Whitten
Artist / Painter
richardwhitten.com
https://www.instagram.com/richardwhittenart/
https://www.facebook.com/richard.whitten.5623
Bio and Resumé
Bio
Richard Whitten grew up in Manhattan, NY, a child of Asian and American parents. He earned a B.A. in Economics from Yale University and an M.F.A. in Painting from the University of California at Davis where he studied with both Wayne Thiebaud and Robert Arneson. He has had numerous exhibitions on both coasts. Notable are major solo exhibitions at the Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ; the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington; and the Newport Art Museum in Newport, Rhode Island. He is represented by ArtMora Gallery, NY and Seoul, Korea; Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA; the William Scott Gallery, Provincetown, MA; and the John Natsoulas Gallery in Davis, CA. He is presently a Professor of Painting at Rhode Island College and recently completed a term as Department Chairperson. He is honored to have received a 2023 Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant and a 2024 Residency to Yaddo..
Resumé
Education
University of California, Davis, CA, M.F.A., Painting 1987
Yale University, New Haven, CT, Non-Degree Studies in Painting 1980-82
Yale University, New Haven, CT, B.A. in Economics, Cum Laude 1980
Selected Solo and Two Person Exhibitions
Richard Whitten and Jerry DeCamp, Galerie Étienne de Causans, Paris, France Summer 2026
"The Galileo Project" Bannister Gallery, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI Fall 2025
Whitten, Sabbatical Exhibition Bannister Gallery, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI Fall 2024
“Set in Motion: Kinetic Worlds from the Studio of Richard Whitten” Summer 2024
Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ
"A Cabinet of Curious Matters" Richard Whitten and Nancy Callahan, 2023
Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY
“Games” Art Mora Gallery, Ridgefield, NJ 2021
McGlothlin Center for the Arts, Emory and Henry College; Emory, VA 2021
Art Mora Gallery, Seoul, Korea 2022
William Scott Gallery, Provincetown , MA 2023, 2021, 2019
“Science FictionS”, Jamestown Art Center, Jamestown, RI 2019
Clark Gallery Lincoln, MA 2018, 2016, 2014, 2010
Chazan Gallery at Wheeler School, Providence, RI 2018
URI Main Gallery, Kingston, RI 2017
Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit, MA 2017
“Hidden Worlds” Art Mora Gallery, New York, NY 2017
Art Mora Gallery, Ridgefield, NJ 2017
“Studiolo”, University of Maine Museum of Art, Bangor, ME 2016
“Experiments” Helen Day Art Center, Stowe, Vermont 2015
Dedee Shattuck Gallery, Westport, MA 2014
Sabbatical Exhibition, “Wunderkabinett” Bannister Gallery, Providence, RI 2014
“Sacre Rouge” Trustman Gallery, Simmons College, Boston, MA 2014
“Wunderkammer”, Anderson Gallery, Bridgewater University, Bridgewater, MA 2013
“Allegory, Metaphor, and Paradox” Bristol Art Museum, Bristol, RI 2011
“Details of Thought” Towne Gallery, Wheelock College, Boston, MA 2011
“Richard Whitten: Passageways”, Beard Gallery, Wheaton College, Norton, MA 2009
Lenore Gray Gallery, Providence, RI 2008, 2006
“Richard Whitten: Invisible Cities”, Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA 1997
Virginia Lynch Gallery, Tiverton, RI 1994, 1992
“Reflection and Invention” Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI 1993
Mincher-Wilcox Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1990, 1989
MFA Graduate Show, Shackelford & Sears Gallery, Davis, CA 1987
“Harlequin Series” Basement Workshop Gallery, New York, NY 1986
Selected Group Exhibitions
NetWorks Rhode Island and the Chazan Collection: A Half-Century of RI Artistic Patronage Summer 2024
“The Point of Precision”, OYG Projects, Brooklyn, NY 2023
“Unreal” John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA catalog essay by John Seed 2023
"Conversational", Arts on the Lake art center, Carmel, NY 2022
"Between Color and Value" Ballinglen Museum of Art, Ballycastle, Ireland 2021
“Raid the Icebox, Triple Canopy: Defining Asian, RISD Museum, Providence, RI 2019-2020
Art Mora Gallery Seoul, Korea 2020, 2019, 2017
“Art of Painting” curated by Edward Lucie Smith, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA 2017
RISCA Fellowships 2017 Imago Gallery, Warren, RI 2017
Presence of China: International Contemporary Art Forum, Sanya, Hainan Province, China 2017
“The Great California Art Movement, 1960s-1990s”, John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA 2016
“Networks 2015/16” Newport Art Museum, Newport RI 2016
“What’s the Big Idea?” Paintings from the U of Maine Museum of Art, Bangor, ME 2016
“The Thing Itself” (curated by John Yau) Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ 2015
“8 Visions” Attleboro Arts Museum, Attleboro Arts Museum 2013, 2008
Newport Art Museum: Reconnection/Recollection II, Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI 2012
“Director’s Choice” Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA 1998
“Artists of New England Triennial,” Fuller Museum of Art, Brocton, MA 1996
Allan Stone Gallery, New York, NY 1995
“Invitational” Michael Walls Gallery, New York, NY 1990
Awards and Fellowships
Yaddo Residency 2024
Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant 2023-24
RI State Council on the Arts Make Art Grant 2022, 2023
Berkshire Taconic Artist Resource Trust Grant 2021
Golden Apple Residency, Fellowship 2021, 2023
Gilbertsville Expressive Movement Fellowship and Residency 2019
Vermont Studio Center Residency Fellowships 2019,2018,2017,2013
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Fellowship in Painting Merit Award 2017
Speaker, Presence of China: International, Sanya, Hainan Province, China 2017
Speaker, Leonard Lecture Series, University of Maine Museum of Art 2016
Keynote Speaker: Art of Painting Conference, John Natsoulas Gallery Davis, CA 2016, 2019
Networks 2015, RI PBS Video 2015
Ballinglen Foundation Fellowship, Ballycastle, Ireland 2007
The E. D. Foundation Grant, Kearny, NJ 1995, 1996
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, Artist Project Grant, Providence, RI 1993
Graham Foundation Grant, Chicago, IL 1990
University of California Regents’ Fellowship, Davis, CA 1986-87
University of California Regents’ Fellowship, Davis, CA 1985-86
Artists’ Space Exhibition Grant, New York, NY 1983
Bibliography (selected)
GoLocal Providence “Inside Art with Michael Rose-
Meet Painter and Professor Richard Whitten”, Oct 30, 2024
Hyperallergic: "Richard Whitten's Perspectival Sleight of Hand" Natasha Seaman 2024
NJArts: Richard Whitten's Mysterious, Wildly Imaginative Machines" Tris McCall. 2024
Mudfish 22 2021
“Science Fictions” Art New England, Alexander Castro May/June 2019
Cover Image: October Issue “Artist’s Magazine” October 2017
“Time, Money, and Mentoring” by Richard Whitten, “Artist’s Magazine” October 2017
The Art of Painting, Edward Lucie Smith February 2017
“Richard Whitten: Portals to the Unconscious” Artists Magazine, Holly Davis Jan/Feb 2017
“Networks 2015-2016, Art as impetus in RI” Suzanne Volmer, Artscope Jan/Feb 2017
“Networks 2015-2016”, Networks, RI/Newport Art Museum 2016
“Limitless Creativity” Sophie Nelson; Maine Home and Design Magazine: Arts April 2016
“On the Cover – Étude by Richard C. Whitten” Kate Hays (Cover Illustration) January 2016 American Psychologist Magazine
Richard Whitten “Experiments”, Suzanne Volmer, Artscope March/April 2015
“Objects of Wonder: Painting and Sculptures by Richard Whitten” Sept. 27, 2014
Hyperallergic Review, Natasha Seaman
“Richard Whitten”, Essay by Isabel Mattia, Lead Curator September 2014
Exhibition Catalogue: Dedee Shattuck Gallery
“Toy Story”, Lindsay Tucker, Boston Magazine Home Summer 2014
“Wunderkabinett: A Cabinet of Curiosities April 2013
Catalog article by John Yau, Professor of Art Criticism, Rutgers University
“Sacre Rouge: Richard Whitten”, Brigitt Lynch, Director, Trustman Gallery February 2014
Exhibition Catalogue: Trustman Gallery, Simmons College
“Wunderkammer: Paintings by Richard Whitten”, J. Winters, Art New England July-August 2013
“Richard Whitten: Wunderkammer”; Bridgewater University Exhibition 2013
Catalogue Essay by Judith Tolnick Editor Art New England
“Richard Whitten: Passageways”; Wheaton College Exhibition Catalogue 2009
Catalogue Essay by Ann Murray, Prof. of Art History and Director, Beard Gallery
“Richard Whitten” Frye Art Museum, Seattle, Washington 1999
Catalogue Essay by Richard West, Director, Frye Art Museum
Public Collections
Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ
Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NJ
Manetti Shrem Museum, Davis, CA
Ballinglen Museum of Contemporary Art, Ballycastle, Ireland
Triton Art Museum, Santa Clara, CA
Zillman Art Museum, (University of Maine Museum of Art), Bangor, ME
Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI
Transmedia Art Walk – a collection of outdoor Murals and Sculptures, Davis, CA
Attleboro Art Museum, Attleboro, MA
Gilbertsville Expressive Movement Foundation Sculpture Park, Gilbertsville, NY
Fidelity Investments, Smithfield. RI
Collegiate School, New York, NY
Curatorial Projects
Elena Peteva: Drawings and Installations, Bannister Gallery, RI College, Providence, RI 2026
Alan Feltus and Lani Irwin: Paintings, Bannister Gallery, RI College, Providence, RI 2025
Charles Goolsby: Paintings, Bannister Gallery, RI College, Providence, RI 2024
John O’Connor: Drawings, Bannister Gallery, RI College, Providence, RI 2023
John De Melim Memorial Exhibition, RI College, Providence, RI 2019
Brian Rutenberg: Paintings, Bannister Gallery, RI College , Providence, RI 2016
Barbara Takenaga: Paintings, Bannister Gallery, RI College, Providence, RI 2016
Eve Aschheim: Paintings, Bannister Gallery, RI College, Providence, RI 2009
Anne and Dan Leone: Paintings, Bannister Gallery, RI College, Providence, RI 2007
Teaching
Rhode Island College, Providence, RI; Professor 2006-present
Rhode Island College, Providence, RI; Professor, Department Chair 2016-2018
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI; Instructor: Summer Programs 1998-present
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, MA; Lecturer 1996-2005
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT; Visiting Assistant Professor 1995-97
Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI; Visiting Critic, School of Architecture 1992-2006
Penn State University, University Park, PA; Assistant Professor 1989-91