Jon Coffelt

Infobox Artist
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name = Jon Coffelt

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birthdate = 1963, May 16
location = Dunlap, Tennessee
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nationality = American
field = painting, sculpture, installation, curator
training = Middle Tennessee State University (1981–1984); Southern Institute (1984- 1986); University of Alabama at Birmingham (1985–1986); Auburn University (1986)
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Johnny Lee Coffelt born (May 16,1963) is an American artist who lives and works in Manhattan in the Financial District of New York City. Coffelt paints, sculpts, sews, makes artist's books. [ [http://www.susanhenseldesign.com/TheGalleryArchive16.html Susan Hensel Gallery] , Image containing several examples of Coffelt’s book work. ] and curates art exhibitions.

Life

Coffelt was born to Dorcas Ann (née Shadrick) and John Henry Coffelt and has two sisters, Joanna and Janie. Coffelt was raised in the mountains in the town of Palmer, Tennessee and the community of [http://www.maplandia.com/united-states/tennessee/marion-county/griffith-creek/ Griffith Creek] near Whitwell, Tennessee. Coffelt has been painting since he was eight years old. It was his grandfather, John Ervin Coffelt who taught him how to paint. [ [http://www.fineartbirmingham.com/events.asp?ac=ind&event=4818 Coffelt's background] ] Coffelt still considers himself a colorist. [ [http://absolutad.com/absolut_lists/series/pictures/?id=2124&_s=series USA Today] , Jon Coffelt. January 17,1992 p. 6 worldwide release] Carl Alton Shadrick, Coffelt's maternal grandfather, was known regionally as a designer and maker of fine furniture.

Coffelt started out in the fashion industry designing fabric with Willi Smith in the 1980s. [ [http://www.fineartbirmingham.com/events.asp?ac=ind&event=4818 1985-1986] ] Once he decided to devote his full energies to art he was commissioned by Jim Mitchell to paint over 100 works for the Parisian Department Store chain [ [http://www.fineartbirmingham.com/events.asp?ac=ind&event=4818 Commissioned paintings for Parisian Department Stores] ] which helped launch his career as an artist. In 1989 Coffelt received "Outstanding Ten Year Alumnus Award" from Southern Institute. Coffelt was the inaugural artist at Space One Eleven founded by Anne Arrasmith and Peter Prinz, when it opened in 1989 in Birmingham, Alabama [ James R. Nelson, "Space One Eleven is Important Addition to Arts Scene," "Birmingham News", Birmingham, AL, November 29, 1987: pg. 6F ] .

In 1991 Coffelt was commissioned by Absolut Vodka to kick off its "Absolut Statehood" campaign representing the state of Alabama; the result was shown in a full-page ad in "USA Today," "Time" [ [http://absolutad.com/absolut_lists/series/pictures/?id=2124&_s=series "Time", ad February 14, 1994] ] , [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2003_August_6/ai_106345958 "Genre] ", "Out" and "Science Digest" among others. Coffelt, 28 years old at the time, was the youngest artist ever commissioned by Absolut Vodka. [Ruth Beumont Reuse, “Absolut Coffelt,” Birmingham Magazine, February 1992. page 19] Other work by Coffelt is also included in the Absolut Museet collection of contemporary art in Stockholm, Sweden. [ [http://absolutad.com/absolut_useful/links/ Absolut Museet info] ] From 1992 until 2000 Coffelt owned and operated Agnes, a gallery devoted to socially aware photography, short film/video and book arts.

