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BIOGRAPHY

Craig Cully grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, where some of his earliest influences came from the area’s long-standing tradition of realist painters. He began his painting studies with his godmother at age five and continued pursuing art throughout his primary school education. He graduated with a BFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and earned an MFA from The University of Arizona. Cully’s work has been featured in gallery and museum exhibitions throughout the United States and Mexico. His work is part of the permanent collection of The Boise Museum of Art, The Tucson Museum of Art, The University of Arizona Museum of Art, the University of Sciences and Arts of Oklahoma, and the Museum of Art at Texas Tech University. Currently, his work is represented by the Etherton Gallery in Tucson, AZ. Being committed to the power of the visual image and the desire for art-making to be embraced and respected, Cully also teaches. He is a Professor of Painting and Drawing at New Mexico State University. Cully divides his time throughout the year, living and working in Tucson and Las Cruces alongside his wife and collaborator Kelly and their three basset hounds, Hildegard, Gertrude, and Agatha.

CV

Education

  • The University of Arizona, Tucson AZ, MFA, painting               

  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago IL, painting concentration              

  • Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Elkins Park PA, BFA painting    

 

Galleries  

  • Etherton Gallery, Tucson AZ, 2012-Current

  • Projects Gallery, Philadelphia PA/Miami FL, 2009— 2018

  • Cumberland Gallery, Nashville TN ,2010-2018

  • Stewart Gallery, Boise ID, 2008-2018

  • Simon Breitbard Fine Arts, San Francisco CA, 2013–2015

  • Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach CA, 2011-2015

  • Essex Gallery, Essex CT, 2012-2013

  • Gallerie Urbane, Dallas TX, 2010-2013

  • Noel Baza Gallery, San Diego CA, 2010-2012

  • Klaudia Marr Gallery, Santa Fe NM, 2007 — 2009

  • Platform Gallery, Tucson AZ, 2006 — 2008

 

Solo Exhibitions 

  • Clyde Snook Gallery, “Retrospective”, Adams State University, Alamosa CO ,2021

  • 5 & J Gallery, “Continuous Edge: collaborative work Kelly Leslie/Craig Cully”, Lubbock TX, 2021

  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale Museum, “NOURISHing”, Carbondale IL, 2021

  • Youngers Gallery, “Recent Work”, Northeastern Jr. College, Sterling CO, 2019

  • Joseph Gross Gallery, “NOURISHing”, The University of Arizona, Tucson AZ ,2018

  • Wee Gallery, “Craig Cully: Catch and Release”, Tucson AZ ,2017

  • Wee Gallery, “Craig Cully: Patriarchs by Proxy”, Tucson AZ, 2016

  • Stewart Gallery, “Singular Marvels”, Boise ID, 2015

  • Projects Galery, “Craig Cully: NArdent Proponents of Iridescence”, Philadelphia PA, 2013

  • Gallerie Urbane, “Craig Cully: New Work”, Dallas TX, 2010

  • Stewart Gallery, “Get Out of Jail Free”, Boise ID, 2010

  • Washington State University Gallery, “Mingle”, Pullman WA, 2009

  • Klaudia Marr Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Santa Fe NM (tri-fold catalogue), 2009

  • Dinnerware Contemporary Art Gallery, “Portraits and Perversions,” Tucson AZ, 2004

  • Western Texas College, “(A)pathetic”, Snyder TX , 2001

  • Sleeth Gallery of Wesleyan University, “Awkward Intimacies”, Buckhannon WV, 2000      

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Invitational Exhibitions

  • 516 ARTS,“Together As Within”, Albuquerque NM (collaborative work with Kelly Leslie)  2023

  • Etherton Gallery ,“Palm Springs Artfair”, Palm Desert CA  2013

  • Weigel House, “5 in 1”,  Knoxville TN  2012

  • Etherton Gallery, “RED”,  Tucson AZ  2012

  • Hardee Center for the Arts, “Constructed Identities and Staged Narratives”, NFCC, Madison FL 2012

  • Gallerie Urbane, “Houston Art Fair”,  Houston TX 2012

  • Sue Greenwood Fine Art, “American Icons”, Laguna Beach CA 2011/12

  • Etherton Gallery, “Don’t Look Now”, (Three Person) Tucson AZ 2011

  • Projects Gallery, “Wynwood Art Fair”, Miami FL,

  • “Aqua Art Fair”, Miami FL, “Art Palm Beach”,Palm Beach FL, “Toronto International Art Fair”, Toronto Canada, “Red Dot” & “Miami International Art Fair”, Miami FL 2009/10/11/12/13

  • Museum of Texas Tech University, “Check Up 1”, Lubbock TX (catalogue) 2011

  • Metro Gallery, “Reconnection/Recollection” (co-curated Craig Cully/ Kelly Leslie), Reno NV 2011

