Julie Karabenick
Biography:
Biography
Julie Karabenick is an abstract painter, curator and writer who lives in Ann Arbor, MI. Karabenick has been exhibiting her work for over 20 years, including in solo exhibitions in Ann Arbor, Chicago and New York City, and in over 60 group exhibitions. Her most recent solo exhibition, “Just around the Block,” took place in 2009 at the Melanee Cooper Gallery in Chicago. Karabenick has curated exhibitions in Philadelphia and New York City that focus on geometric abstraction. She is the editor of Geoform (www.geoform.net), an online scholarly and curatorial project that focuses on the use of geometric form and structure in contemporary, international, abstract art. Geoform has been online since 2005. As part of this project, Karabenick has to date conducted in-depth interviews with some 30 well-established artists.
KarabenickJ_Bio.pdf
Statement:
Artist Statement
March 24, 2010
I find the expressive power of geometric shapes compelling. Across time and place, humans have used these simple forms to assert their most profound beliefs—about the nature of their everyday worlds and what may lie beyond, about their personal, social and spiritual identities, and about the rhythms and cycles of life. I was drawn to the geometric markings that our early ancestors made on rocks, cave walls, and their bodies and to the geometric patterns found in nature from microcosm to macrocosm long before I came to admire the use of geometric form and structure in modern art.
Even in my early figurative work I incorporated geometric shapes, particularly in the form of pattern. In 2000 I began a series of paintings based on an underlying grid of small, same-sized squares. Because all the shapes and intervals are developed from this grid, they are all proportionally related to one another. The gridded matrix largely disappears in the finished paintings; however, its organization of space helps bring harmony and coherence to each painting.
I strive for compositions that are active, dynamically balanced. Though I begin with geometric shapes and an underlying structure whose hallmarks are symmetry and stability, I work intuitively with contrasts of color, shape and size to develop varying degrees of asymmetry and visual tension. I want networks of color and form relations to appear and subside in the visual field, and the viewer's eye to constantly move and discover.
The visual tensions and rhythms in my work evoke familiar binary oppositions: open/closed, light/heavy, together/apart, expanding/contracting, rising/falling, static/active, loud/quiet. These felt oppositions are rich in associative power and are meant to give the paintings emotional resonance. The ongoing exploration of color ranges and relations is central to my work and gives me great pleasure.
I develop compositional ideas on the computer where I can freely explore with great ease and efficiency. I take advantage of this technology and use it to my own ends. The computer facilitates experimentation, and supports both analytic and intuitive modes of inquiry.
KarabenickJ_Statement.pdf
Résumé:
Current Residence:
Ann Arbor, MI
Education:
PhD (Psychology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1981
BA (with High Honors), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1970
Solo Exhibitions:
2009 Melanee Cooper Gallery, Chicago, IL
2007 Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
2004 Broadway Gallery, New York, NY
2002 Washington Street Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI
1999 Washington Street Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI
1998 Kerrytown Concert House, Ann Arbor, MI
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2009 “GeoMetrics II,” Gallery 128, New York, NY, (curator: Gloria Klein)
“Blogpix,” Denise Bibro Fine Art, New York, NY, (curators: Joanne Mattera,
Hrag Vartanian, Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof)
2007 “Building Picturing,” The Painting Center, New York, NY, (curator: Vittorio Colaizzi)
“Luxe, Calme, et Volupté,” Marcia Wood Gallery, Atlanta, GA, (curator: Joanne Mattera)
2006 “ORDER(ed),” Gallery Siano, Philadelphia, PA, (curator: Julie Karabenick; catalog, catalog essay by Roberta
Fallon)
