Cynthia M. Kukla
1001 Broadmoor Drive, Bloomington, Il. 61704-6109
309-661-2537 (residence) 309-438-8074 (work)

ABBREVIATED VITA
cynthiakukla@yahoo.com
www.cfa.ilstu.edu/cmkukla

EDUCATION
1983     MFA, Painting, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
1973     BFA, Painting, School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2004-present     Professor of Art, Illinois State University.
1993-2003     Associate Professor of Art, Illinois State University.
1983-95       Associate Professor of Art, Northern Kentucky University.

SELECTED HONORS AND AWARDS

2007     Speaker, five-day international printmaking conference “Impact~Kontakt” Tallinn, Estonia.

2006-7   Visiting Professor, fall, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Recipient, one-year sabbatical to study collections/sites in the Mediterranean for new paintings.

2006    Inducted Watercolor Honor Society of America.

2005     Recipient, Graduate Office Grant for panel participation, five-day international printmaking conference "Impact~Kontakt" Berlin, Germany, Poznan, Poland. 

2005     Recipient, Artist residency at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Sweetbriar, Va.

2004     Invited keynote speaker, three-day symposium for exhibition "Coming of Age in Ancient Greece," Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH.

2003     Received residency at the Hungarian Multicultural Center, Balatonfured, Hungary and Greater Cincinnati Foundation Grant for full residency at the Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT.

1994-03   Received Large Grants, Illinois State University for continued development of lost wax bronzes and assemblage sculpture (1994, 1997, 2003.)

2002       Commission by invitation to create five paintings to represent each of five collections for inauguration of Spurlock Museum of World Culture, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

1999-00   One-year sabbatical to continue Relinquishing History Series and expand web site "Lost Art techniques in the Postmodern Era."  www.orat.ilstu.edu/LostArt

1984-00   Listed in World"s Who"s Who of Women, Who"s Who in the Midwest, Who"s Who of American Women. (most listings since the 1980"s)

1998     Received International Study Grant to Taiwan, Rotary International, to represent Central Illinois to present American educational system to Asian educators and business leaders.

1997-99   Received Individual Faculty Research Grant, Illinois State University for research web site: "Lost Art" (1997, 1998, 1999.)

1995     Received grant for Mapping a New Millennium, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN. to create a collaborative installation.

1993     Selected as Lecturer, Watercolor Painting in Ireland  course, All Hallows College, Dublin Ireland, Cooperative Center for Study in Britain, regional 20 university studies abroad consortium.

1991     Finalist, City and County of Honolulu Art in Public Places.  Created wrought iron gates design for Chinatown building. Project frozen due to budget cuts.

1990-91   Received one-year Sabbatical Grant, Summer Research Fellowship in bronze casting, Project Grant and International Studies Travel Grant as Visiting Artist in Geneva, Switzerland from Northern Kentucky University.

1990, 87     Received Kentucky Foundation for Women Individual Artist Grant.

1988, 86   Received Studio Midwest Artist"s Residency, Galesburg, IL. and Millay Colony Artists Residency, Austerlitz, N.Y.

1987     Received Northern Kentucky University Project Grant  for illuminating under Donald Jackson, Royal Society of Scribes and Illuminators /gilding under Paul Levy, Upbrook Studios.

1987, 85   Selected as Lecturer, Watercolor Painting in London course, University of London, first  fine arts course approved by the Cooperative Center for Study in Britain.

1985     Received Provost"s Matching Grant for research on university studio curriculum and contemporary art, Fine Arts Academies of Krakow and Warsaw, Poland.

