy Dello Stritto, Dallas Art Review 3.2002 Proximity, Hearne Pardee, Catalog Essay 2002 Unter der Oberflache die reine Leere, Theodora Varnay Jones stellt in der Galerie Reinfeld Arbeiten der letzten funf Jahre aus, Inken Steen, Weser Kurier 5.31.2001 Bremen, Germany Vestiges of the Unconscious, Laura Relley, Palo Alto Weekly 5.18.2001 Wenn Teebeutel zu Baumen werden, Bastian Modrow, Segeberger Nachrichten 5.7.2000 Germany Altbekanntes aus neuer Sicht, Norderstedter Zeitung(Hamburger Abendblatt) 8. /9/ Juli. 2000 Hamburg, Germany Measured Beauty, Thoughts on Theodora Varnay Jones’ Exhibition, Istvan Antal, Balkon 9.1996 Budapest, Hungary Works in Various Media, Carole Ann Klonarides, Catalog Essay 1996 Theodora Varnay Jones, Signe Mayfield, Catalog Essay 1993 Theodora Varnay Jones, Sanyo News 10.18.1992 Okayama City, Japan Theodora Varnay Jones, Kawahou News 6.19.1990 Sendai, Japan Interview, Miyagi Prefecture T V 6.21.1990 Sendai, Japan A Legacy for the Future, Terri Cohn, Artweek 8.8.1987 Recent Acquisitions, Karin Breuer, World Print Courier, Spring, 1987 Profile, Bay Area Printmakers, Tom Cevernak, Visual Dialog, Spring, 1978 Vision and Idea at the Richmond Art Center, Paul Allman, The Oakland Tribune 3.3.1978
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