David Avery

David Avery continues to exploit the constraints inherent in traditional black and white line etching in his studio in San Francisco for his own suspect purposes. His work is included in the collections of the Library of Congress, the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, the New York Public Library, the Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, the Stanford University Library among others, and has been noted in the Washington Post and the New York Times. Originally trained as a classical musician, he discovered etching almost by accident in a class at the local community college. After learning the basic techniques, he intently pursued his own course of discovery, developing an exceptional technique and creating a remarkable body of finely wrought miniature etchings and drypoints. Even though “black and white doesn’t sell”, he has eschewed the use of color, finding the subtleties and tonalities of black and white most capable of creating the psychological mood that allows his work to be effective.

We seem to live in an age where words, images and objects have been looted of meaning. So I have come to think of the etchings I make as being miniature Rorschachs, acting upon the experiences and senses of both the careful viewer and the artist. Even a simple nursery rhyme, once you start picking at it, will reveal layer upon layer of associations and further meanings. And so, I find myself both consciously and unconsciously striving towards images receptive to being endowed with meaning, those able to engender a capacity for receptivity to the mysterious and the ambivalent.

AWARDS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: 

2017
Purchase Award, Currency, 11^th Turner National Print Competition and Exhibit; Janet Turner Print Museum, Chico, CA.
Kristy & Dr. Carl Cates Sponsorship, 2016 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition; Bradbury Art Museum, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR.
Honorable Mention, 36^th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition; Bradley UniversityGalleries, Peoria, IL.
Second Place Award, 2017 Fine Arts Exhibition; Dalton Gallery, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA.
Purchase Award, 11^th Biennial International Miniature Print Competition 2017; Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT.
Second Place Award, 2017 Printmaking National Exhibition; Mark Arts, Wichita, KS.

2016
Purchase Award and Juror’s Award, Sixty Square Inches 18^th North American Small Print Exhibition; Purdue University Galleries, West Lafayette, IN.
Lindquist Purchase Award, 2016 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition; Bradbury Art Museum, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR.
Grand Prize (solo exhibit), National Small Works 2016; Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington DC.
Juror’s Choice Purchase Award (x2) and President’s Choice Honorable Mention, Ink & Clay 42; Kellogg University Art Gallery, Pomona, CA.

2015
Purchase Award, 24^th Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; University of Wisconsin-Parkside Galleries, Kenosha, WI.
Third Place Award, The Fine Arts Exhibition, Decatur Arts Festival; Dalton Gallery, Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA.
Juror’s Award, Ink& Clay 41; Kellogg University Gallery, Pomona, CA.
Third Place Award, International Miniature Print Exhibition; Manhattan Graphics Center, New York, NY.
Honorable Mention, 18^th Annual National Small Works Exhibition; Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington, DC.
Honorable Mention, PLU National Print Exhibition; University Gallery, Tacoma, WA.

2014
Chancellor’s Purchase Award, 2014 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition; Bradbury Gallery, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR.
Purchase Award, Lilliputians March National Small Works Competition; Purdue University Galleries, West Lafayette, IN.
Juror Award, Ink & Clay 40; Kellogg University Art Gallery, Pomona, CA
First Place, Paperchaser 2014; 308 Gallery, Muncie IN.
Awarded one person show, International Juried Print Exhibition; New Grounds Gallery, Albuquerque, NM.

2013
Purchase Award, Ink, Press, Repeat 2013; Ben Shahn Center for the Visual Arts, William Patterson University, Wayne, IN.
Lindquist Purchase Award, 2013 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition, Bradbury Gallery, Arkansas      State University, Jonesboro, AR.

