BIO
A New York native, Elena Lourenco was born on Long Island in 1975. She received her BFA from San Jose State University, CA, in 2002 and her MFA in Sculpture from Arizona State University in 2007. As a post-graduate student, she studied abroad at Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland. During her graduate studies Ms. Lourenco was the recipient of the Nathan Cummings Travel Fellowship, an important award that allowed the artist to travel to India to research and observe the integration of Indian culture and landscape, which would come to impart meaning on her working practice.
Lourenco explores this relationship between human identity and landscape in sculptural installations that juxtapose imagery from created domestic life and the natural world, presenting situational narratives of human vulnerability and endurance. In her recent work, rich with metaphor, Lourenco further explores these narratives through examination of her own psyche as a universal paradigm for such human tendencies.
Lourenco’s work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions at the Loudon House Gallery, Lexington, KY, Womancenter, Farmington Hills, MI, Big Orbit Gallery, Buffalo, NY, the Urban institute of Contemporary Art, MI, Center for Inquiry, NY, Mill Center, MD, Corn Exchange Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland, The Ice House, Phoenix, AZ, Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ, and Gallery 5, Richmond, VA. She has also worked on public art projects for the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture in Phoenix. AZ. Currently, Lourenco works as Assistant Professor of Fine Arts in Sculpture at Buffalo State College, Buffalo, New York.
A New York native, Elena Lourenco was born on Long Island in 1975. She received her BFA from San Jose State University, CA, in 2002 and her MFA in Sculpture from Arizona State University in 2007. As a post-graduate student, she studied abroad at Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland. During her graduate studies Ms. Lourenco was the recipient of the Nathan Cummings Travel Fellowship, an important award that allowed the artist to travel to India to research and observe the integration of Indian culture and landscape, which would come to impart meaning on her working practice.
Lourenco explores this relationship between human identity and landscape in sculptural installations that juxtapose imagery from created domestic life and the natural world, presenting situational narratives of human vulnerability and endurance. In her recent work, rich with metaphor, Lourenco further explores these narratives through examination of her own psyche as a universal paradigm for such human tendencies.
Lourenco’s work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions at the Loudon House Gallery, Lexington, KY, Womancenter, Farmington Hills, MI, Big Orbit Gallery, Buffalo, NY, the Urban institute of Contemporary Art, MI, Center for Inquiry, NY, Mill Center, MD, Corn Exchange Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland, The Ice House, Phoenix, AZ, Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ, and Gallery 5, Richmond, VA. She has also worked on public art projects for the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture in Phoenix. AZ. Currently, Lourenco works as Assistant Professor of Fine Arts in Sculpture at Buffalo State College, Buffalo, New York.
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RESUME
EDUCATION
Dec 2007 Master of Fine Arts, Sculpture
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
FA’ 2007 Semester abroad, Post-Grad Sculptural exchange
Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, Scotland
May 2002 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Spatial
San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
1993-1995 School of Visual Arts
New York City, NY
EXHIBITIONS
2013 HERoica: soho20 Chelsea National Affiliates, invitational, soho20 Chelsea Gallery, New York, NY
Partings, solo exhibition, Osage Arts Center, Belle, MO
Summoned: Cast Metal Sculpture, Invitational, Kspace Contemporary, Corpus Christi, TX
Doings and Undoings, solo exhibition, Gallery 5, Richmond, VA
Meditations and Negotiations, solo exhibition, Roz Steiner Gallery, Batavia, NY
2012 National Exhibition, Nor'easter Conference: Aesthetics and Practice in Cast Iron Art, Juror: Heather Powell
Burchfield Penney Museum, Buffalo, NY
Crossing The Line: Drawings by Sculptors, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Juried National Women’s Art Exhibition, From Our Perspectives, Smith Theater Gallery,
Womancenter, Juror: Margi Weir, Farmington Hills, MI
Juried Exhibition, Body/Figure/Nude, Lexington Art League’s Loudon House Gallery, Lexington, KY
Faculty Exhibition, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
2011 Juried National Women’s Art Exhibition, From Our Perspectives, Smith Theater Gallery
Womancenter, Juror: Shiva Ahmadi, Farmington Hills, MI
Juried Exhibition for the National Conference on Cast Iron Art at Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham, AL.