1982-3   Received Vilas Graduate Fellow, Schramm Foundation Grant, Roper Award Grant, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

1968-73   Received Full Scholarships, four years, Art Institute of Chicago.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Abbreviated List of One-Person Shows (over 50 solo exhibitions)
2007 Carteaux and Leslie Gallery, cincinnati, OH.
2005   Contempoarary Art Center of Peoria,  Peoria, Il.
2002   Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH.
2000   University ofIllinois, Springfield, IL.
1999   Illinois Central College, East Peoria, IL. Reviewed.
1998   Constance Lindholm Gallery, Milwaukee, WI. Reviewed.
1997   Benedictine University, Lisle, IL.
1996   Kortman Center for Design, Rockford, IL. Reviewed.
1995   Chautauqua Art Center, Chautauqua, NY. Reviewed.
1992   Kent State University, Canton, OH. Reviewed
1991   Market Street Gallery, Rockford, IL. Reviewed.
1990   Rosewood Art Center, Dayton, OH. Reviewed.
1987   Liberty Gallery, Louisville, KY. Reviewed.
1987   Headley-Whitney Museum, Lexington, KY. Reviewed.
1986   Cincinnati Commission on the Arts, Cincinnati, OH. Reviewed.
1985   Armory Art Gallery, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. Reviewed.
1982   University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, Menasha, WI. Reviewed.

Abbreviated Listing of Group and Invitational Shows (over 250 group shows)
2006    Rockford Art Museum, 16th Midwest Regional Art Exhibition, Rockford, Illinois.

2006    Springfield Art Museum, Watercolor USA 2006, Springfield, MO.

2006    Lakeview Art Museum, Peoria, IL. In the Manner of Picasso, Kristen McKinsey, Curator.

2005    Bloomingdale Art Museum Strictly Drawing, national Art Institute alumni drawing survey. Reviewed. Featured in article: “Drawing is the Foundation,” Annual Drawing Issue, American Artist.

2006, 04, 95, 93    Arrowmont Center for Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN. Annual Faculty Exhibition.

2004    Vizivarosi Gallery, Budapest, Hungary, selected group exhibition curated by Beata Szechy, Founder/Director, Hungarian Multicultural Council.

2002    Lakeview Art Museum, Peoria, IL. Inspired in Illinois, Kristen McKinsey, Museum Curator. Reviewed.

2000    Riverfront Peoria Art Center, Peoria, IL. and Prairie Art Center, Schaumburg, IL. Mentor and Muse, five-person show I curated. Reviewed.

1999   Palace of Art, Budapest, Hungary, FaXimille &ndash:  Fax Action at the End of the Millennium.

1998    Fort Sztuki Association, Krakow, Poland, Litera Slowo Zdanie, (Letter Word Sentence) international invitational exhibition. Reviewed.

1995    Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL. Illinois Art Faculty:  A Statewide Survey, curated by Scott Sneider. Reviewed.

1995    University Art Museum, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. A Tenth Anniversary Selection of Visual Artists. Reviewed.

1995    Eagle Gallery, Murray State University, Murray, KY. Ten Years of Change: Selected Artists:  Recipients of the Kentucky Foundation for Women Grants.

1993    Kharkov Art Museum, Kharkov, Ukraine, Cincinnati Artists Exhibition of Works on Paper.

1993    Liberty Gallery, Louisville, KY. Heavy Metal, survey of regional sculptors curated by Jacque Parsley.  Catalog. Reviewed.

1992    Canton Art Institute, Canton, OH. Discovery / Rediscovery, curated survey of work addressing impact of Columbus' discovery of America. Reviewed.

1991    Museum Center at Union Terminal, Cincinnati, OH. Multiculturalism:  Evolution and Celebration, survey including Golub, Burden, Nauman, Twombley, curated by Daniel Brown. Reviewed.

1990    Grand European National Center of Arts and Letters, Nationale des Artes 1990, Nice, France.

1989    American EmbassyQuito, Ecuador and Museum of the Casa de la Cultura, Cuenca, Ecuador, Fifty Painters, by invitation from director of the Kentucky Arts Council.

1989    Tangeman Gallery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.  Preliminary Drawings for Larger Works, surveying architects, sculptors, painters who work on a large scale. Reviewed.

