Artist Statement

Rick Minard was born and raised in North Western Pennsylvania and currently lives in Bradford, PA.  He earned an Associate’s Degree in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh in 1988.  He went on to earn his Bachelors of Fine Art Degree in Painting from Clarion University in 1997.  In 2010 he received his Master of Fine Arts Degree from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). (Click here for his MFA Thesis.)

While he has always maintained a private fine art studio in his home, he has also worked as a graphic artist.  In 2006, he came upon the opportunity to teach in the evening at an area creative arts center, which renewed an interest in teaching.  He went on to teach adult education art courses at a local community college and then decided he wanted to pursue his master’s degree.  Since earning his MFA he has taught courses at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Jamestown Community College and St. Bonaventure University.

Rick works mainly in the abstract and his paintings have been figurative as well as non representational.  During his time at RIT, his research led him to find ways to integrate his commercial graphic design skills with his love of drawing and painting.  He also studied non-toxic printmaking, digital transfer printmaking as well as serigraphy.

But what he is known for are his unique woven paintings.

This process began in his final days at Clarion University as he was working on a final project in a weaving class.  The final assignment was to weave anything he wanted. Being a painter, he chose to cut up two of his figure paintings and weave them together. Over the years he has been accepted into numerous juried shows and has won such awards such as Best of Show and People’s Choice.


SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
​
 2019    Light and Shadow  KOA Speer Gallery, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Bradford, PA.  Solo
            exhibition of new paintings exhibited as part of annual series of featured artists.

2018    Light and Shadow  Crary Art Gallery, Warren, PA.  New paintings exhibited as part of annual series of
            featured artists.
​
2017     Woven Patterns  Solo exhibition organized by the McKean County Arts Council. Landmark Cafe,
             Bradford, PA


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS


2017    Celebrate Color & Light  National juried exhibit. Frederick Gallery at the Fredericksburg Center for the
             Creative Arts. Fredericksburg, VA.

            Light and Shadow national juried exhibit. Mildred M. Cox Gallery at William Woods  University,
             Fulton, MO

            Let There Be Art  group exhibition organized by the McKean County Arts Council. Landmark Cafe,
             Bradford, PA

2016   Penn Brad Oil Museum’s Art Show and Benefit Auction, Bradford, PA
 
2015   PA Wilds Invitational, Crary Art Gallery, Warren, PA.  
 
           Faculty and Staff Exhibition, KOA Art Gallery,  University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

2014   Working Artists, University Gallery, Carlson Library, Clarion University, Clarion, PA; invitational alumni  
            and faculty exhibition coordinated by Melissa Kuntz.

           Member Show 2014, Center Gallery, Jamestown Community College and Olean Public Library, Olean,  
           NY; juried by Sharon McConnell, Gallery Director, Fosdick-Nelson Gallery at Alfred
           University and Sara Zak, Visual Artist and Community Organizer, Buffalo, NY.

           Woven, Sewn & Pressed, Dykeman Young Gallery, Jamestown, NY; curated by Debra Eck.

2012   55th Chautauqua Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua, NY; 
           curated by Kim Levin.

            Small Works Member Show, Center Gallery, Jamestown Community College, Olean, NY; juried by
            Leslie Bellavance and Cynnie Gaash.

           SAVI Group Exhibition, Cattaraugus County Arts Council, Allegany, NY, group exhibition.

2011    Emerging/Converging, Damon Morey Law Firm, Buffalo, NY; group exhibition juried by Marcus Wise.

2010    CCAC 2010 Member Show, Center Gallery, Jamestown Community College, Olean NY; exhibition
            featuring works by Cattaraugus County Arts Council members, juried by Yu Kanazawa.

            Hard Work, Joy Gallery, Rochester NY; shared exhibition with Bradley Butler.

            The Image – by any Means, Bevier Gallery, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester NY; MFA
             Thesis Exhibition.

             Non-Toxic Print Open – International Competition, Gallery R, Rochester NY; non-toxic printmaking
             competition, RIT Professor Keith Howard, curator.

For a full CV, click here.