2005 “Complex Simplicity/Simple Complexity,” Gallery 180, The Illinois Institute of Art, Chicago, IL
“Engaging the Structural,” Broadway Gallery, New York, NY, (curator: Julie Karabenick; essay by Lilly Wei)
“14 Reasons for Red,” Chicago Art Source, Chicago, IL
2004 “2004 Biennial,” Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
2003 “Contemplative Spaces: Two Perspectives,” Livonia Civic Center,
Livonia, MI, (two person exhibition) Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
2002 “Full Spectrum,” Artemisia Gallery, Chicago, IL
“Washington Street Gallery Visits Buckham,” Buckham Gallery, Flint, MI
Power Center for the Performing Arts, Ann Arbor, MI
Buckham Gallery, Flint, MI
2001 “Local Color,” Media Union Gallery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
“Michigan Fine Arts Competition,” Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI, 2001, 2000, 1996,
1995
“Ann Arbor Women Artists” ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL and Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, MI (traveling
exhibition, 2 venues)
“Ann Arbor Women Artists 50th Anniversary Exhibition,” Jean-Paul Slusser Gallery, University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor, MI,
2000 “Exhibit 6: New Work,” Kerrytown Concert House, Ann Arbor, MI
“Jackson Area Show,” Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, MI, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996
1998 “Nine: Recent Works,” Washtenaw Community College Art Gallery, Ypsilanti, MI
Buckham Gallery, Flint, MI, 1998
1997 “Our Visions: Women in Art,” Oakland Community College Gallery, Farmington, MI,
“All Media Competition,” Left Bank Gallery, Flint, MI 1997, 1996
“Botanical Images,” Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
“Reconcilable Differences,” Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, MI
Kerrytown Concert House, Ann Arbor, MI
1996 “State of the Arts ?96 Annual Exhibition,” Saginaw Township Administration Building, Saginaw, MI
1995 “15th National Print Exhibition,” Artlink Contemporary Art Gallery Fort Wayne, IN
“All Michigan-All Media 1995,” Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, MI
“Our Town,” Community House, Birmingham, MI, 1995 (juror: Samuel Sachs II, Director, Detroit Institute of
Arts)
“Michigan All Media Competition,” Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI 1995, 1992
“State of the Arts,” Saginaw Township Administration Building, Saginaw, MI, 1995 (juror: MaryAnn Wilkinson,
Associate Curator, Detroit Institute of Arts)
1994 “The Issue of Scale,” Buckham Gallery, Flint, MI, 1994
“Left Bank Gallery All Media Show,” Left Bank Gallery, Flint, MI 1992, 1991, 1990
1993 “13th Annual Alma College Statewide Print Competition,” Flora Kirsch Beck Gallery, Alma, MI, 1993 (traveling
exhibition, 5 venues),
“Ottawa National Print Exhibition,” Ottawa Gallery, Sylvania, OH, 1993
“Printmaking & Works on Paper Exhibition,” Scarab Club, Detroit, MI, 1993, 1991
“The Print: A Statewide Competition for Printmakers,” Ann Arbor Art Association, Ann Arbor, MI, 1993, 1992, 1991
“14th Annual Michigan Artists Competition,” Art Center of Battle Creek, Battle Creek, MI, 1993
1992 “25th Annual Painting & Sculpture Competition,” Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
1991 “11th Annual Alma College Statewide Print Competition,” Flora Kirsch Beck Gallery, Alma, MI (traveling
exhibition, 8 venues; juror: Philip Pearlstein)
“10th Annual Botanical Images Competition,” Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
1990 “Scarab Club All Media Silver Medal Exhibition,” Scarab Club Detroit, MI
Writings:
2010 “Interview with Artist Gonçalo Ivo,” Geoform, February
2009 Marco Casentini: Every Thing in the Right Place, exhibition catalog (interviewexcerpt reprinted from “Spotlight
on Artist Marco Casentini,” Geoform, July)
Marco Casentini: Roll Over, exhibition catalog, 2009 (interview reprinted from “Spotlight on Artist Marco
Casentini,” Geoform, July) William Conger: Paintings 1958-2008, exhibition catalog,
(interview reprinted from
2008 “Interview with Artist William Conger,” Geoform, January)
Spotlight on Artist Marco Casentini,” Geoform, July
“Spotlight on Artist Alexander Couwenberg,” Geoform, May
