Artist Statement

My drawings explore methods for breeding urban environments using organic models – multicellular organisms’ reproductive and propulsion strategies, pollination methods employed by plants, or stellar birth. My source materials include urban planning, microbiology and astronomy, and I consider all three to be related phenomena unfolding at different scales. The resulting images depict cities grown organically, without an “urban planner” as protagonist, based on environmental conditions and observing "natural" rules that are internally consistent - a closed set describing the universe they inhabit.

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Education

1994

Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
MFA, Sculpture

1990

Washington University School of Fine Art, St. Louis, MO
BFA, Sculpture

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Awards & Honors

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Residencies

2004

LMCC Downtown Residency Program, Equitable Building

1991

Residency, Studios Midwest, Galesburg, IL

Bibliography

2016

Wolgamott, L. Kent, "No Figures, Graphite in a 'Schema' at NWU", Lincoln Journal Star, 12/4/2016

Fallon, Roberta “Joyful Space”, the Art Blog, 4/17/2016

Haber, John “The Infrastructure of Abstract Art”, haberarts, 2/12/2016

2015

Newhall, Edith “Woodmere Annual”, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/12/2015

2014

Feige, Jacob "Drawing Now", Title Magazine, 10/20/2014

2013

Newhouse, Sam "Cities without size, cities without color - Urban Environments at Grizzly Grizzly", the Art Blog, 9/24/2013

Fallon, Roberta "First Friday Flash", the Art Blog, 9/12/2013

Newhouse, Sam "A studio visit with Colleen Keefe", the Art Blog, 9/6/2013

Yaniv, Etty "Self-Guided Gallery Tour of BOS Created by Arts in Bushwick Blog", Bushwick Daily, 5/29/2013

Griffin, Donovan "Breadboard Discovers the Art of the Petri Dish", InLiquid Art+Design, 5/3/2013

2012

Alday, Sean "Authoritative Chairs, Freud and Zooplankton: Art Reviews", Bushwick Daily, 9/26/2012

Meyer, Ben "Woodmere’s 71st Annual Juried Exhibition", the Art Blog, 8/16/2012

Donohoe, Victoria "A Quartet Show Artistry in Abington", The Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/1/2012

Newhall, Edith "Here Comes Summer", The Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/20/2012

Schwartz, Chip "Drawing Organics – Colleen Keefe, Sarah Laing and Alana Bograd at Rebekah Templeton", the Art Blog, 5/18/2012

Sexton, Courtney "Critical Mass: CURATOR – Organon at Rebekah Templeton", CityPaper, 5/4/2012

2011

Socks-Studio Profile, 12/5/2011

Davis, Julie, PhillyIST Interview, PhillyIST, 1/12/2011

2004

Myers, Holly "The Value of Having Some Space, LA Times, 12/24/2004

Moody, Tom "Paradise/Paradox", Sculpture Magazine, March 2004

2001

Cotter, Holland "Colleen Keefe at ROME Arts", New York Times Art In Review, 12/3/2001

Levin, Kim "(un)Planned", Recommended Pick, Village Voice, 1/2001

Dault, Gary Michael "Adrian Blackwell, Colleen Keefe, Rupen at Project" Toronto Globe and Mail, 1/20/2001

Fallon, Roberta "Worlds of Possibility" Philadelphia Weekly, 2/23/2000

1999

Sozanski, Edward J. "Dream Gardens" The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/25/2000

Youens, Rachel "Utopia" Cover Magazine, 1999

1998

Smith, Roberta "Brooklyn Haven for Art Heats Up" New York Times, 11/6/1998

Dalton, Jennifer "Shake" Review Magazine, 6/15/1998

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Publications

Writing with Jacque Liu
Artists' Commerce, Title Magazine and Citywide Philly

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Professional Experience

2009-present

Co-Director, Mount Airy Contemporary Artists Space, Philadelphia, PA

2016

Visiting Artist, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, NE

Speaker, T3 Lectures at Excite Center, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

2015

Speaker, "Risk and Failure: Stepping into the Art World", Arcadia University, Glenside, PA

Juror, Arcadia Student Biennial, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA

2010

Juror, Annual February Benefit, Highwire Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1995-1998, and 2001

Co-Director, 57 Hope Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

1998

Curator, (for 57 Hope), Local Spaces, Abrons Art Center

1996

“The Williamsburg Gallery Scene.” Panel with Mike Ballou (Four Walls), Laura Parnes and Eric Heist (Momenta Art), Joe Ahmrein (Pierogi 2000), and Colleen Keefe (57 Hope). Artists Talk On Art, Organized by Jane Harris

Exhibitions

Solo

2019

Speer Gallery, Bryn Mawr, PA

2018

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson / Design Center, Philadelphia, PA