Curated by Leila Hamden from the National Ornamental Metal Museum, TN
Faculty Exhibition, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
2010 Ambiguous Prospects, solo exhibition, Big Orbit Gallery, Buffalo, NY
Faculty Exhibition, Upton Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
2009 Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
New Buffalo Artists, Center For Inquiry, Amherst, NY
Iron Tribe, Burris Hall Gallery, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM
National Conference for the Education of Ceramic Art, ASU Alumni Exhibition, Prism Lab, Tempe, AZ
Faculty Exhibition, Upton Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
2008 Not Fit For Human Consumption, Gallery 5, Richmond Virginia
Faculty Exhibition, Upton Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
Local Produce, Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
Iron Tribe invitational traveling exhibition, South West Conference for Cast Iron Art, Denver, CO, to Moss-Thorne
Gallery, Fort Hayes State University, TX
2007 Open, The Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Scotland
Figure This, Figure That, Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
TRACES- The Alchemy of Actions, Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Physical Presence, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, Arizona
2006 PRECarIOUS—a commentary collaborative of sculptural works with Chloe Palmer
Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art—Invitational, Davis, CA
Annual Juried Summer Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Nathan Cummings Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
The Collection Project— Artist’s Initiative Temporary Public Work
Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture: Installed at Encanto Park, Phoenix, Arizona
2005 Exhibition of Temporary Public Art Competition Recipients –Phoenix City Hall, Phoenix, AZ
The Hook Up, Juried exhibition, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Multiplicity: Works in Metal, Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Juried Summer Exhibition, Juror: Lisa Sette, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
National Conference for the Education of Ceramic Art—Invitational, Mill Center, Baltimore, MD
Melting Point: A Cold War Flash Forward, The Icehouse, Phoenix, AZ
2004 Mixed Messages, The Window Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Mentorship, The Window Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Graduate Student Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2003 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art
Invitational—Curated by Stan Welsh, Davis, CA
2000 Glass Art Society Student Exhibition, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY
1999 San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, Valentine’s Silent Auction, San Jose, CA
PUBLICATIONS, LECTURES AND REVIEWS
SUNY Fredonia Visiting Artist Lecture Series. Invited by Fine Arts Department Chair Bob Booth
November 11, 2010
Guest Panel Speaker at the 6th International Conference of Contemporary Cast Iron Art, Kidwelly, Wales
7th - 11th July, 2010
Artist Lecture. Starlight Studios, Buffalo, NY. February, 2009
Roberts-Pullen, Paulette. “Peep Show: Six shows look at art jewelry, human consumption, found objects and
bears.” Style Weekly. Richmond, VA. November 2008:26
Phoenix Artist’s Initiative. “A Public Display.” Interview. Phoenix Magazine. April 2006: 70.
Gorden, Kathleen. “’The Collection Project’ brings Temporary Art to Encanto Park.” Arizona Tribune: East
Valley Living. 21 June 2006
“Phoenix News Briefs: ‘Local Artist’s Piece Set Up For Display.’” Arizona Republic. 23 June 2006.
MEMBERSHIPS, AFFILIATIONS, RELATED POSITIONS
Chair, Nor'easter Conference: Aesthetics and Practice in Cast Iron Art. Buffalo, NY 2012.