“Interview with Artist Mark Wilson,” Geoform, March
“Interview with Artist Bruce Pollock,” Geoform, February
2008 “Interview with Artist Andrew Christofides,” Geoform, September
“Interview with Artist Michael Knutson,” Geoform, September
“Interview with Artist Larry Spaid,” Geoform, June
“Interview with Artist Karl Benjamin,” Geoform, May
“Interview with Artist Vincent Longo,” Geoform, February
“Interview with Artist William Conger,” Geoform, January
2007 Gudrun Mertes-Frady: Paintings 2007, exhibition catalog, (interview reprinted from “Interview with Artist
Gudrun Mertes-Frady,” Geoform, August 2006)
“Interview with Artist Marko Spalatin,” Geoform, December
“Interview with Artist Grace DeGennaro,” Geoform, December
“Interview with Artist Astrid Fitzgerald,” Geoform, August
“Interview with Artist W. C. Richardson,” Geoform, June
“Interview with Artist Laurie Fendrich,” Geoform, April
“Interview with Artist Rae Mahaffey”, Geoform, March
“Interview with Artist Michael Kessler,” Geoform, February
2006 Joanne Mattera: Ten Years of Encaustic Painting, exhibition catalog, 2006 (interview excerpt reprinted from
“Interview with Artist Joanne Mattera,” Geoform, September, 2005)
“Interview with Artist Timothy App,” Geoform, November
“Interview with Artist Liz Coats,” Geoform, September
“Interview with Artist Gudrun Mertes-Frady,” Geoform, August
“Interview with Artist Robert Straight,” Geoform, August
“Interview with Artist Gail Gregg,” Geoform, July
“Interview with Artist Julie Gross,” Geoform, May
“Interview with Artist Tracey Adams,” Geoform, April
“Interview with Artist Mark Brown,” Geoform, February
“Interview with Artist C. Morey de Morand,” Geoform, January
2005 “Interview with Artist Joanne Mattera,” Geoform, September
“Interview with Artist Burton Kramer,” Geoform, July
“Interview with Artist Marjorie Mikasen,” Geoform, February
“Looking Forward and Looking Back: The Art of Cecily Kahn,” Julie Karabenick, NY Arts, January/February
2004 “Striving for Perfection in an Imperfect World: In Conversation with Laurie Fendrich,” Julie Karabenick, NY
Arts, November-December, 2004
Curatorial Projects:
2005 Geoform (www.geoform.net): an online scholarly resource, international forum and curatorial project that
examines contemporary abstract geometric art from around the world, Julie Karabenick,
Editor/Curator, online since May 2005
2006 “ORDER(ed),” Gallery Siano, Philadelphia, PA, May 5–June 17, 2006 (curator: Julie Karabenick with catalog;
catalog essay by Roberta Fallon)
“Engaging the Structural,” Broadway Gallery, New York, NY, April 5–30, 2005 (curator: Julie Karabenick;
essay: Lilly Wei)
Other Professional Experience:
Juror, “Abstract & Geometric,” Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL, 2007
Bibliography:
2009 Managing Behavior in Organizations, 5th Ed., book cover image, Jerald Greenberg, Pearson Education IRC, 2009
2007 “Luxe, Calme et Volupté: A Meditation on Visual Pleasure,” online catalog essay by Joanne Mattera, Marsha
Wood Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 2007
2006 Art Matters, “The System is Out of Order,” Anne Fabbri, June, 2006
Communicating at Work: Principles and Practices for Business, 9th Ed., book cover image, Ronald B. Adler
and Jeanne Marquardt Elmhorst, McGraw Hill, 2006
The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Creative styles of their own, ” Edith Newhall, May 26, 2006
fallonandrosof.com, “ORDER(ed),” review by Libby Rosof, May 17, 2006
Key to Philadelphia, “Who?s on First (Friday),” Krystyna Warchol, May 1-14, 2006
aroundphilly.com, “First Friday Spotlight,” R. B. Strauss, May 4, 2006
Current Magazine, “Julie Karabenick?s Geometric Abstractions,” Kyle Norris, April
“Beauty, Order and Individuality,” catalog essay by Roberta Fallon, “ORDER(ed),” Gallery Siano,
Philadelphia, PA
2005 NY Arts Magazine, “Geometry Reloaded,” Lilly Wei, May/June,
2004 NY Arts Magazine, “Julie Karabenick?s Systematic Freedoms, Vivek Narayanan, January/February, 2004
encOmpass: A Woman?s Guide to Washtenaw County, color image, 2002, 2003-2004 editions
Chicago Reader, Galleries & Museums, image, December 6, 2002
The Flint Journal, “Buckham Gallery winds up with a big show before vacation,” Christopher Young, July 18,
July 18, 2002
KarabenickJ_CV.pdf