Biography - Rick Wheeler
Originally from California, I have lived in the Four Corners region of the American southwest since 1994. The cultural and natural history of the area has been a big influence on my work, which includes landscape, wildlife, and figurative.
My art education included the San Francisco Art Institute, where I was awared a scholarship to study drawing and painting. An additional college for watercolor training was through the San Francisco Academy of Art University. I hold an A.A. degree in graphic design, and a B.A. in Fine Art from Prescott College, Arizona.
My career has become a 3-pronged approach of commercial Illustrator; art instuctor; and fine art gallery exhibiter. Clients have included Grand Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Arches National Parks, as well as several State Parks, the Bureau of Land Management, and assorted national and regional organizations and companies, including National Geographic.
As an art instructor I have had the great pleasure of teaching a variety of students, but always with a emphasis on the wonders of nature. A personal favorite was the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson (recently retired after 17 years). I also teach 1 to 3-day workshops for individuals, small groups, and art organizations both locally and nationally, on request.
MEMBERSHIPS
Artists for Conservation - www.artistsforconservation.org -Signature Member (16 yr. member)
Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild (SAWG)-www.southernazwatercolorguild.com
Intern'l Society of Scratchboard Artists - www.scratchboardsociety.org (SignatureMember)
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM) - www.desertmuseum.org/arts/
Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (20 yr. member, retired 2015)
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
2015 - "Return of the Condor" National Park Service, Department of Interior, Grand Canyon
2014 - Tucson Musicians Museum, Tucson, AZ - "Federico Ronstadt" portrait
2008 - St George Art Museum, St George, UT - "Virgin River, Late Afternoon Light"
2006 - Grand Canyon Conservancy, Grand Canyon National Park "Desert Wildflower Series: Prickly Pear Cactus"
2006 - Patagonia Company, CA - "El Capitan"
1998 - Grand County, UT - "Owl Night Long"
1975 - Sonoma State University, CA - Untitled monoprint
EXHIBITS / Events (2000 - 2022)
2022 - Received 'Award of Excellence', for SAWG, 'Lasting Impressions Show," 2022
2021 - Jury selected for "Sonoran Desert Color" for Color My World, SAWG, Tucson, AZ
2021 - Jury selected to "Small Works Show," Untitled Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2021 - Jury selected to 'Color My World,' Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild (SAWG)
2021 - Jury selected to Artists for Conservation members annual show, 2021: "Bull Rider"
2021 - Chosen for 'Top Shot' Award from ViewBug for "Georgia's Passion" b&w photo
2021 - Jury selected to Spring, 'Emergence' show, Untitled Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2021 - Jury selected to annual 'Fiesta Sonoran Show' - Award of Merit, So. AZ Watercolor Guild
2020 - International Society of Scratchboard Artists - jury selected 'Red Panda' -members show
2020 - 'Legacy Award,' for b/w photo, "Shoshone Point," ViewBug, 2020
2020 - Art Institute Faculty-Ironwood Gallery, ASDM, AZ, Aug 1-Nov 1,2020
2020 - Jury selected to Artists for Conservation member's show, 2 works, Vancouver, Canada
2020 - 'Live' online "Drawing the Sonoran Desert" demo-Art Institute, ASDM (no cost), 6/4/20
2020 - Given "Choice Award, 2020" - 'Georgia's Passion'-b&w photo, NM landscape, ViewBug
2020 - Open Studio - Artists reception & art demos - Mar. 13-14, Hugh Cabot Gallery, Tubac, AZ
2020 - Tubac Village Artists Assoc: members show/Tubac Center of the Arts, June 5-July 31, '20
