Resume of Fine Art Activities


Guy Colwell


Exhibitions
1962    Appreciation of Excellence in Youth, awards show, Berkeley High School, drawings and paintings

1963    Appreciation of Excellence in Youth, awards show, Berkeley High School, drawings and paintings

1969    Mcneil Island Prison Camp Library, drawings, watercolors.

1970    Isabelle Percy West Gallery, CCAC, Oakland, Prison Camp Work, one man show of work done while incarcerated for draft refusal.

            Berkeley Artists co-op, Berkeley, Oakland, outdoor group shows, paintings.

1971    Sun Gallery, San Francisco, group show, paintings.

            Sun Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings

            Sun Gallery, San Francisco, Brooks Hall, Arts and Industries Fair, group show, paintings.

1972    Up Against the Wall Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

            Vesuvio Cafe, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

1974    Euphrat Gallery, De Anza College, Cupertino, Blam whamo ding ding, group show, original comic pages.

            Student Union, U.C., Berkeley, Berkeley Comic Convention, comics, paintings, sculpture.

1975    Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, San Francisco, group shows, paintings.

            Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, drawings, comics.

1976    Sash Mill Cinema, Santa Cruz, one man show, paintings.

            Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, drawings, comics, sculpture.

            Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, San Francisco, group shows, paintings.

            Bay Con II, San Francisco, group show, paintings, comics.

1977    Good Times Commune, San Francisco, Comix Blitz, group show, curator and exhibitor, paintings, comics.

            Emeryville Comix Con, Emeryville, group show, paintings, comics.

            Good Times Commune, San Francisco, Amaze, group show of fine art displayed for children, paintings, curator as well as exhibitor.

            David Harris Benefit, Palo Alto, group show, prints.

            Daley News Bookstore, Amsterdam, one man show, paintings, drawings, comics.    

            Melkveg Culture Center, Amsterdam, one man show, paintings, drawings, comics.

            Langton Gallery, London, group show, paintings.

            Treadwell Gallery, London, group show, paintings.

            Lavignes Gallery, Paris, group show, paintings, drawings.

1978    Temps Futurs Bookstore, Paris, one man show, paintings, drawings, comics.

            Lavignes Gallery, Paris, one man show, paintings, drawings.

            Huset International Youth Center, Copenhagen, one man show, paintings, drawings, comics, prints.
   
            Gaylord’s Upstairs Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, drawings.

1979    Open Head Press, London, one man show, paintings, drawings, comics.

            Last Gasp Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, drawings.

            Precita Cafe, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, drawings.

            Roxie Cinema, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

            Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, San Francisco, group show, paintings.

1980    Magic Theater, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

            S.O.M.A. Gallery, San Francisco, group show, paintings.

            Will Stone Collection, San Francisco, group show, paintings.

            Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, drawings, prints.

1981    S.O.M.A. Gallery, San Francisco, group shows, paintings.

            The Farm, Food Comics, group show, paintings, comics.
   
            Artists’ Embassy, San Francisco, Magical Blend, group show, paintings.

1982    Fort Mason, San Francisco, 1st S.F. “Armory Show”, monstrous, disastrous group show, paintings.

            Meat Market Coffee House, San Francisco, group show, prints.

            Art in the Park, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, group show, second place award for painting.

            Stillman Gallery, San Francisco, premier group show, paintings.

            City Lights Bookstore, San Francisco, one man show at invitation of Lawrence Ferlinghetti. paintings.

            Meat Market Coffee House, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, drawings.

            Stillman Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

1983    The Other America: Art of the U.S. Labor Movement, invitational group show, paintings, traveling show throughout Europe and the             U.S.

            Fort Mason, San Francisco, Peace Conference, group show, paintings.

            Art in the Park, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, group show, first place award for painting, second place award for drawing.

            Isabelle Percy West Gallery, CCAC, Oakland, one man show, paintings, drawings, graphic art.

            Fort Mason, San Francisco, Art for People’s Sake, National Lawyers Guild benefit group show, paintings.

1984    Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, Crime and Punishment, Invitational group show, paintings. (among others in this show, Andy                 Warhol, Mel Ramos, Clayton Bailey)

            Modern Times Bookstore, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

            Pro Arts, Oakland. Reviewing the Figure, group show, paintings.

            Meat Market Coffee House, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, drawings, prints.

            S.F. Arts Commission Arts Festival, juried group shows at civic auditorium and Fort Mason, paintings, given “peoples’ choice”                     award based on public vote.