2016‍

Methods for Breeding Urban Systems, Robert Henry Contemporary, Brooklyn, NY

2012‍

Structural Biology, Robert Henry Contemporary, Brooklyn, NY

Abington Art Center, Jenkintown, PA

2010

RHV Fine Art, Brooklyn, NY

2001

ROME Arts, Brooklyn, NY

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Group

2020

Group Exhibition, myCIO, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Michael Mergen

2019‍

The Chalkboard Chronicles, ArtYard, Frenchtown, NJ

Andrea Wohl Keefe and Colleen Keefe, Marlin Gallery, Camden, NJ

2017‍

Architectonic Shift, InLiquid at Park Towne Place, Philadelphia, PA

Local Engagement, Awbury Arboretum, Philadelphia, PA

2016‍

Schema: Works on Paper - Colleen Keefe, Robert Lansden, Amy Ruffo, Samantha Mitchell and Matt Sontheimer, Elder Gallery, Lincoln, NE

Colleen Keefe, Derek Lerner and Mike Childs, Robert Henry Contemporary, PULSE MIAMI

Ontology of Influence: Ron Leax and Alumni Exhibition, Des Lee Gallery, St. Louis, MO

2015‍

Woodmere Annual, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA

Summer: Works on Paper, Pagus Gallery, Norristown, PA

Andrea Wohl Keefe and Colleen Keefe, Allens Lane Art Center, Philadelphia, PA

2014‍

Drawing Now Philadelphia 2014, ArtSpace Liberti, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Sabina Tichindeleanu; Asst. Curator: Emelie Keim Viss

Married: Colleen Keefe and Andrea Wohl Keefe, Winter Gallery, Lancaster, PA

2013‍

Made In Philly, CFEVA, Philadelphia, PA

Benefit Exhibition for BalletX, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Cellular/Molecular, EKG Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Gaby Heit

Colleen Keefe and Fabio Fernandez/Tom Lauerman, Grizzly Grizzly, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Jacque Liu

2012‍

Aqua Art Miami, Robert Henry Contemporary, Miami, FL

Alana Bograd, Colleen Keefe, Sarah Laing, Rebekah Templeton, Philadelphia, PA

71st Annual Juried Exhibition, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA

2011‍

Affordable Art Fair NY, RHV Fine Art, New York, NY

New Trails /// Summer 2011, Adaptation Art/CAi, Philadelphia, PA

Stimuli • Stimulus, 110 Church Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2007‍

Overlapped Sensibility, Sabina Lee Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

The Kindness of Strangers, The Helm Gallery, Tacoma, WA

2006‍

Art of the Neighborhood 2, Tastes Like Chicken, Brooklyn, NY

Out of the Blue, Abington Arts Center, Jenkintown, PA

Critical Mass, Kentler Int'l Drawing Space, Brooklyn, NY
(catalogue)

2005‍

Within Limits, Sabina Lee Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

Affordable Art Fair, Sabina Lee Gallery, New York, NY

ArtLA, Sabina Lee Galllery, Los Angeles, CA

2004‍

House Bound, Sabina Lee Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

Freehand, Marvelli Lab, Brooklyn, NY

Plane and Elevation, Art in General, New York, NY

All About Drawing, Eisentrager-Howard Gallery, Lincoln, NE

Colleen Keefe and Aaron Wexler, P.S. 122 Gallery, New York, NY

2003‍

Far Away, Up Close, ROME Arts, Brooklyn, NY

Paradise/Paradox, Castle Gallery, New Rochelle, NY
(catalogue)

Daniel Carello and Colleen Keefe, ROME Arts, Brooklyn, NY

2002

The Brewster Project, Brewster, NY

Never-Never Land, Stedman Gallery, Camden, NJ

2001‍

Never-Never Land, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tampa, FL

Archipod, Star 67, Brooklyn, NY

2001 Benefit Raffle, Momenta, Brooklyn, NY

(un)Planned, Walden, New York, NY

forms, Project, Toronto Ontario, Canada

2000‍

Never-Never Land, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

Meat Market Art Fair, White Columns, New York, NY

Utopiaries, Temple Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Curator: Kevin Melchionne

Me & My Friends, 57hope, Brooklyn, NY

Urban Landscapes, www.artnet.com

Transporter, About Studio, Bangkok, Thailand
Curators: Laurie DeChiara and Naomi Urabe
(catalogue)

A Collision of Cool, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI

1999‍

ArchiTORTURE, White Columns, New York, NY

Where’s Walden, Walden, New York, NY

Outer Boroughs, White Columns, New York, NY

NATO Conference Exhibition, NATOarts, Virginia Beach, VA

Group Text, Visual-Text Art Venue
(Online)

Netherland NY, TZ’Art, New York, NY
Collaboration with Het Observatorium

Stirring Space: Site Installations at the Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

1998‍

Utopia, Roebling Hall, Brooklyn, NY

The Art Exchange Show, DeChiara-Stewart Gallery, New York, NY

Shake: An Exhibition of Snow Domes, P.S.122, New York, NY

1997‍

The Art Exchange Show, 57 Hope, Brooklyn, NY