  • Projects Gallery, “Selection of Gallery Artists”, Philadelphia PA  2011

  • Projects Gallery, “Little Treasures Big Rewards”, Philadelphia PA  2011

  • Cumberland Gallery,“Small Packages” , Nashville TN 2009/10/11

  • Preston Contemporary Art Center, “Exhibition 1”, Mesilla NM (catalogue)  2011

  • Corner House Gallery, “Urbane Stages”, Cedar Rapids IA  2010

  • Noel-Baza Gallery, “Bare Naked and Nude”, San Diego CA  2010

  • Park Fine Art Gallery, Gallery Edel and Changwon National University Art Museum,

  • “Park Fine Art International  Invitational”, Albuquerque NM, Japan and South Korea  (catalogue) 2010

 

Juried Exhibitions            

  • Tucson Museum of Art, “Arizona Biennial 2023”, Tucson AZ 2023

  • Thono Chul Gallery “Exotic Sublime: Land and Sky”, Tucson, AZ 2022

  • PRPG.mx, “Ephemeral:Life, Death & Art”, Mexico City MX (collaborative work with Kelly Leslie) 2022

  • ARTLINK Contemporary Galllery, “Nocturne”, Fort Wayne IN (collaborative work with Kelly Leslie) , 2022

  • Shoebox Arts, “That’s Effin’ Funny!”, (online exhibition https://shoeboxprojects.com/) 

  • Los Angeles CA 2021

  • Dallas Metro Arts Contemporary, “Animal, Mineral, Vegetable”, Plano TX
    (collaborative work with Kelly Leslie) 1st place painting award, 2021

  • Buckham Gallery, “Disrupted Realism”, Flint MI Juried by John Seed, featuring work by Anne Harris, 3rd place award, online interview with John Seed and Anne Harris, catalogue published ,2021

  • Las Lagunas Gallery, “Fresh Paint”, Laguna Beach CA ,2020

  • South Haven Arts Center, “Beyond, Behind, Beneath...Narrative Self-Portraiture”, South Haven MI, 2020

  • Hillard Gallery, “Figurative Show 13th Annual”, Kansas City MO, 2020

  • Art Room Gallery, “3rd Annual Small Works Show”, Fort Worth TX, 2019

  • CORE New Art Space, “The Red Show”, Lakewood CO, 2019

  • D’Art Gallery, “Changes”, Denver CO, 2019

  • Lore Degenstein Gallery, Susquehanna University ”11th Annual National Figurative Drawing and Painting Exhibition”, Selinsgrove PA, 2019

  • Manifest Gallery, “Fresh Paint”, Cincinnati OH 2017

  • Tucson Museum of Art, ”Reimagining the Wall” (in collaboration with David Adix),
    Tucson AZ 2017 (July–Sept) 

  • Lore Degenstein Gallery, Susquehanna University ”8th Annual National Figurative
    Drawing and Painting Exhibition”, Selinsgrove PA 2016

  • Pennsylvania State Museum, ”Art of the State”, Harrisburg PA 2015

  • Tucson Museum of Art, “Arizona Biennial 2013”, Tucson AZ 2013

  • LH Horton Gallery, San Joaquin Delta College , “2D/3-D Figurative Works”,  Stockton CA 2011

  • Tucson Museum of Art, Arizona Biennial '11, Tucson AZ, 011

  • Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery, University of Nevada, Reno “Myself”, Reno NV, 2010

  • Manifest Gallery, “International Painting Annual I”, Exhibition in Print, 2010

 

Group Exhibitions  

  • Cumberland Gallery, “Unique Visions”, Nashville TN, 2013

  • Projects Gallery,  “Houston Art Fair”, Houston TX, 013

  • Projects Gallery,  “Aqua Art Fair”, Miami FL, 012/2013

  • Hardee Center for the Arts, “Constructed Identities and Staged Narratives”, NFCC, Madison FL, 012

  • Etherton Gallery, “Don’t Look Now”, Tucson AZ, 2012

  • Metro Gallery,  “Recollection/Reconnection”, Reno NV (co-curator), 2011

  • Park Fine Art Gallery, Gallery Edel andChangwon National University Art Museum,“Park Fine Art International  Invitational”, Albuquerque NM, Japan and South Korea  (catalogue), 2010

  • Projects Gallery, “Art Palm Beach”, Palm Beach FL & “Miami International Art Fair”, Miami FL, 2010/2011/2012/2013

  • Projects Gallery, “Bridge Art Fair”, New York, NY & “Toronto International Art Fair”, Toronto Canada & “Red Dot Art Fair”, Miami FL, 2009/2010/2011/2012