            La Pena Cultural Center, Berkeley, one man show, paintings, drawings, prints.

            Euphrat Gallery, De Anza College, Cupertino, Surrealism, invitational group show, paintings.

            Cafe La Boheme, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

            Gallery Sanchez, San Francisco, Autumn Annual, group show, paintings.

1985    Guerrero Studio, San Francisco, 40th birthday retrospective, paintings, drawings, prints.

            Southern Exposure Gallery, San Francisco, 100 Vows of the Sun, surrealist group show, paintings.

            San Mateo Arts Council Gallery, Belmont, Bay Arts 85, juried group show, paintings.

            Hall of Flowers, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Bay Area Seen, group show, paintings.

            San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, surrealist group show, paintings.

1986    Meat Market Coffee House, San Francisco, one man show, Great Peace March Benefit, paintings.

            Southern Exposure Gallery, San Francisco,Content: Contemporary Issues, group show, paintings.

            Euphrat Gallery, Cupertino, Content: Contemporary Issues, group show, paintings.

            Hall of Flowers, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Bay Area Seen, group show, Paintings.

            Great Peace March, on the road across U.S., organized and displayed numerous outdoor exhibitions of artwork by marchers.

            Peace Museum, Chicago, group show, Great Peace March drawings.

1987    Artworks Gallery, Fairoaks, group show, paintings.

            Gaylord’s Cafe, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

            Cafe Milano, Berkeley, one man show, paintings.

            La Pena, Berkeley, one man show, paintings, drawings.

            Ashkenaz, Berkeley, one man show, paintings, drawings.

1988    Auburn Art Center, Auburn, County wide open group show, curator and exhibitor, paintings.

            Auburn Art Center, Auburn, Amaze, group show of fine art displayed for children, originator, curator and exhibitor, paintings.

            Rocklin Library, Rocklin, one man show, paintings

            Gaylord’s Cafe, Oakland, one man traveling show in motor home to celebrate the unveiling of mural Street scene, paintings.

1989    Auburn Arts Center, Auburn, one man show, featured on KVIE Sacramento Arts Alive program, paintings.

            Novoloso Gallery, Davis, juried group show, paintings.

            Auburn Art Center, Auburn, Amaze, 2nd annual group show of fine art displayed for children, curator and exhibitor, paintings.

1990    Placer County Library, Auburn, one man show, paintings.

            Auburn Art Center, Auburn, county wide open group show, curator and exhibitor, paintings.

            Two Penny Gallery, Sacramento, group show, paintings.

            Auburn Art Center, Auburn, Amaze, 3rd annual group show of fine art displayed for children, curator and exhibitor, paintings.

            Placer Nature Center, one man traveling show in motor home to celebrate unveiling of mural Sierra Mammals, paintings.

1991    Lite Rail Gallery, Sacramento, group show, paintings.

            Auburn Art Center, Auburn, group show, comic book originals.

            Tuttle mansion Art Center, Auburn, group show, Primitive Themes, sketchbook pages from African journey.

            Lite Rail Gallery, Sacramento, one man show, sketchbook pages from African Journey.

            Lite Rail Gallery, Sacramento, one man show, paintings.

            Brenda Hall Gallery, San Francisco, premier group show, paintings.

1992    Auburn Art Center, auburn, group show, Self Portraits, paintings.

            Brenda Hall Gallery, San Francisco, group show, ongoing display of paintings on African themes.

            Lite Rail Gallery, Sacramento, group show, Lite Rail National, paintings.
   
1993    Brenda Hall Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings, benefit for Katemo School in Zambia.

            Placer Nature Center, Auburn, one man show to celebrate the unveiling of mural Sierra Wildlife at Sunset, painting.

            Flair Gallery, series of Bay Area shows using motor home as traveling gallery, Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco, paintings.

            Wasteland Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

            Lite Rail Gallery, Sacramento, group show, Censorship, paintings.

            Unitarian Fellowship Hall, Berkeley, one man show, paintings.

1994    Open Studio, Berkeley, Nude, Erotic, Sexual, drawings, paintings comics.

            Ariel Cafe, Berkeley, one man show, paintings

1995    Cody’s Bookstore, long term, sanctioned outdoor exhibit outside bookstore doing public painting.

            Sunrise Gallery, (formerly Brenda Hall Gallery) San Francisco, 50th birthday retrospective show of 100 paintings.

            Sunrise Gallery, San Francisco, United Nations 50th anniversary group show, paintings.