2020 - Art instructor show, Art Institute, AZ-Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM), 10 works
2020 - Jury Selected to 52nd Annual members exhibit, Southern AZ Watercolor Guild-2 pieces
2019 - One-person show, Community Performance & Art Center, GV, AZ - Oct 31-Dec 2019
2019 - Javelina de Tubac, painted 3-D javelina sculpture (36x48") for Tubac auction/fundraiser
2019 - Tubac Village Artists Association - inaugarul group show, Mar. 10-19, Tubac, AZ
2019 - Jury selected to Artists for Conservation members exhibit, 2019 - "The Long Swim"
2019 - Jury selected, Fiesta Sonora Show, Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild, "Duality"
2019 - Invited to 11th Grand Canyon Celebration of Art, GCNP 100th Anniversary, 2019
2018 - Jury selected, Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild, 51st Annual Show, 'Night Hunter'
2018 - People's Choice Award-Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild, SAWG members show
2018 - Jury selected, Mountain Oysters Club Contemporary Western art exhibit-2 works
2018 - Jury selected, Artists for Conservation annual members' exhibit-'Wood Duck'
2018 - Artist in Residence-Historic Lowe House, Tubac, AZ, ongoing exhibit 2018-19
2017 - Mountain Oyster Club annual juried exhibit: "Great Grandfather's Saddle" sb/wc (sold)
2017 - Received group award from the Arizona Daily Star for the Reader's Choice selection for "Best Arts/Cultural Educational Program," Art Institute, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ. I'm one of several art instructors listed in the award for the Art Institute.
2017 - Jury selected, Artists for Conservation annual members' exhibit-2 works selected
2017 - Invited to Artists for Conservation members exhibit in Qingdao, China, Summer, 2017
2017 - Invited to the 9th annual Grand Canyon Celebration of Art, Sept 17-Jan 15, 2018
2017 - Jury selected, Portland Open Studios, Oct. 14-15 & 21-22, 2017-Portland, OR
2017 - Invited to participate in "The Hero's Journey" exhibit, Columbia Center of the Arts, Hood River, OR, January 6-29; entered "Ancient Stories" (4 x 6 ft.)-Awarded 3rd Place
2016 - Selected to exhibit work at the Art & Conservation Symposium, Art Institute, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ as part of Artists for Conservation members exhibit
2016 - Mountain Oyster Club annual juried show, Tucson, AZ - "Bobcat" sb/wc (sold)
2016 - Invited to participate in Prescott College's 50th anniversary "Alumni Retrospective Show," held at the Sam Hill Gallery, Oct 18-Dec 19, 2016
2016 - Jury selected to Oregon Society of Artists annual members exhibit, Portland, OR
2016 - "Nature Art Exhibit" - online juried exhibit - sponsor: lightspacetime.com - Wood Duck
2016 - "Extreme Size Exhibit" - Oregon Society of Artists, Portland: Fall's End - acrylic - 4x5'
2016 - Jury selected: 7th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibit, St Augustine Art Assoc., Florida
2016 - Sitka Center for Art & Ecology, OR: taught 3-day scratchboard/wc workshop 6/17-19
2016 - Jury selected: Artists for Conservation members exhibit, 2016 / 2 works chosen
2016 - "A Compendium of Beasts" - jury selected, Cannon Beach Gallery, OR, May 7-June 5
2016 - Exhibited at Cattlemen's Western Art Show & Sale, Paso Robles, CA, Apr 8-10
2016 - Jury selected to 5th Annual Int'l Society of Scratchboard Artists members exhibit
2016 - Jury selected to 31st annual Yosemite Renaissance art exhibit, Yosemite Museum Gallery, Yosemite Nationanl Park, CA - for "Vernal Falls Moonlight"
2015 - Included in article, "How to Use Ritual to Find Your Creative Zone" by Chas Martin, Professional Artist Magazine, December 2015-January 2016 issue
2015 - Invited to participate in Grand Canyon Celebration of Art, Sept. 2015 (6th appearance)
2015 - Published in January issue, Southwest Art magazine-"Top Honors" article
2015 - Exhibited at Cattlemen's Western Art Show & Sale, Paso Robles, CA 3/27-29, 2015
