Make it stand out.
Susan Maakestad
CV
SUSAN MAAKESTAD
Born in Macomb, Illinois. Resides in Memphis, Tennessee
EDUCATION
1987 MFA, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Painting
1981 MA, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA. Drawing
1979 BA, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA magna cum laude & Dean's Scholar
SOLO SHOWS
2023 Spalding Nix Fine Art, Atlanta, GA
Mallory Wurtzburger Galleries, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN
2017 Overton Park Gallery, Memphis, TN
2016 Circuitous Succession Gallery, Memphis, TN
2015 Works on Paper Gallery, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH
2013 The Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TN
2010 Material, Memphis, TN
2008 Meek Art Gallery, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
2007 Lewis Art Gallery, Millsaps College, Jackson, MS
2006 Clough-Hanson Gallery, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN
2005 Harry Krug Gallery, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS
TWO PERSON SHOWS
2010 East Arkansas Community, College Forrest City, AR
2007 Sarratt Gallery at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
2006 Perry Nicole Fine Art, Memphis, TN
2005 Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery, Nashville, TN
2004 Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA
1997 Steinway Gallery, Chapel Hill, NC
1996 Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids, MI
1995 Groveland Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
SELECTED GROUP SHOWS
2023 Near and Far Light, James May Gallery, Algoma, WI
Jet Lag, Fogleman Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN
2019 Hello My Name Is, L Ross Gallery, Memphis, TN
Color Schemes: The Value of Intensity, Crosstown Arts, Crosstown Concourse, Memphis
2018 Momentum, The Perfume Room, 20twelve, Memphis, TN. Curated by Michel Allen & Keith Rainer
2015 PUBLIC/ART/ists Part One, Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN
2014 Your Attica on the Pacific, Tiger Strikes Asteroid LA, Los Angeles, CA
Present Company Excluded Santa Fe College, Gainesville, FL
2013 Present Tense: The Art of Memphis 2001 to Now, The Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN
It Came from Memphis: Selections from the Permanent Collection, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, TN. Curated by Marina Pacini
2012 Crossroads: A Shifting Landscape, Walsh Gallery, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ
2010 Muddy Water, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY. Three painters’ works on paper
Recent Paintings, The Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TN
2009 Alonzo Davis V.C.C.A. Fellowship Exhibition, Sande Webster Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Lineweight: Contemporary Drawing, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO
2008 Evoke, The Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TPaperworks!, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA. Juried by Rene de Guzman
2006 Horizons, Bradbury Gallery, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR. Curated by Les Christensen
2005 Crossing the Line, The Painting Center, New York, NY. Curated by Cathy Diamond
Southern Perspectives, Fine Arts Gallery, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR. Works of three watermedia artists curated by Shannon Dillard Mitchell
2004 Biennial 2004, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News, VA. Juried by Carrie Przybilla
Small Matters Of Great Importance, Edward Hopper House Art Center, Nyack, NY
Landscape: Paintings From Groveland Gallery In Minneapolis, University Art Gallery, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Six painters
Plein Air, Groveland Gallery, Minneapolis, MN. Four artists
2003 The Price Is Right, Perry Nicole Fine Art, Memphis, TN
Marks: Contemporary Drawing, Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA. Juried by Rex Weil
A Sense of Place: Continuity and Change in the New South, Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA. Juried by Tom Nakashima
2002 Art on Paper 2002 Weatherspoon Art Museum, The University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Curated by Nancy Doll and Ron Platt
Side by Side, Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, TN. Curated by Marina Pacini
Secret Garden. River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN. Curated by Teresa Bramlette and Don Cooper
2001 The Painted Landscape, Groveland Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
1999 Water Works: Five Painters Work on Paper, Prince Street Gallery, New York, NY
1998 The Midwestern Landscape, Eight Women’s Perspectives, Freeport (IL) Arts Center. Traveled to Bicentennial Art Center, Paris, IL, Rend Lake Community
College, Mt. Vernon, IL, Springfield (IL) Art Association. Curated by Richard Boschulte
1997 Rural Inspirations, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL Curated by Scott Snyder
COMMISSIONS, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS
2020-22 Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, Memphis International Airport. Permanent installation: three large scale designs printed on windows with
ceramic ink. Dedicated 2022.