1995-96    Cafe Mediterraneum, Berkeley, group shows, curator of shows and artist in residence for 1 1/2 years at historic coffee house.

1996    Smiley’s Saloon, Bolinas, one man show, paintings.

            Commonwealth Club, San Francisco, Sunrise Gallery organized show of paintings.

1997    Oakland Zoo, one man show featuring nature art and running simultaneously while rain forest mural project was in progress.

1998    Atelier 9, Berkeley, establishment of private, self-operated studio/gallery. t

1999    Placer Nature Center, Auburn, one man show of nature art at unveiling of mural series Ancient Environments of California.

            Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, San Francisco, Reunion show, Paintings.

2000    Abstract Zone, Emeryville, multi media warehouse event, paintings, miniatures.

            Atelier 9, various open studio exhibitions.

2001    Fig Tree Gallery, Berkeley, group show, paintings.

            Atelier 9, various open studio exhibitions.

2002    Atelier 9, Overflow, one man show, paintings

2003    The Art History Museum of Berkeley, experimental self-operated museum of masterwork copies.

            Art and Soul, Oakland, outdoor arts festival, special booth displaying the Art History Museum of Berkeley, paintings.

            Atelier 9, various open studio exhibitions.

2004    Capobianco Gallery, San Francisco, one man show, paintings. Show disrupted after painting ‘The Abuse’ was placed in window and gallery became target of attacks.(see review extracts or google).

2005    Atelier 9, Berkeley, 60th Birthday Retrospective, paintings.
   
2005 - 06    Chenery House, San Francisco, long term and ongoing display of original paintings and copies by invitation of Bob Pritikin for his private museum.
   
2006    Esteban Sabar Gallery, Oakland, Grand Opening group show, Social Realist and Surrealist paintings.

            Esteban Sabar Gallery, Oakland, Solo show of Social Realist paintings.

            Frankenart Mart, San Francisco, group show, miniature acrylic on canvas paintings.

            Omnicircus Performance Space, San Francisco, solo show, paintings.
   
            111 Minna Gallery, Holiday Invitational, San Francisco, group show, Painting.

            Esteban Sabar Gallery, Holiday show, Oakland, group show, miniatures.

2007    Esteban Sabar Gallery, Mammalian Encounters, one man show,  paintings, miniatures.

            Atelier 9, Open Studio, paintings.

            City Arts Gallery, CCSF, San Francisco, one man show, paintings.

            Art at Large, New York City, featured artist on NY gallery web site.

             Main ARTery Gallery, Benicia, group show, paintings.

2008     Berkeley Repertory Theater, one man show, theatrical design models, painting reproductions.

             Meridian Gallery, SF, The Art of Democracy, War and Empire,  group show, painting and drawing.
                    
             Precita Eyes Muralists, SF, Mural detail auction, group show,  painting.

2009     Red Door Gallery, Oakland, group show, paintings.

             Chenery House, SF, Unveiling of San Francisco-theme mural and ongoing exhibition of original paintings and masterwork copies.

2010    111Minna Gallery, SF, Last Gasp Comics 40th anniversary show, group show, paintings.
   
            Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, painting Epidemic aquired by museum for exhibition in new building when opened in October.

  

Review Extracts

“...so penetrating and accusing, guy colwell and his damn “bread line”--is haunting me.  the image, so perfectly captured--the vantage point, so like gods--seeing from just above the thing what the thing really looks like--eternity in the form of highway overpasses, bridges to nowhere that link this scene with a thousand other scenes just like it--with a thousand other blonde girls just like me--with a million other brown people, white people, old people, young people, mothers and fathers and others standing in line for bread--for bread--


"Guy's work is often politically charged. He utilizes his skill as a painter to reveal his social concerns. Themes of pollution, friction between humankind and nature, and social degradation are common in his work."

“Colwell’s work can be described as social realism presented through vibrant depictions of people and animals, often in surrealistic situations. He is a multitalented artist who is well known for his work in the “Comix” movement of the 1970’s....His work deals with social ills by presenting figures in strange and sometimes violent situations....This show is rich in color and texture, and everyy piece requires the viewers to read the story depicted and think about its message. Repeated viewing is recommended because of its depth and scope.”

“Colwell is a quiet man who speaks in measured tones and seems shy of the spotlight. His work, however, is anything but shy. Colwell’s magnum opus is Litter Beach, a large painting that hung as the centerpiece of the gallery’s Urban Realists show in July (2006).The cartoonish painting depicts a crowded beach so packed with shallow people, discarded wrappers and brand name products that not a speck of sand can be glimpsed.”