2014 - Published in Artists for Conservation hardcover book of members juried exhibit, for my entry "Ocelot"
2014 - Jury selected to Artist's Magazine's 31st Annual Art Competition for "Ocelot"
2014 - Jury selected to "Artists for Conservation" virtual exhibit, Vancouver, Canada
2014 - Selected as "Artist of the Month," Artist's Magazine, May, 2014
2014 - Guild of Natural Science Illustrators-Members Annual Juried Exhibit, for "Ocelot," University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Boulder, CO
2014 - America's Parks II - Jury selected 2 works - Honorable Mention Award, "Gray Hawk"
2013 - Included in Ampersand Art blog article, "Insights from the World of Scratchbord" Lisa Goesling, author
2013 - Paint the Parks - Top 100 - National Juried Touring Show, Coutts Museum of Art, KS
2013 - Tubac Center for the Arts - Jury selected to Members' Annual Exhibit
2013 - Grand Canyon Celebration of Art - Kolb Studio, Grand Canyon NP, AZ (fifth annual)
2013 - Artist's Magazine 30th Annual Art Competition-2 juried works, "Wildlife/Animal" category
2013 - International Society of Scratchboard Artists - member's annual juried exhibit-Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
2013 - "Border Celebrations," group show-Tubac Center of the Arts, AZ (Honorable Mention)
2012 - Artists for Conservation - Members Juried Virtual Exhibit - 2 works selected + book
2012 - Grand Canyon Celebration of Art - Kolb Studio, Grand Canyon NP, AZ (fourth annual)
2012 - Guild of Natural Science Illustrators-Annual Juried-Savannah College Art & Design, GA
2012 - International Society of Scratchboard Artists - ARThouse Gallery, Glen Ellen, CA
2011 - Paint the Parks - Top 100 Mini - National Juried Touring Exhibit, Coutts Museum of Art
2011 - Southwest Contemporary Realism - Arroyo Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2011 - Grand Canyon Celebration of Art - Kolb Studio, Grand Canyon NP, AZ (third annual)
2010 - Grand Canyon Celebration of Art - Kolb Studio, Grand Canyon NP, AZ (second annual)
2009 - Grand Canyon Celebration of Art - Kolb Studio, Grand Canyon NP, AZ (first annual)
2008 - Zion National Park: A Century of Sanctuary - St George Art Museum, St George, UT
2008 - Guild of Natural Science Illustrators - Members Juried Exhibit - Cornell University, NY
2007 - Paint the Parks - Top 100 - National Juried Touring Exhibit
2006 - Legacy of Grand Canyon Art - Grand Canyon NP - exhibit of permanent collection
2006 - Guild of Natural Science Illustrators-Members Juried Exhibit-Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
2004 - Arts for the Parks - Mini 100 Juried - Jackson, WY
2003 - Guild of Natural Science Illustrators-Members Annual Juried Exhibit-Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2001 - 9th Biennial National Juried Exhibition - Dinnerware Gallery, AZ (Fritz Scholder, juror)
2000 - NW New Mexico Arts Council Regional Juried Art Show - 'Yazzie Brothers' Gateway Musuem, NM
AWARDS, HONORS
2018 - People's Choice Award, Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild, "Vernal Falls Moonlight"
2015 - Awarded "Blue Ribbon" (cash award)-Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, Portland, OR
2014 - People's Choice Award, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Mem. Exhibit, "Scrub Jay"
2013 - Honorable Mention, America's Parks II for "Gray Hawk"
2013 - Honorable Mention -Borders Celebrations, Tubac Center of the Arts, AZ for "Open Space"
2010 - Nominated for best "Children's Picture Book" - ForeWord Book Awards - illustrator, "Madera Canyon"
2008 - Jurors Award - Zion National Park: A Century of Sanctuary -
Peter Hassrick, juror - for "Virgin River, Late Afternoon Light" - acrylic
2000 - Honorable Mention, "Yazzie Brothers," NW New Mexico Arts Council Regional Juried Show
Please contact me at wheelerartworks@gmail.com with any questions.