1987-89     University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, Fact, Fiction, Fantasy:  Recent Narrative Art in the Southeast, two-year traveling exhibition. Catalog. Reviewed.

1987    Fine Arts Academy of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland, Contemporary American Artists Works on Paper, international exchange exhibit.

1987    Art Academy of Cincinnati Chidlaw Gallery, Cincinnati, OH. Celebrate Cincinnati Painters, special curated Bicentennial exhibit. Catalog. Reviewed.

1987    Center for Contemporary Art, University of Lexington, Lexington, KY. Regional Survey of New Expressionist Art. Reviewed.

1987    Atrium Gallery, Indianapolis, IN. New Art Examined, survey of emerging artists. Reviewed.

1986    Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO.  Watercolor USA 1986: The Monumental Image, Twenty-fifth Anniversary Invitational, including Pearlstein, Estes. Catalog. Reviewed.

1985    Art Academy of Cincinnati Chidlaw Gallery, Cincinnati, OH. Tri-state Drawing Survey. Reviewed.

1984    Cincinnati Arts Consortium, Cincinnati, OH. Arts Consortium Invitational.

1983    Laguna Beach Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA. National Watercolor Society Sixty-Second Annual Exhibition.  Work also selected for twelve-month traveling exhibit. Catalog. Reviewed.

1983    Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO. Watercolor USA 1983. Catalog. Reviewed.

1982    Milwaukee Art Center, Milwaukee, WI. Wisconsin Trends '82. Reviewed.

1981    Milwaukee Art Center, Milwaukee, WI. Survey:  Wisconsin Artists. Reviewed.       

1980    Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO. Watercolor USA 1980. Catalog. Reviewed.

Selected List of Reviews of My Exhibits
S. O. S. Art, Cincinnati, OH. CityBeat, June 29, 2003

Inspired in Illinois, Peoria, IL.  Peoria Journal Star, April 26, 2002.

Mentor and Muse, Peoria, IL. Peoria Journal Star, January 9, 2000.

LAL Summer Open, Lexington, KY.  Lexington Herald-Leader, July 5, 1998.

Solo Show, Kortman Center for Design, Rockford IL. RAM Magazine, July 1996 and Rockford Register Star.

Invitational Exhibit of Collage, Champaign, IL. Champaign News Gazette, June 21, 1996.

Two-Person Exhibit, Peoria Art Guild, Peoria, IL. Peoria Journal-Star, Aug. 6, 1995.

Faculty Biennial, Illinois State University, Normal, IL. New Art Examiner, March 1994.

Heavy Metal, curated annual exhibition, Liberty Gallery, Louisville, KY. Louisville Courier-Journal, Nov. 21, LEO Journal, November 1993.

Solo Exhibit, Liberty Gallery, Louisville, KY.  Louisville Courier-Journal, Aug. 30, LEO Journal, Sept 1992.

Two Person Exhibition:  Kevin Booher and Cynthia Kukla, 314 4th Street Gallery, Cincinnati, OH Dialogue, Mar/Apr Issue, 1992.

Solo Exhibition, Rosewood Art Center, Dayton, OH. Dialogue, Jan/Feb and Dayton Daily News, 1991.

Preliminary Drawings for Larger Works, Tangeman Gallery, University of Cincinnati, OH. Cincinnati Enquirer, Dialogue, and Art Academy News, 1989.

Fact, Fiction and Fantasy:  Recent Narrative Art in the Southeast, two-year traveling exhibit, Atlanta Art     Papers, May/June Issue, 1988.

The Figure Real and Imagined, Alabama State University, Montgomery AL.  Montgomery Alabama      Journal, October 11, 1987.

Flamboyance, Fragmentation and the Sublime Collage Exhibit, Watertower Art Center, Louisville, KY. Louisville Courier-Journal, September 6, 1987.

The Nude National, Wedge Gallery, Rochester, NY.  Rochester Sunday Democrat and Chronicle, August 2, 1987.