2020 UrbanArt Commission Direct Purchase Award, Memphis, TN, one painting purchased by the City of Memphis for the Moveable Art Collection
2016 Inaugural ArtsAccelerator Art CSA, ArtsMemphis, Memphis, TN, one of five artists commissioned
2013 ArtsAccelerator Grant, ArtsMemphis, Memphis, TN, $3000 individual artist grant
2011 & 2007 UrbanArt Commission Direct Purchase Award, Memphis, TN, paintings purchased by the City of Memphis
2004 UrbanArt Commission Temporary Public Art Exhibition & Honorarium, First Tennessee Bank ArtForum, FedEx Forum, Club Level, Memphis, TN
1994, ’92, ’91 Individual Artist Grant, Peoria Area Arts and Sciences Council, Peoria, IL
1989 Nominee, Awards in the Visual Arts (A.V.A.) Fellowship
1988 National Endowment for the Arts Visual Arts Fellowship, administered by Arts Midwest
RESIDENCIES
2025 Crosstown Arts, Memphis, TN
2011 Artist in Residence, Paducah Arts Alliance, Paducah, KY
2005 Resident Fellow, The Hambidge Center, Rabun Gap, GA
2004 Artist at Pine Needles, St. Croix Watershed Research Station, Marine on St. Croix, MN
2001 Resident Fellow, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Sweet Briar, VA
2000 Resident Fellow, Vermont, Studio Center, Johnson City, VT
1994 Resident Fellow, The MacDowell, Peterborough, NH
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Higher Education:
1997-2020 Professor, Memphis College of Art, Memphis, TN
1996-1997 Visiting Assistant Professor and Acting Head of Painting, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
1989-1994 Part Time Art Faculty, Bradley University, Peoria, IL
1987-1989 Instructor, Mount Senario College, Ladysmith, WI
1985 Instructor, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Other:
2022 & ’23 Instructor, Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek, WI. Watercolor workshops
2022- Creative Aging, Shelby County, TN. Watercolor classes
2014-2020 Instructor, Flicker Street Studio, Memphis, TN
VISITING ARTIST ENGAGEMENTS
2023 Delta State University, Cleveland, MS, graduate program
2019 Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, final critiques
2011 Delta State University, Cleveland, MS
2008 Mississippi Art Colony, Utica, MS, April 22 to 27
2001 University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, graduate critiques
1996 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
1995 Carleton College, Northfield, MN
1994 Eureka College, Eureka, IL
1991 Memphis College of Art, Memphis, TN
1988 University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI
1984-85 St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
SLIDE LECTURES
2023 Delta State University, Cleveland, MS. Graduate program
Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN
Artist’s Link, Memphis, TN
2022 Memphis Germantown Art League, Germantown, TN
2019 University of Memphis, Memphis, TN
2011 Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, KY
Delta State University, Cleveland, MS
2010 Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
2008 Mississippi Art Colony, Utica, MS
University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
2007 Artist Link, Memphis, TN
2006 Rhodes College, Memphis, TN
2001 University Memphis, Memphis, TN. Watercolor class
1997 University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City, IA
Haverford College, Haverford, PA
Cornell College, Mount Vernon, IA
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
1996 Northfield Arts Guild, Northfield, MN
1994 Clark University, Worcester, MA
Northeast Missouri State University, Kirksville, MO
Saint Xavier University, Chicago, IL
1993 University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Illinois State University, Normal, IL
University of Texas at Arlington
1991 University of Wisconsin-Platteville
University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN
1990 Eureka College, Eureka, IL
Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL
JURYING AND JUDGING
2024 Delta State University Student Art Show
2023 Artist’s Link Annual Show, Memphis, TN
2014 Arts Alive, Kennedy Douglass Center for the Arts, Florence, AL
2008 Mississippi Art Colony Travel Exhibition and Awards; traveled to four venues in
the state of Mississippi
University of Mississippi Student Art Summer Show, Oxford, MS
2007 Mississippi Collegiate Art Competition; state-wide exhibition
2005 International Annual Elvis Art Show, Graceland, Memphis, TN
First Tennessee ArtForum artist selection committee, Memphis, TN
2004 19th Annual Helena National Bank Watercolor Exhibition, Helena, AR
Arts Alive, Kennedy Douglass Center for the Arts, Florence, AL
2003 Meet Me in St. Louis All Media Exhibition, St. Louis, MO
1994 Peoria Art Guild Fine Arts Fair, Peoria, IL
1993 Artist's Coalition of Central Illinois Annual Exhibition, Peoria, IL
1992 Peoria Art Guild Fine Arts Fair, Peoria, IL
1991 Annual Student Exhibition, Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL
1990 Scholastic Art Awards, Central Illinois Region
1989 Annual Student Exhibition, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI
1987 Northwoods Artists Association Invitational Exhibition, Ladysmith, WI
Heritage Festival Invitational Art Fair, Faribault, MN
COLLECTIONS
Tennessee State Museum, Nashville, TN
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, TN
Memphis International Airport, permanent installation: three large scale designs printed on windows with ceramic ink. Dedicated 2022.
The City of Memphis, Memphis, TN
The Poplar Foundation