From 1994-1996, Coffelt served as editor and publisher of "Alabama Art Monthly", [" [http://www.schedlerminchin.com/events.asp?ac=ind&event=4818 4/5/06 - 4/29/06 - Jon Coffelt] " ] a monthly art magazine he founded which was the first art magazine in the state.Fact|date=November 2007 In 2002 Coffelt closed the gallery in order to move to New York and give his own art undivided attention. Over the last several years his work has been shown in Atlanta [Catherine Fox,"The Art of Enlightenment", Atlanta Journal/Constitution, Altanta GA June 1, 2003] , Birmingham [ [http://www.schedlerminchin.com/events.asp?ac=ind&event=4818 Schedler/Minchin] , Birmingham AL] , Boston, Chattanooga, Los Angeles, Miami [ [http://www.fau.edu/galleries/longestwinter.htm "The Longest Winter"] , Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL] , Minneapolis, Mobile [ [http://media.www.usavanguard.com/media/storage/paper973/news/2007/01/22/FineArts/Review.Subtlety.Meets.Material.At.Space.301-2669587.shtml "The Vanguard"] , Space 301, Mobile, AL] , Nashville, New Orleans, New York City [ [http://www.gallery-guide.com/2003-03/oneperson/nyone.asp Gallery Guide] New York, NY] , Philadelphia [ [http://www.pentimenti.com/previous_exhibit.html Pentimenti Gallery] , Philadelphia, PA] , San Francisco [ [http://www.bryantstreet.com Bryant Street Gallery] , San Francisco, CA] , Barcelona [ [http://www.art-info.com/name_kue/kueic5.htm Art Info, Art Fairs] Europe 2004] , London [ [http://www.laserhousegallery.com/jon_coffelt.htm Laserhouse Gallery] , Leonard on Sea, London UK] , Mexico City, Montreal [ [http://www.gallerygora.com Gallerie Gora] , Montreal, Quebec Canada] and Tokyo. [ [http://www.solomonprojects.com/artistpage/coffelt/coffeltbio.html Solomon Projects] Atlanta, GA]

Work

In 1999 Coffelt was chosen to be part of an exhibit at The Birmingham Museum of Art called "Galore: The Continuous Painting Wall." Other artists who participated in this exhibit include Lydia Dona, Dennis Hollingsworth, Ingo Meller, Thomas Nozkowski, and Leslie Wayne. It was curated by David Moos and in 2002 when Coffelt received the "City of Birmingham Distinguished Artist Award" [http://www.magiccityart.com/artists/index.cfm?fuseaction=content&id=27] in Birmingham, Alabama, David Moos wrote the foreword for the published catalog.

In 2000 Michael Pittari, editor of Art Papers curated "Hypnotic Post: Atlanta Abstraction Now" at Swan Coach House Gallery, [ [http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/reviews/BYRD/byrd3-14-00.asp "Hypnotic Post: Atlanta Abstraction Now" at Swan Coach House Gallery] , Atlanta, Georgia.] Coffelt was selected along with twelve other artists for "Post Hypnotic-Hypnotic Post" millennium celebration of the arts.

In 2000, Coffelt's work was chosen for "House and Garden: Twists on Domesticity," at Space One Eleven, Birmingham, AL through a grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Arts. The exhibition included the work of Karen Rich Beall also included a catalog with a foreword on Coffelt by David Moos. In this exhibition, Coffelt hand-sewed more than 250 miniature garments that were exhibited here using original fabrics from clothing surrendered by individuals across the country to produce exact replicas keeping the integrity of these pieces intact with the fabrics, shapes and seams of the garments. Coffelt calls these memory sculptures because most of the pieces came from a loved one. [ Nancy Raabe, "Tiny Treasures," "Birmingham News", Birmingham, AL, September 10, 2000: pg. 1F & 8F]

In 2002, Coffelt's work was selected to be part of "The Longest Winter" curated by Gean Moreno for Florida Atlantic University. This exhibition asks viewers to rethink notions of the domestic as the cookie-cut "normal" place it is often depicted to be. Moreno explains, "The artists in 'The Longest Winter' demonstrate that the domestic is the native ground of weird imaginations, of deranging methods and private methodologies." [ [http://www.fau.edu/divdept/schmidt/nr/july/07_10_lngwinter.htm "The Longest Winter," curated by Gene Moreno] Florida Atlantic University, Miami, FL]

In 2007 Clayton Colvin curated "Art and Place II: Material at Hand" for Center for the Living Arts/Space 301 featuring the work of Coffelt and nine other artists. This exhibition deals with the influence that a sense of place can have on the artist. The focus here lies in the significance of medium in artists' work "and how their chosen media may also function as the content or the subject. [ [http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/business/index.ssf?/printer/printer.ssf?/base/entertainment/116816558184700.xml&coll=3 "Art and Place II: Material at Hand" for Center for the Living Arts/Space 301] , Mobile, Alabama]

Quotes

*Coffelt’s miniature clothes - each garment a portrait of a distinct individual - merges the feminine, domestic chore of sewing with the act of painting. Instead of relying upon his customary paintbrush and wooden panels, Coffelt is creating surrogate paintings with these patterned garments. This painterly emphasis, stressing the color, texture, weave and gloss of his chosen fabrics, is what separates Coffelt's undertaking from the painstaking labors of other miniaturists [ House and Garden: Space One Eleven, "Twists on Domesticity" catalog, forward by David Moos 2000 ] . -David Moos