Watercolor Invitational, College of Mount St. Joseph, Cincinnati, OH. by Owen Finsden, Cincinnati Enquirer, August 27, 1987.

Regional Survey of New Expressionist Art, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.  Lexington Herald-Leader, April 5, 1987.    

75th Watertower Annual, Watertower Art Center, Louisville, KY.  Louisville Courier Journal, March 29, 1987.

Cynthia Kukla:  Recent Paintings, One Person Exhibition, Headley-Whitney Museum, Lexington, KY. Lexington Herald-Leader, January 11, 1987.

Angel Romance, One Person Exhibition, Cincinnati Commission on the Arts, Cincinnati, OH. Owen Findsen, Cincinnati Enquirer, March 2, 1986.

Watercolor USA 1986, The Monumental Image, Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 26, 1986.

Solo Show, Armory Art Gallery, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. Roanoke Times/World News, Mar. 15, 1985.

Figurative Show, Art Place/Center Gallery, Madison, WI. Capitol Times, August 13,1982.

Selected List of Lectures and Panels (national and regional
2006     Guest Artist: Watercolor Workshop, Arrowmont, Gatlinburg, TN. (Also in 2004,1993, 1995.)

2006     Guest Artist: Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.

2001     Panelist: Creative Agenda:  New Models for Social Change to introduce my web site, Lost Art, College Art Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

1997       Panel Chair, "The Figure at the End of the Millennium," Mid-America College Art Association Annual Conference, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.

1995       Panel Chair: "Go Figure", Mid-America College Art Association Conference, Speaker:  "Let"s Start with the Death of the Figure in the University Curriculum," Indianapolis, IN.

1994       Guest Lecturer: "The Mapplethorp Controversy and Censorship in the Arts," Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL.

1993       Guest Artist Lecture: "The Vigor of Watercolor: A Fresh Perspective," Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati, OH.

1992-3  Conference founding committee member, Daughters of the Revolution: Gender and Ethnicity in Art, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH. Also panel chair:  "How Women Artists Use the Figure."

1991       Guest Lecture: "Hidden Work in British Museums", Women"s Art Club of Cincinnati, OH.

1989       Panel Chair:  "The Role of Lost Art techniques in the Postmodern Era, College Art Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, Ca.    

1988       Guest Lecture: "Images in Polish Contemporary Art", Art Professions Seminar, University of Kentucky-Lexington, Lexington, KY.

1987       Guest Lecture: "Contemporary Art in Poland" to open exhibit of Polish artists from Fine Arts Academy of Warsaw, Poland, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN.

1986       Panel Member: "The Role of Subject Matter in Current Art." Speaker: "An Examination of the Modern Human Condition as Expressed Through Contemporary Visual Arts in Poland", Mid-America college Art Association, Memphis State University, Memphis, TN

1986       Lecture: "Contemporary Art and Artists in Poland", for exhibition of Polish contemporary artists, Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, IN.

1985       Lecture: "Whistler in London", NKU Lecture Series, Cincinnati Art Museum, OH.

1985       Lectures at the Fine Arts Academies in Krakow and Warsaw, Poland, discussing studio arts in American university systems.

PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL
Tallin, Estonia-conference 2007
Venice Biennale, Italy, Documenta 12, Germany—research 2007
Greece, Crete, Turkey-sabbatical research 2006Berlin, Germany, Poznan Poland/conference  2005
Venice Biennale, Italy/research   2003
Hungary/ artists" residency 2003
PrinceEdward Is, Canada /painting 1999      
Taiwan/research 1998
Dublin, Ireland /teaching and Netherlands and Germany/ research  1993
France, Switzerland/grant 1991
Documenta 8, W.Germany/research 1987 
Poland, Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, France/ teaching and grant 1987, 1985.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
College Art Association
Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
McLean County Arts Center, Bloomington, Illinois
National Museum of Women Artists, Washington D.C.
Rotary International