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EDUCATION
1996 Master of Fine Arts: University of California at Davis. Focus in Sculpture.
1995 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, ME. Focus in sculpture and fresco.
1994 Bachelor of Fine Arts: Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO. Major in Sculpture.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2004-05 Visiting Instructor, University of Kansas, Lawrence
2004 Lecturer, University of Kansas Lawrence (Spring 2004) Sculpture
1998-05 Adjunct Assistant Professor, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, KS.
1999-05 Instructor, continuing education courses, Johnson County Community College,
1999-04 Instructor, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO.
1994-96 Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of California at Davis
1995 Associate Instructor, University of California at Davis.
RELATED ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
2001-05 Finance Coordinator, Art Department, Johnson County Community College,
Overland Park, KS. Ongoing responsibilities for coordinating the finances and
purchases of 4 to 6 adjunct faculty in the Sculpture/Metals area.
2000 Curriculum Development: Participant in Master Teacher’s Workshop, through
Johnson County Community College.
2000 Curriculum Development: Assist in the rewriting of the course outlines to meet
1991-94 Campus Wood shop Technician, Central Wood shop, Kansas City Art Institute,
Kansas City, MO.
RELATED TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE
1996-05 Studio Assistant to Marcus and Sheryl Pierson, well known painters and sculptors,
Kansas City, MO. Responsibilities include stretching canvas, building sculptures,
making molds, and building studio equipment.
1997-98 Pattern and mold maker, Architectural Details International, Kansas City, KS. Building
wood patterns and large rubber molds for plaster and concrete castings.
1996-97 Woodworker, Polivka Fine Woodworking, Kansas City, MO. Building custom furniture and
cabinets using traditional and contemporary wood working processes.
1993 Woodworker, Lowery and Sons Cabinet Makers, Swartz, LA.
AWARDS / HONORS
2003 Nominated for the Lieberman Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johnson County Community
College, Overland Park KS.
2000 Nominated for the Lieberman Award for Excellence in Teaching, Johnson County Community
College, Overland Park KS.
1998 Received a studio visit from Rafeal Rubenstein, senior editor for Art In America, in conjunction
with the JCCC art show “Perspective Kansas City”
1995 Tuition and Residency Student Grant to attend The Skowhegan Art School summer program.
EXHIBITION RECORD
2005 “Group Show” Strecker-Nelson Gallery, Manhattan, KS 66502 Manhattan KS.
2004 “Group Show” Strecker-Nelson Gallery, Manhattan, KS 66502 Manhattan KS.
2004 Faculty Exhibition, Johnson County Community College Library Gallery, Overland Park KS.
2003 “Teaching the Object” Group exhibition at The Arts Incubator, Kansas City, MO.
2003 “You Are Here” at The Bank, for the Urban Culture Project in Kansas City, MO.
2002 “Shine” JCCC Gallery of Art: JCCC Foundation fundraising exhibition in Overland Park, KS.
2001 Review Magazine Fundraiser at the Hobbs Building in Kansas City, MO.
2001 Flat File exhibition, H&R Block Art Space Kansas City, MO.
2001 Group exhibition at The Old Post Office Gallery in Kansas City, MO.
2000 Group exhibition at The Old Post Office Gallery in Kansas City, MO.
2000 Faculty Exhibition, Johnson County Community College Library Gallery, Overland Park KS.
1999 Series of three theme based exhibitions at The Old Post Office Gallery in Kansas City, MO.
1999 “Kinetic Show” The Dirt Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1998 Solo Window Installation at The Dirt Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1997 “The Chair Building Presents” Kansas City, MO.
1997 “The Barbie Show” Gallery V, Kansas City, MO.
1997 “Truth and Sickbed” 1331 Union Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1997 “The Casino Show” The Dirt Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1997 “Pretty Big Show” The Dirt Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1996 “Exit” M.F.A. graduate thesis exhibition, U.C. Davis Campus, Davis, CA.
1996 “Intermission” U.C. Davis Memorial Union Gallery, Davis, CA.
1995 “Entry” The Pence Gallery, Davis, CA.
1995 “Thrift Store Project” in Sacramento, CA.
1994 Solo Installation at “Fresh Widow” an alternative space in Kansas City, MO.
1993 “Four Faiths” Left Bank Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1993 “La Futura” Left Bank Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1992 Invitational student exhibition for Kansas City Art Institute. Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, KS.
1992 Masur Museum 19th Annual Juried Competition, Monroe, LA.
Artist Statement
As a child I was always taking things apart that had warning labels like, “Do Not Open!” and “Risk of Electric Shock!” I saw those warnings as invitations that said, “Open me now, so you can see how I work!” I had to find out what was inside and I still find myself taking things apart (sometimes things I shouldn’t). My need to understand machines and gadgets developed into making kinetic sculpture.
As an artist I am still interested in how things work, but now I am more interested in how people work, how the mind works. I use traditional figurative elements and industrial machines to examine the relationships between man and technology, as well as man’s desire to have more and more control over his environment. In our attempts to control our surroundings we often lose sight of our own, imperfect, human nature and we habitually see ourselves and our actions in desensitized, scientific terms. I enjoy showing people the embarrassing, awkward parts of humanity, the parts that we pretend to have outgrown. I want to make people see the things that they try to hide from themselves and I want them to be amused by it.
My aesthetic is driven by early industrial machines that were designed with artistic beauty in mind. An extensive display of steam engines at the Deutsches Museum, in Munich, Germany has significantly influenced my work due to the craftsmanship involved in their construction. We frequently hide the technologically superior machines that we build within flat metal boxes. Likewise, we hide our own internal workings behind the absurd concepts of who we are “supposed” to be.
Most of my sculptures are examinations of human processes, and usually represent a specific emotion. The sculptures themselves are mechanical and become a physical manifestation of that emotion. I might use jerky, repetitive motions to convey obsessive frustration, or to communicate persistence and patience I might use calm, smooth movement. Finding a way for my kinetic sculptures to mimic human qualities has become a way for me to understand people.
I enjoy working with circuitry and mechanics, as well as working with funny subject matter. I get a great deal of satisfaction from a career in sculpture that grew from an earlier desire to mess with things that have labels like "Do Not Open."
Graham Lane
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