Board Member for Ashford Hollow Foundation. Buffalo, NY, since 2012
Art Committee member for Osage Arts Community. Artist Residency, Belle, MO, since 2011
AWARDS, GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2012 President’s Award for “Weighting for Time” exhibited in the National Women’s Art Exhibition,
From Our Perspectives, Smith Theater Gallery, Womancenter, Juror: Margi Weir, Farmington Hills, MI
2011 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Faculty Mentor, SUNY College at Buffalo, NY
Provost's Incentive Grant, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo NY
2010 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Faculty Mentor, SUNY College at Buffalo, NY
Provost's Incentive Grant, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo NY
2009 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Faculty Mentor, SUNY College at Buffalo, NY
Individual Development Award, Campus Professional Development, SUNY College at Buffalo, NY
2007 Special Talent Award, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Merit Scholarship, International Programs Office, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Jurors Award, Mesa Arts Center, Physical Presence, Mesa, Arizona
2005/06 College of Fine Arts Research Award, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2006 Nathan Cummings Travel Scholarship, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Competitive scholarship for 2nd year Graduates supporting research abroad
Funds applied to summer travel/research along the Ganges River, India
2005 City of Phoenix Temporary Public Art Commission Competition
Special Talent Award, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2004 Dean’s List, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Travel Grant, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Graduate College Tuition Award, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Philip Curtis Graduate Fellowship, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2000-01 Dean’s Scholar, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
2001 Elizabeth Heil Endowment, School of Art, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Robert Fritz Scholarship, School of Art, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
2000 Shoji Sadonori Scholarship, School of Art, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Violet Speddy Scholarship, School of Art, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
1999 Lottery Grant Recipient, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
RESUME
EDUCATION
Dec 2007 Master of Fine Arts, Sculpture
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
FA’ 2007 Semester abroad, Post-Grad Sculptural exchange
Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, Scotland
May 2002 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Spatial
San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
1993-1995 School of Visual Arts
New York City, NY
EXHIBITIONS
2013 HERoica: soho20 Chelsea National Affiliates, invitational, soho20 Chelsea Gallery, New York, NY
Partings, solo exhibition, Osage Arts Center, Belle, MO
Summoned: Cast Metal Sculpture, Invitational, Kspace Contemporary, Corpus Christi, TX
Doings and Undoings, solo exhibition, Gallery 5, Richmond, VA
Meditations and Negotiations, solo exhibition, Roz Steiner Gallery, Batavia, NY
2012 National Exhibition, Nor'easter Conference: Aesthetics and Practice in Cast Iron Art, Juror: Heather Powell
Burchfield Penney Museum, Buffalo, NY
Crossing The Line: Drawings by Sculptors, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Juried National Women’s Art Exhibition, From Our Perspectives, Smith Theater Gallery,
Womancenter, Juror: Margi Weir, Farmington Hills, MI
Juried Exhibition, Body/Figure/Nude, Lexington Art League’s Loudon House Gallery, Lexington, KY
Faculty Exhibition, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
2011 Juried National Women’s Art Exhibition, From Our Perspectives, Smith Theater Gallery
Womancenter, Juror: Shiva Ahmadi, Farmington Hills, MI
Juried Exhibition for the National Conference on Cast Iron Art at Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham, AL.