2012
Juror’s Merit Award, Pat & Roger Carlisle Sponsorship, 2012 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition;Bradbury Gallery, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR

2011
Lakeview Museum Purchase Award, 33^rd Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition; Bradley University, Peoria, IL
1^st Place, San Francisco Open Studios Exhibition; San Francisco, CA
4^th Place, National Small Works 2011; The Washington Printmakers Gallery, Silver Spring, MD

2010
Purchase Award, 23^rd Annual McNeese National Works on Paper Exhibition; Abercrombie Gallery, Lake Charles, LA
Best of Show and 1^st Place in Printmaking and Drawing, Affaire in the Gardens; Beverly Hills, CA

2009
Otis Philbrick Memorial Prize, Boston Printmakers 2009 North American Print Biennial; 808 Gallery at Boston University, Boston, MA
Awarded solo show, 3^rd Annual California Centered: Printmaking 2009; Merced Multicultural Arts Center, Merced, CA
Purchase Award, 32^nd Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition; Heuser Art Center, Peoria, IL
Honorable Mention, Marin Society of Artists Third National Exhibition; Marin Society of Artists, Ross, CA
Juror’s Choice Award, Artspan SF Open Studios 2009 Exhibition; San Francisco, CA

2008
Honorable Mention, Twenty-second International Juried Show; Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ
Purchase Award, 21st Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI

2007
Multiple Interpretations: Contemporary Prints in Portfolio at the New York Public Library; New York, NY (artist’s work noted in the New York Times, Dec. 4 )
Awarded Best in Show, Angels & Demons: Blessed or Possessed; A Shenere Velt Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

1996
Purchase Award, 10th Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI

1994
First Place in Printmaking, KTEH Art Auction Juried Exhibition; McPherson Center for Art and History, Santa Cruz, CA

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS: 

2017
Solo Exhibition, Pursuing Invisible Reflections: The Etchings of David Avery; Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington DC.
Global Matrix IV; Purdue University Galleries, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
30^th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper Exhibition; McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA.
Creation and Resistance: Printmaking in Dark Times; Juan Fuentes Gallery at Accion Latina, San Francisco. CA.

2016
Solo Exhibition, Abstracting the Quintessence; Sarratt Gallery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.
Ink, Press, Repeat: National Juried Printmaking and Book Arts Exhibition;University Galleries, William Patterson University, Wayne, NJ.
The Printed Image 6; Alice B. Sabatini Gallery, Topeka, KS.

2015
2015 Selections (Artspan); Somarts Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
Boston Printmakers Exhibition at Childs Gallery; Childs Gallery, Boston, MA.
The Future: Los Angeles Printmaking Society International Exchange Exhibition; Scuola Internazionale     di Grafica, Venice, Italy.
Solo Exhibition, The Mysterious Conspiracy of Existence—Etchings by David Avery; New Grounds          Gallery,Albuquerque, NM.
Ethereal Visions; Three Person Exhibit, Sandra Lee Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
35^th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition; Bradley University Galleries, Peoria, IL.

2014
New Prints 2014/Winter; International Print Center New York, New York, NY.
27^th Annual McNeese Works on Paper Exhibition; Abercrombie Gallery, McNeese State University, Lake   Charles, LA.
The Boston Printmakers Selects: a Distillation from the 2013 North American Print Biennial; SGCI 2014, Cannery Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
New Prints 2014; Christie’s Rockefeller Center Galleries, New York, NY.
Print Facets: Five Centuries of Printmaking; The Curator Gallery, New York, NY.

2013
Boston Printmakers 2013 North American Print Biennial; 808 Gallery, Boston   University, Boston, MA
34^th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition, Bradley University Galleries, Peoria, Il.
24^th National Drawing and Print Competitive Exhibition; Gormley Gallery, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD
26^th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper Exhibition; Ambercrombie Gallery, Lake Charles, LA.
3^rd National Exhibition of Intaglio Prints; New York Society of Etchers, National Arts Club, NY, NY.

2012
New Prints 2012/Autumn; International Print Center New York, New York, NY.
From Dublin to LA and Back; Monster Truck Gallery, Temple Bar, Dublin, Ireland.
Global Matrix III; Purdue University Galleries, West Lafayette, IN
2^nd National Exhibition of Intaglio Prints; New York Society of Etchers, National Arts Club, New York NY
Ink and Clay 38; Kellogg Art Gallery, CSPU, Pomona, CA.

2011
In Extremis, Prints Monumental, Intimate, and Encompassing; Meridian Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1^st National Exhibition of Intaglio Prints; New York Society of Etchers, National Arts Club, New York, NY.
2011 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition; Bradbury Gallery, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR.
Ink and Clay 37; Kellogg Art Gallery, CSPU, Pomona, CA.