*His miniature commissions are among the most powerful art works I have come across. In them, Jon takes items of a client's clothing and reproduces these in miniature and then sets them alongside other items of miniaturised clothes. Collectively, they become a memory of ourselves and/or those around us [ [http://www.galleryica.com/artist_display.asp?ArtistID=317 Haydn Shaughnessy Gallery ICA, Ireland] ] . -Haydn Shaughnessy

Current work

A number of Coffelt's paintings were featured in the video, "Wait A Minute" (Just A Touch) featuring the British rapper/singer Estelle Swaray in late 2007 and produced by the Atlantic Recording Corporation/WEA International Inc. for the world outside the United States.Fact|date=November 2007 Coffelt has evolved from painting in a minimalist, op art vein to creating collages using duct tape and vellum. Some of his newest work includes a series of full-size motorcycles cast in semi-transparent polyurethane resin to look like huge pieces of Jolly Rancher candy each in a different flavor/color.

Collections

Coffelt is included in many prestigious public and private collections including
American Express, ASCAP, Birmingham International Airport, ["Feature Artist Airport," "Birmingham News" (Birmingham, Ala.), January 9 1993; "Art News: Airport Art," "Birmingham News," August 30 1992.] Birmingham Museum of Art, Capitol Records, Lord International US Headquarters, Mercedes Corp, Parisian, Progressive Insurance, Saks Fifth Avenue, Time Warner/"Southern Living"] , among many others.

Curatorial work

"Going Within" was curated by Coffelt in 2005 for Visual AIDS. [ [http://www.thebody.com/visualaids/web_gallery/2005/coffelt/statement.html "Going Within" curated for "The Body for Visual AIDS, NYC] ] An organization striving to increase public awareness through programs such as exhibitions, publications and partnering with artists, galleries and museums and other organizations. This exhibition included many artists, among them David Nelson, Clifford Smith, and David Wojnarowicz.

"Contour: The Definitive Line" [ [http://www.fineartbirmingham.com/events.asp?ac=ind&event=7936 "Contour: The Definitive Line" curated for Schedler Minchin Gallery] Birmingham, Alabama, June 2006] was curated by Jon Coffelt in 2006 and encompassed selections of drawing, painting, collage, installation and photography and included the work of many artists including Clayton Colvin, Lee Isaacs, and Sean Slemon.

Janet Hassinger and Jon Coffelt co-curated "The Book "ever after"" [ [http://www.com.edu/campus-life/artgallery/thebook.pdf "The Book"] College of the Mainland Fine Arts Gallery, Texas City, Texas 2007] consisting of 38 selected artists. This exhibition was an overview starting from the beginning of the book arts movement with works by Ed Ruscha, John Cage, Yoko Ono and Dieter Roth to contemporary works by Pinky Bass, Coffelt, and Mary Ann Sampson.

Notes and references

Book

* "Absolut Statehood: 51 Painters" by Glenn O'Brien, Foreword by Michel Roux, Photography by Antonio Alia Guccione, 116 pgs. Farrar Straus and Giroux, 1993 Hardcover ISBN 0893815632

External links

* [http://www.joncoffelt.com Jon Coffelt]
* [http://www.thebody.com/visualaids/web_gallery/2005/coffelt/statement.html "Going Within" curated by Jon Coffelt]
* [http://www.schedlerminchin.com/events.asp?ac=ind&event=7936 Schedler Minchin Gallery]
* [http://www.laserhousegallery.com/jon_coffelt.htm Laserhouse Gallery]
* [http://www.oneworldwallet.ning.com "One World Wallet Initative"]
* [http://www.arts.state.al.us/arts-artists/past-exhibitions.htm "Familiar Reality"]
* [http://wbhm.org/Tapestry/2006/April13.html "Tapestry" Interview for National Public Radio]
* [http://www.newamericanpaintings.com/34thbook/34thpreviewpages/artistpages/coffelt.htm New American Paintings] (pages 34-36 are full page images page 37 is Coffelt's Bio) One example shown here. (Not full-size) July 2001 Volume 6, Number 3 ISSN 1066-2235 The Open Studios Press, Wellesley, Massachusetts