Curated by Leila Hamden from the National Ornamental Metal Museum, TN
Faculty Exhibition, Czurles-Nelson Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
2010 Ambiguous Prospects, solo exhibition, Big Orbit Gallery, Buffalo, NY
Faculty Exhibition, Upton Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
2009 Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
New Buffalo Artists, Center For Inquiry, Amherst, NY
Iron Tribe, Burris Hall Gallery, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM
National Conference for the Education of Ceramic Art, ASU Alumni Exhibition, Prism Lab, Tempe, AZ
Faculty Exhibition, Upton Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
2008 Not Fit For Human Consumption, Gallery 5, Richmond Virginia
Faculty Exhibition, Upton Gallery, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
Local Produce, Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
Iron Tribe invitational traveling exhibition, South West Conference for Cast Iron Art, Denver, CO, to Moss-Thorne
Gallery, Fort Hayes State University, TX
2007 Open, The Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Scotland
Figure This, Figure That, Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
TRACES- The Alchemy of Actions, Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Physical Presence, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, Arizona
2006 PRECarIOUS—a commentary collaborative of sculptural works with Chloe Palmer
Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art—Invitational, Davis, CA
Annual Juried Summer Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Nathan Cummings Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
The Collection Project— Artist’s Initiative Temporary Public Work
Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture: Installed at Encanto Park, Phoenix, Arizona
2005 Exhibition of Temporary Public Art Competition Recipients –Phoenix City Hall, Phoenix, AZ
The Hook Up, Juried exhibition, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Multiplicity: Works in Metal, Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Juried Summer Exhibition, Juror: Lisa Sette, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
National Conference for the Education of Ceramic Art—Invitational, Mill Center, Baltimore, MD
Melting Point: A Cold War Flash Forward, The Icehouse, Phoenix, AZ
2004 Mixed Messages, The Window Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Mentorship, The Window Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Graduate Student Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2003 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art
Invitational—Curated by Stan Welsh, Davis, CA
2000 Glass Art Society Student Exhibition, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY
1999 San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, Valentine’s Silent Auction, San Jose, CA
PUBLICATIONS, LECTURES AND REVIEWS
SUNY Fredonia Visiting Artist Lecture Series. Invited by Fine Arts Department Chair Bob Booth
November 11, 2010
Guest Panel Speaker at the 6th International Conference of Contemporary Cast Iron Art, Kidwelly, Wales
7th - 11th July, 2010
Artist Lecture. Starlight Studios, Buffalo, NY. February, 2009
Roberts-Pullen, Paulette. “Peep Show: Six shows look at art jewelry, human consumption, found objects and
bears.” Style Weekly. Richmond, VA. November 2008:26
Phoenix Artist’s Initiative. “A Public Display.” Interview. Phoenix Magazine. April 2006: 70.
Gorden, Kathleen. “’The Collection Project’ brings Temporary Art to Encanto Park.” Arizona Tribune: East
Valley Living. 21 June 2006
“Phoenix News Briefs: ‘Local Artist’s Piece Set Up For Display.’” Arizona Republic. 23 June 2006.
MEMBERSHIPS, AFFILIATIONS, RELATED POSITIONS
Chair, Nor'easter Conference: Aesthetics and Practice in Cast Iron Art. Buffalo, NY 2012.
Board Member for Ashford Hollow Foundation. Buffalo, NY, since 2012
Art Committee member for Osage Arts Community. Artist Residency, Belle, MO, since 2011
AWARDS, GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2012 President’s Award for “Weighting for Time” exhibited in the National Women’s Art Exhibition,
From Our Perspectives, Smith Theater Gallery, Womancenter, Juror: Margi Weir, Farmington Hills, MI
2011 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Faculty Mentor, SUNY College at Buffalo, NY
Provost's Incentive Grant, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo NY
2010 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Faculty Mentor, SUNY College at Buffalo, NY
Provost's Incentive Grant, SUNY College at Buffalo, Buffalo NY
2009 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Faculty Mentor, SUNY College at Buffalo, NY
Individual Development Award, Campus Professional Development, SUNY College at Buffalo, NY
2007 Special Talent Award, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Merit Scholarship, International Programs Office, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Jurors Award, Mesa Arts Center, Physical Presence, Mesa, Arizona
2005/06 College of Fine Arts Research Award, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2006 Nathan Cummings Travel Scholarship, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Competitive scholarship for 2nd year Graduates supporting research abroad
Funds applied to summer travel/research along the Ganges River, India
2005 City of Phoenix Temporary Public Art Commission Competition
Special Talent Award, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2004 Dean’s List, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Travel Grant, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Graduate College Tuition Award, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Philip Curtis Graduate Fellowship, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2000-01 Dean’s Scholar, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
2001 Elizabeth Heil Endowment, School of Art, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Robert Fritz Scholarship, School of Art, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
2000 Shoji Sadonori Scholarship, School of Art, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Violet Speddy Scholarship, School of Art, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
1999 Lottery Grant Recipient, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