  • Stewart Gallery, “L.A. Art Fair”, Los Angeles CA    2010/09

  • Cumberland Gallery, “Small Packages” , Nashville TN    2009/2010/2011  

  •  Boise Art Museum, “Kids Stuff”, Boise ID     2009

  • U of A Student Union Art Gallery, “Paris-Tucson Exchange Exhibition”, (2 part group exhibition featuring selected artist from Paris and Tucson), 2009

  • Visual Arts Graduate Research Laboratory —The University of Arizona, “Continuum”,  Tucson AZ (Invitational exhibition featuring current and past faculty, alumni, and artists from Tucson galleries)  2009  

  •  NMSU Art Gallery, “Faculty Art Exhibition”, Las Cruces NM, 2009

  • The Stewart  Gallery, "Small Wonders (lilliputians)", Boise ID, 2008

  • The Space Gallery, Two-Person Exhibition, New Richmond  WI, 2008

  • Klaudia Marr Gallery, “2008/07 Realism Invitational”, Santa Fe NM, 2008/07

  • The Sapce Gallery, Two Person Exhibition, New Richmond, WI , 2008

  • Platform Gallery , “Relatively Funny”, Tucson AZ , 2007

  • Furlong Gallery, Faculty Exhibition ‘07, Menomonie WI , 2007

  • Tucson Museum of Art, “An Eclectic Eye”, Tucson, AZ (catalogue), 2007

  • Platform Gallery, “New Works”, Tucson, AZ, 2006

  • Phoenix Museum of Art, “Contemporary Forum Grant Winners”, Phoenix AZ, 2006

  • Etherton/Temple Gallery, “Bonfire of the Vanitas”, Tucson AZ, 2006

  • Platform Gallery, “Behind Our Eyes”, Tucson AZ, 2005

  • Liz Hernandez Gallery, “Out of Chaos”, Tucson AZ, 2005

  • Ehterton/Temple Gallery, “Wherefore Art Thou?”, Tucson AZ, 2005

 

Lectures

  • Virtual Artist Talk, Shoebox Gallery, Los Angles CA,  2021

  • Artist Interview, Buckham Gallery, Flint MI , 2021

  • Artist Lecture, El Paso Art Association, El Paso TX,  2020

  • Artist Lecture, The University of Arizona, Tucson AZ,  2018

  • Artist Talk, Etherton Gallery, Tucson AZ,   2018

  • Artist Talk, University of Nevada, Reno NV,   2011

  • Artist on Art Lecture, El Paso Museum of Art, EL Paso TX,  2010

  • Visiting Artist Lecture, Cochise College, Seirra Vista AZ,  2010

  • Visiting Artist Lecture, Washington State University, Pullman WA,  2009

  • Visiting Artist Lecturer, West Virginia Wesleyan University,  2000

 

Public Collections

  • Lore Degenstein Gallery, Selinsgrove PA 2020 (Acquisition)

  • Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson AZ 2017 (Acquisition)

  • Boise Museum of Art, Boise ID 2009 (Acquisition)

  • Boise Museum of Art, Boise ID, 2009 (Acquisition)

  • Gladwyn Elementary School, Chanlan Lee Memorial Installation, 2009 (Comission)

  • The Museum of Art at Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX, 2007 (Acquisition)

  • The University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson AZ, 2007 (Acquisition)

  • Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson AZ, 2007 (Acquisition)

  • University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Chickasha OK, 2001 (Purchase Award)

    

Awards & Grants

  • Figuratieve Kunst Vandaag (FiKVA)Foundation, international award for painters, short-listed, 2023 

  • NMSU Seed Grant, College of Arts and Sciences, NMSU ,2 022

  • Research and Development Grant (collaborative work with Kelly Leslie), Arizona Commission on the Arts, 2021

  • 3rd place award, “Disrupted Realism”, Buckham Gallery, Flint MI, Juror: John Seed, 2021

  • NMSU Mini-Grant, College of Arts and Sciences, NMSU, 2018

  • Deviesthali Family Foundation Grant, (co-author for NMSU Department of Art fundraiser) 2011//1 

  • NMSU Mini-Grant, College of Arts and sciences, NMSU,  2012

  • Rising Star Award, Vice President for Research, NMSU,  2011

  • Professional Development Grant, Tucson Pima Arts Council,  2009

  • NMSU College of Arts and Sciences Dissemination Grant,  2008

  • University of Wisconsin Lesson Study Grant,  2007-2008

  • Contemporary Forum Grant, Phoenix Museum of Art,   2005  

 

Publications & Citations

  • Disrupted Realism, Exhibition Catalogue, Buckham Gallery  2021

  • 11th Annual Figurative Exhibition, Exhibition Catalogue, Lore Degenstein Gallery  2019

  • Tucson Weekly, Margaret Regan, To The Hounds!, April 26, 2018

  • 8th Annual Figurative Exhibition, Exhibition Catalogue, Lore Degenstein
    Gallery 2016