“...he devotes himself to creating personal and political art....he today remains true to his artistic training and political calling....Whether or not one agrees with his politics, Colwell refuses to back down from relating his personal view of reality.”

“The art varies from more established painters such as social realist Guy Colwell, whose show of works reflect on Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks....”

“There’s one painting in the whole exhibit that rises above morose retreads of old grievances, though, that’s Guy Colwell’s “Disaster”. Two dozen modern Americans run screaming to the left, away from an unseen calamity off-screen right. yet there’s one young black dude near the action who isn’t running. He’s not even screaming. He stands still, nonplussed and suspiciously glancing toward Armageddon as if to say, “It figures.” The only thing that comes close to the levity and relevance of “Disaster” is Colwell’s 60-square-foot oil-on-canvas mural “Litter Beach.” An orgy of bright colors and human forms swarm over each other in a cartoonish depiction of Americans having some hot fun in the sun atop a beach comprised entirely of litter.”


“In spite of the attacker’s intention to censor the gallery, their crime has spurred the interests of the press, and has caused worldwide exposure of the painting (The Abuse). No doubt not only the value of the painting will dramatically increase, but people will remember it for ages to come. This painting will live in history.”

“He’s experienced life at its most bleak and its most hedonistic. He’s resisted the draft, been in jail and lived all over the place. And his art shows it.”

“Colwell, who was part of the Bay Area underground comics wave of the 70’s eventually applied his taste for ripe stylized human figures (he admits a fondness for Hieronymus Bosch) to a number of socially conscious pieces....These days his interest has turned green....Litter Beach represents the “worst” of both those worlds, a carnival of flesh spoiling the earth....”

“The events in his life caused his work to evolve from benign abstraction to powerful statements against violence. His latest work combines both elements....It is colorful, abrasive and reflects a sensitivity to homeless people....”

“Colwell’s Bosch-like visual world holds nothing sacred; his portraits of city life’s underbelly made him a hit with post boomers growing up in a post-peacenik age.”

“...densely-peopled tableaux of dramatically-pregnant life scenes....”

“Colwell has stuck to his convictions in painting throughout his career....His work focuses on ecology, social protest, peace and urban life...portraying groups of people interacting with each other....The intimate details, as well as the subject, display his social and political commentaries. Colwell’s works draw largely from memories of his own experiences. He’s participated in nuclear protests, peace walks...and was imprisoned for a year-and-a-half for refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War.”
 
Guy Colwell  -  Painter. Born in Oakland; attended CCAC. His paintings, in a tight, linear style of illustrative surrealism, focus on themes of urban violence and social protest.


“To a small number of collectors, he is considered the most daring and outspoken artist to come from the political upheavals of the vietnam era...a modern Brueghal come to haunt us with mankind’s eternal brutishness....But there is a positive image in this revolutionary’s vision. See the hope filled multitude stream forth from the boiling city, tossing guns aside...”

“ ...I have to mention a painting by Guy Colwell. An image of punishment by a painter who has lived on the inside.
      For me this little 1977 gouache painting called Free Lunch was one of the strongest images of the show. The confined interior of a cell squashed even tighter by shallow perspective. An anquished figure staring vaguely out of the picture plane is aware of (but uncaring about) the tray of food pushed under the door. Here is punishment - temporal monotony and physical restriction.”

“Colwell has become well known for his highly detailed, realistic street scenes....his people are very particularized, their facial expressions carry a lot of messages.”

The comic panel is too small a universe for a painter like Guy Colwell. The...artist likes to expand the world of his dreams on canvas, and it’s a world that contains some of the finest American art.”

“A San Francisco master....You owe it to yourself to see this one.”

“...his profusion of detail and glossy, glistening surfaces lend his images a prickly heat power which one does not forget quickly.”

“His best pictures project a distinctive and unsettling vision with a force that is not at all common on the art scene....a bizarre blend of crude caricature and wyeth-like sophistication....There is a steely hardness beneath the saccharine prettiness of Colwell’s painterly surfaces, and an edge of nastiness to his expression that charges these pictures with a Gothic quality....”

“His approach is unique in that throughout his paintings, no matter how gruesome or frightening or sarcastic on the surface, there flows a kind of stoic faith in humanity rarely encountered in contemporary art.”