Robert York Area 4

Robert’s Bio:

Bob is a graduate of Averett University, Danville,Virginia, with an AA degree,  a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University (formally Richmond Professional Institute of the College of William and Mary) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design and a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Greensboro, with a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts. After spending several years as a designer, Illustrator and Art Director for various periodicals and corporations, I returned to my alma mater, Averett University to teach with my mentor, Carson Davenport. After several years as an art professor, I moved to Sanibel Island, Florida and became a founding member of the Barrier Island Group for the Arts, became president of the Florida Artists Group and continued my career as a professor of art. Some other professional opportunities while in Sanibel, Florida were to become an AMA Gallery Director, a committee member for the State of Florida Art in Public Places and the Chairman of the Art in Public Places Board of Lee County, Florida. Among my most memorable art experiences was to mount an exhibition of the works of Robert Rauschenburg followed by an entourage of major contemporary artists. I designed and constructed a large sculpture in weathering steel enabled by an Art in Public Places grant. Another memorable project was a grant from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to design a museum for the Potawatomi Indians in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
After more than thirty years on Sanibel, my wife and I built a second home in North Carolina while maintaining a Florida residence. Nancy surprised me by purchasing two acres of land in the country on which we built a second studio. I continue to exhibit my paintings and sculpture throughout Florida, North Carolina and Virginia.

Artist Statement:

I am continually captivated by visual phenomena and the processes of art.  Every piece begins as a journey, sometimes commencing with a preconceived idea or an occasional intuitive start, developing with every accumulation or change, transforming into a work that satisfies me.

 Exhibitions:

1956 – National Scholastic Art Award for Watercolor Painting; Exhibited with the Danville Art League.
1957 – 1958 – Exhibited in student exhibitions at Averett University with awards in several annual and local exhibitions in the Danville, Virginia area. Work selected for the permanent collection of Ball State University.
1958 – 1960 – Fellowship exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; student exhibitions at the Virginia Commonwealth University; exhibitions in the Richmond, Virginia area; National watercolor exhibition in
Abingdon, Virginia.
1960 – 1965 – Annual exhibitions of the Richmond, Virginia Advertising Club; exhibited in Fine Arts exhibitions in
Virginia and North Carolina.
1965 – 1966 – One person exhibitions at Averett University and the Junior Wednesday Club in Danville, Virginia. Participant in exhibitions in Cape Cod, Massachusetts,
North Carolina and Virginia.
1966 – 1971 – One person exhibitions at the High Point, North Carolina Art Association, the University of North Carolina and the Thomas Nelson Community College in
Hampton, Virginia.
1971 – 2007 – One person exhibitions in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Port Charlotte, Naples, Cape Coral and Sanibel Island (all in Southwest Florida); The installation of an Art in
Public Places sculpture (also in Southwest Florida.)
2007 – 2021 – One person exhibitions and participant in various exhibitions throughout Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and other states (including the prestigious North Carolina Artists Exhibition in Raleigh, North Carolina).
Including:
2014 – Exhibition at the Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, North Carolina.  First Place.
2015 – Exhibition at the Friday Center; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. First Place & purchase of several paintings for their permanent collection.
Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art; Tarpon Springs, FL.
65^th Annual FLAG Exhibition.  Best in Show.
Sculpture Exhibition at the Wilma Daniels Gallery.
University of North Carolina at Wilmington, NC
2016 – Two Person Exhibition for Robert York & Nancy DiCiolla.  Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History;
Danville, Virginia.
Sculpture Exhibition at the Sara Smith Gallery;
Asheboro, North Carolina.
Exhibition at the Hiddenite Arts & Heritage Center; Hiddenite, North Carolina.
Exhibition at the Von Liebig Art Center;  Naples, Florida.
2017 –  Exhibition at the Danville Museum of Arts & History.  Best in Show.  Numerous exhibitions in Florida,
North Carolina & Maryland.
2018 –  Exhibition at the Danville Museum of Arts & History.  Best in Show.
38^th Juried Exhibition at the Caswell Council for the Arts;  Yanceyville, North Carolina.  Best in Show.
2019 –  Fall Judged Exhibition at the Danville Museum of Arts & History;  Danville, Virginia.  Best in Show.
2020 and 2021 –  Several “Virtual” exhibitions in
Florida & North Carolina.

Education:

AA Degree from Averett University.
BFA in Graphic Design from Richmond
Professional Institute of the  College of William and Mary.
MFA from the University of North Carolina.
Coursework in Computer Graphics at
Brigham Young University.

Work Experience:

Graphic Designer, Reynolds Metals Corporation.
Art Director, Richmond, Virginia.
Professor of Art in several colleges and universities.
Gallery Director and statewide board member for Art in Public Places in Florida.

Art Related Activities:

Art organizations in North Carolina, Florida and Virginia include:

Founding member and board member of the Barrier Island Group for the Arts; Sanibel Island, Florida.
Past President and member of the Danville Art League; Danville, VA
Past President and member Alamance Artisans Guild (Burlington, NC)
Past Vice-President of Tristate Sculptors, an organization of practicing sculptors in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Member of the Florida Artist Group since the early seventies, serving on the board as Member at Large and as Vice-President and President while a member of Area VII and residing on Sanibel Island.
Currently, Painter and sculptor, exhibiting throughout North Carolina, Virginia and Florida.

Numerous awards have been garnered throughout my career.