2010
Solo Show, Merced Multicultural Arts Center, Merced, CA
The Parkside National Small Print Exhibition Retrospective: Works from the Permanent Collection of Purchase Awards; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI
Miniprint Finland 2010; Lahti Art Museum, Lahti, Finland.
2010
Pacific States Biennial National Print Exhibition; Campus Center Gallery,           University of Hawaii at Hilo, HI

2009
22^nd Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI
Washington Printmakers National Small Works 2009; Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington DC

2008
Relevant Traditions; Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco, CA
Art for Democracy: War and Empire: Meridian Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2007
Selections 07, a juried exhibition of work by artists from the 2006 San Francisco Open Studios; 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Printmakers Bay Area; Richmond Art Center, Richmond CA

2006
The Printed Image; the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery, Topeka, KS
First Annual Juried Exhibition; Axis Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Back to Basics, Traditional Printmaking; Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, CA

2005
Works in Ink and Light; Two-person exhibit, Meridian Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2004
Printmakers of the Golden Gate; Claudia Chapline Gallery, Stinson Beach, CA
Printmaking and Process: an Overview of Contemporary Practice; Arts Benicia, Benicia, CA
 Ink and Clay 30; W Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA
17^th Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI

2003
Night Shift (Aspects of the Night); Collector’s Gallery, Oakland Museum of Art, Oakland, CA

2002
Scratching the Surface; Three-person exhibit, Fetterly Gallery, Vallejo, CA
Four Artists Four Directions; Sanchez Gallery, Pacifica, CA
Proof of Life, Fiftieth Anniversary of the Graphic Arts workshop; Meridian Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2001
Fourth International Miniprint Triennial; Lahti Art Museum, Lahti, Finland
Imprints; Arts Benicia, Benicia, CA
David Avery, Etchings; B. Beamesderfer Gallery, Highland Park, NJ
14^th Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI

2000
Inside the Eye; SOMARTS Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Pacific Prints 2000, 10^th Biennial; Pacific Art League of Palo Alto, CA

1999
Merit Award, Things with Wings; Artisans, Mill Valley, CA
12^th Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI

1997
Juried Exhibition of the California Society of Printmakers; Institut Franco-Americain, Rennes, France
Beyond Boundaries, the North American Printmaking Exhibition; Richmond Art Center, Richmond CA

1996
Selections, a juried exhibition of work by artists from 1995’s San Francisco Open Studios, Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA
1996 Print Biennial; Silvermine Guild Arts Center, New Canaan, CT

1995
Traditional Techniques/Contemporary Prints; Stanwood Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1992
Selected Works, Members of the California Society of Printmakers; Memorial Union Art Gallery, U.C. Davis, CA
Pacific Prints 1992, 6^th Biennial; Pacific Art League of Palo Alto, CA

1991
Contemporary Printmaking Invitational; the Turner Print Gallery, California State University, Chico, CA
Images and Objects 1991; ACCI Gallery, Berkeley, CA

1990
Works on Paper ’90; Koret Gallery, Palo Alto, CA: Honorable Mention
4th Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI
Pacific Prints 1990; 5th Biennial; Pacific Art League of Palo Alto, CA
Tenth Mini Print Internacional, Cadaques; Taller Galeria Fort, Cadaques, Spain and other locations in Spain and Japan

1989
David Avery, etchings, a one person show; Warner Roberts Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
Miniature Print Biennial, International Graphic Arts Foundation; John Szoke Gallery, New York, NY
U.S.-U.K. Impressions, California and Los Angeles Society of Printmakers and British Printmakers Council; Barbicon Art Center, London, U.K.
Third Parkside National Small Print Exhibition; Communication Arts Gallery, Kenosha, WI

MUSEUM AND LIBRARY COLLECTIONS:

Library of Congress
The Fogg Museum of Fine Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
The Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, San Francisco, CA
Stanford University Library, Special Collections, Stanford, CA
The Turner Print Gallery, California State University, Chico, CA
The Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C.
St. Mary’s College, Moraga, CA
New York Public Library, New York, NY
San Francisco Public Library, Book Arts and Special Collections Center
Lakeview Museum Permanent Collection, Peoria, IL
Arkansas State University Permanent Collection, AR
Purdue University Galleries
Bradbury Art Museum, Jonesboro, AR
Kellogg University Art Gallery, Pomona, CA