  • Nashville Arts Magazine, Lydia E. Denklar, Unique Visions: Critiquing the Human Condition, pg. 69- Images of “Birthday Portrait—In the studio at 40” and “Conviction: A Soft Punch reproduced    November 2013

  • Image of “Big Kiss” reproduced in advert for Miami International Artfair, Art in America,  and Art Newspaper, December 2012

  • Divine Fits album cover artwork, 2012

  • KVOA News, Tucson, Arts and Culture Guy, Announcement/discussion of  Don’t Ask Don’t Tell exhibition at Etherton Gallery featuring an image of my painting “A Certain Crisis: Outpour/Downpour” January 26, 2012

  • Tucson Weekly, Image of “Birthday Portrait—In the studio at 40” reproduced January 12-18, 2012

  • Check Up, Exhibition Catalogue, Museum of Texas Tech University, 2011

  • Tucson Museum of Art Preview, Image of  “The Hairdresser’s Husband” reproduced, 2011

  • “Portrait of the artists” Brad Bynum, Reno News & Review    January 20, 2011

  • “Newest exhibit at UNR’s Sheppard Gallery is a study in how artists see themselves,” Geralda Miller, The Reno Gazette-Journal    January 16, 2011

  • “Faces show character and culture,” Nonie Wainwright, Nevada News    January 7, 2011

  • Xhibit, 2011 Exhibition 1 Catalogue, Preston Contemporary Art Center Mesilla, NM, 2011

  • Exhibition Catalogue, “Myself”, Sheppard Fine Arts GalleryUniversity of Nevada Reno, Reno NV,  2011International Painting Annual I, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati OH (exhibition catalogue) , 2010University of Arizona Poetry Center Newsletter, image reproduced front cover and inside illustration  September, 2010

  • Park International Invitational Exhibition Catalogue, 2010

  • “Art Events”, Dianna Deling, Santa Fean , August/September, 2009

  • Philadelphia City Paper, “Hot Off the Prez, Robin Rice on Visual Art:“Obamna-Rama” and ‘Guilty Pleasures at Projects Gallery”, Robin Rice    February 10, 2009

  • “Went to Projects Last Friday”, <http://dcartnews.blogspot.com>    February 8, 2009

  • “All Small Redux at Dalton Gallery”, Susannah Darrow , March 2, 2009

  • Boise Weekly, Image reproduced on front and inside cover with short bio    December 2008

  • “Soaring Upward,” Margret Regan, Tucson Weekly, January 13, 2008

  • Review of Faculty Art Exhibition at UW-Stout,”Darren Tesar and Patrick Gantert, Art Canary: The Twin Cities-Area Student Arts Writing Intitiative,  November 12, 2007 

  • Tucson Museum of Art, An Eclectic Eye: Selections from the Dan Leach Collection, Tucson AZ (exhibition catalogue)   October 2007

  • Downtown Tucsonan, “Julia Latané Returns to MOCA”    October 2005(contributing critic)

  • Tucson Citizen, “Our City’s Rich With Art” (May 12 cover story)    May 12, 2005

  •  University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, “Seventh Annual Juried Exhibition,” Chickasha OK (exhibition catalogue)    Artlies: A Texas Art Journal, Volume 2,  October 2001

  • “Texas Works, Art Zealot + Will Cannings” (contributing critic for West Texas area)Artlies: A Texas Art Journal, Volume I, August 2001

  • “Nola Dixon Richards: The Other Side of Silence”(contributing critic for West Texas area)   “Religious Themes Predominate At Apparatus Gallery’s Latest Exhibition,” Margaret Regan, Tucson Weekly, December 1998

  • “The Fragmented Body,” a small group exhibition which featured my work received much critical attention and was ranked the third top exhibition in Orange County/Los Angeles in 1998 by The Orange County Register, ecember 27, 1998

  • “Artists Seek Wholeness in Divided Lives” Danielle Walsh, The Orange County Register, Fine Arts Section, November 15, 1998    

  • “Bodies of Expression” Deborah L. Knaff, The Press Enterpris, November 15, 1998

  • “Exhibit Explores Fragmented Bodies,” Cal Ploy Press, November 16, 1998

  • “Headless Barbies on the March,” Only in L.A., Steve Harvey’s column in the Los Angeles Times , November 18, 1998

  • “Rhythm, Gesture Metaphor,” a small group exhibition juried by Squeak Cornwalth which featured my work received much critical attention and was selected for Best of New Haven 1998: Staff Picks by The New Haven Advocate, May 1998

  • “Painter’s Picks: Painting, Works on Paper,” William Zimmer, The New York Times, May 10, 1998

  • “What’s the Word?,” Hank Hoffman, New Haven Advocate, May 1998

  • “Written word becomes visual link in national show,” Judy Birke, New Haven Register, May 1998

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