CAROL SCHILLE

“The viewer who wishes to view these paintings strictly as color abstractions is quite welcome to that. These should be complete works when seen from that vantage point. However many have traveled to Asia and many are involved in meditation and/or Buddhism. Others might be curious about how these works happen.

Although my pilgrimage takes me to Tibet, Nepal, and China, these works are very much based in Western color abstraction. The meditational and spiritual qualities experienced when viewing color painting and the basis for abstraction in the Buddhist philosophy is a natural connection which has been noted regarding the great color painting of the 20th century. For my own work, I like the idea of duality, that is ancient/modern, east/west, abstract color/Buddhist philosophy and meditation, meaning/mysterious entity.

Transparency and color are essential. The paint ranges from very thin washes almost like watercolor to thicker “puddles” of sometimes pearlized color, to linear forms and gold application. The color washes cover larger areas than are usually seen in watercolor paintng giving the freshness I love. The surface can be matte or shimmery or both.

Light, which is more intense at the altitude of Tibet, the geological drama of the Himalayan landscape, the beautiful ancient colored surfaces and the importance of walls, the abstract motif from monastery furniture and meditation rugs, and faded prayer flags blowing in the wind are all elements which find their way into these paintings.

Briefly, the Cloud/Tiger motif is a combo-motif which I found at Tsurphu Monastery in Tibet. It symbolizes a desired meditive mindstate: its wonderful script-like shape has captured my imagination. I use it over and over in these works.

The Ming Paintings contain many of the elements used in the Cloud Tiger series but were specifically inspired and energized by the monumental horizontal expanses of red walls in the Forbidden City in Beijing.

The Temple Paintings, Nyima 1, and Ushio Torikai utilize the five sacred colors of Tibet (Red, Green, blue, Gold, White)) and their faded versions. The Cloud/Tiger motif is subtly used as symbols for thought fragments or meditation mantras, or perhaps as the prayers from prayer flags being blown up to the skies.

Ushio Torikai is a contemporary Japanese composer living in New York who speaks of her music in a very painterly way and whose work has similar dualities from the opposite perspective.”


Education:

MFA Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, CA
Yale University Summer School, Norfolk, VA
BFA Indiana University, Bloomington, IL

Selected Exhibitions:

2002 Bettcher Gallery-Miami, Miami, FL Solo Show
2001 Bettcher Gallery-Miami, Miami, FL., Group Show
Bettcher Gallery, Miami Beach, FL., Group Show
Atrium, Citicorp Bldg., LIC, NY. "Artlofts Annex", curated by Margret Dreikhausen
Artlofts, L.I.C.,NY, "Art Frenzy/Open Studios", curated by Margret Dreikhausen
12th Street Studios, "Art Frenzy/Open Studios", curated by Karen Fitzgerald
2000 Artlofts, L.I.C., NY, "Small Works", L.I.C. Artists
1999 Artists Space, Soho,NYC, "Night of 1000 Drawings"
Social Security Administration Federal Building, Jamaica, NY, "Women's Equality". Curated by Joan Easton
Queens Council on the Arts Gallery at Headquarters, Woodhaven, NY, "Landscapes: Urban to Outback", curated by Margret Dreikhausen.
Presented by L.I.C. Artists with grants from the Queens Council on the Arts, Chase Manhattan Bank and Citibank
1998 Kavehaz, Soho, NY, Freedom Through Art World-Wide, World Artists for Tibet. Curated by Blanche Van Dam. One Person Show
P.S. 122 Gallery, "Third Annual Small Works Benefit" NYC
Henry De Ford Gallery, "From Our Side of the River", Citicorp Building, LIC, NY. Presented by L.I.C. Artists with the support of the Queens Council On the Arts, New York Council on the Arts, and Citibank
Centre Space Gallery, "Carol Schille, Karen Fitzgerald, and Cheryl
Koralik: Paintings, Poems, and Prayers" Easton, PA. Curated by Mary Zehngut
Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY, "Williamsburg
Bridges Tibet". Curated by Yuko Nii and Metta Hata
1997 Artlofts, "Small Works, Long Island City Artists, Inc." LIC, NY. Funded by the Queens Council on the Arts, the NY Council on the Arts, and Citibank
The Fine Arts Museum of Long Island, "15th Annual Art Exhibition", Hempstead, NY. Curated by Dr. Robert Myron, Professor of Art History, former Chairman of Humanities, Hofstra University
Theatre in the Park, "Long Island City Artists", Flushing Meadow, Queens. Funded by the Queens Council on the Arts, The NY Council on the Arts, and Citibank
1997 United Nations, "Metaphysical Painting: Carol Schille, Karen Fitzgerald, Julio Mateo". Presented by The Society for Enlightenment & Trans- formation, Inaugural Exhibition, U.N. Plaza, NY
Brooklyn Brewery, "The Small Statement Show", Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, NY
12th Street Studios, "Group Show/ Open House", LIC, NY. Curated by Karen Fitzgerald
SoFo #2 Gallery at the Cultural Arts Council of Sonoma County, "The Buddha Within". Presented and curated by the Cultural Arts Council And Gold Ridge Sangha
Lever House, "Diversity", NYC. Presented by Women in the Arts Foundation
1996 House Gallery, "Winter Show, Five LIC Artists", LIC, NY. Curated by Despina Xouris
Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, "Group Show", SI, NY. Curated By Barbara Lipton, Museum Director
Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, S.I.,NY. Slide show and discussion of "Prayer for Tibet" paintings. Invitational.
1995 St. John's University, "Works on Paper", St. John's University Art Gallery, Jamaica, NY. Curated by St. John's Art Faculty
Oxford University, Magdalen College, Oxford, England, "Hope and Optimism". Project of Magdalen College, UNESCO, The Philadelphia Museum. Spring exhibition
1994 Oxford University, Magdalen College, Oxford, England, "Hope And Optimism". Project as above. Fall exhibition
Institut de Culture Arabe, Branche Orientale de l'UNESCO, Paris, France. One person show.
Danderyd (Castle), "International Bienneal of Women Artists" Stockholm,Sweden
Roger Smith Gallery, "Small Works", NYC. Invitational curated by Molly Barnes
1993 Roger Smith Hotel Penthouse, NYC. Invitational curated by Molly Barnes

Publications:

2001 Carol Schille, Brochure. Essay by William Zimmer, New York Times art critic Art Frenzy Catalog, L.I.C. Artists. (PHOTO)
1999 Manhattan Arts. Award
1998 Cover Magazine, "Art/Carol Schille", Carol West, Nov, 1998. (Review)
WIA, Women in the Arts Newsletter, "Artist's Night", Sari Menna, Fall/Winter, The Easton Irregular, "On the Arts", Isadore LaDuca, June. (Review)
1997 WIA, Women in the Arts Foundation Newsletter, "Artist of the Month"
Newsday, "At Home with Art", January 6, 1997. (Review)
Manhattan Arts, "Artists of the 1990's", Diana Roberts. Award