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ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Beth's Portrait I am a sculptor who builds architectural-scale environments based on my interest in light and the quality of space. Using delicate materials -- scrim, metal mesh, resin, shadows, plants -- I create multilayered spaces through which viewers move and interact. For over twenty years I have built a diverse body of work including sculptural installations and objects, large scale public sculptures and collaborative multi-media performances. My pieces create a sense of place, a moment of magic or transformation.
My sculptures use ephemeral processes from nature as a metaphor to explore the passage of time, loss, and regeneration. Collecting leaves, acorns, branches, and seed pods, I preserve them by making castings of their shapes or embedding them in translucent resin, like insects in amber. These everyday objects are altered so we look at them in new ways. Extracted from the natural cycles of growth and decay, they become frozen moments in time, leading the viewer to meditations on change and permanence.

EDUCATION
M.I.T., Cambridge, Massachusetts, M.S. Vis. S., 1981
Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri, B.F.A., 1978
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, B.A., 1970

SOLO EXHIBITIONS / COMMISSIONS
2006 "Fragilities," Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA
2006 "Beth Galston and Yizhak Elyashiv,” Spheris Gallery, Bellows Falls, VT
2005 "Beth Galston, Ice Forest, and Yizhak Elyashiv, Prints and Drawings from Ireland,” Reeves Contemporary, NYC
2005 "Color Walk," a sculpture of colored glass for an eighty-foot-long pedestrian walkway, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ
2003 "Luminous Garden," Christopher Brodigan Gallery, Groton, MA
2000 "Recasting Nature," Boston Sculptors Gallery, West Newton, MA
1998 "Still/Life: Acts of Collection, Preservation and Transformation," Boston Sculptors Gallery, West Newton, MA
1997 "Leaf Dreams," Boston Sculptors Gallery, West Newton, MA
1995-00 "Thunderbird Bridge," vehicular bridge on the Squaw Peak Parkway, in collaboration with BRW, Inc; public art project, Phoenix, AZ
1995 "Wrapped Grove," Connemara Conservancy Foundation, Dallas, TX
1994 "Tree/House," Socrates Sculpture Park, NYC
1992 "Translucent Garden," Bunting Institute, Cambridge, MA
"Garden," collaboration with Milton Academy students, Nesto Gallery, Milton, MA
1991 "BodyHouse," Bunting Institute, Cambridge, MA
1990 "Pathways," Huntington Gallery, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA
"farmHouse," Sculpture Space, Utica, NY
1989 "Structure/Nonstructure," LeSaffre Wilstein Gallery, Boston, MA
1988 "Aviary," multi-media performance with Ellen Sebring, video; Sarah Skaggs, dance
M.I.T. Media Lab, Experimental Theater Facility, Cambridge, MA
1987 Black on Black," M.I.T. Museum, Cambridge, MA
1986 "Geometries," Montserrat College of Art Gallery, Beverly, MA
"Tepee," Kingston Gallery, Boston, MA
1985 "Appearances/Disappearances," installation with performance by Laura Knott Dance, Mobius, Boston, MA
"Overlay," Kingston Gallery, Boston, MA
1984,96 "Shadow Walk," public art project, Sennott Park, Cambridge, MA
1983 "Lightwall," Kingston Gallery, Boston, MA
"Mirror Light," C.A.V.S./M.I.T., Cambridge, MA
1981 "Grid Environment," C.A.V.S./M.I.T., Cambridge, MA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS / PERFORMANCES
2007 "Complex Women," Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA
2006 "Celebrating Winter through Nature," Wave Hill, NYC
"Beth Galston, Kelvy Bird and Lou Jones", Gallery at 38 Cameron, Cambridge, MA
"360° in Fitchburg", Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA
"Site/Insight", Boston Sculptors Gallery, Boston, MA
"Reeves Contemporary at Art Miami,” FL
2004 "“Enchantment,” Wave Hill, NYC
“2004 DeCordova Annual Exhibition,” DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA (catalog)
“Presence of Light,” Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA
“You are Here: Rediscovering Landscape,” Stonehill College, Easton, MA (catalog)
2003 "Collection Connection," Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA
"Plant Matter," New Art Center, Newton, MA
"Gallery Artists Exhibition," NAO Project Gallery, Boston, MA
"Elements of Nature: Selected works by New England sculptors," Concord Art Association, MA
"Apokalypsis," in collaboration with Prometheus Dance, Boston Center for the Arts, MA
2002 "SITE: Endicott," David Broudo Gallery, Beverly, MA
"150 x 150," Gallery @ Green Street, Boston, MA
"Terrain: Sculpture Today," Institute of Contemporary Art, Portland, ME
"September 11 College Fund Exhibition," Rothschild Gallery, Cambridge, MA
Group Exhibition, Boston Sculptors Gallery, West Newton, MA
2001 "Celebration," Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, NY (catalog)
Acacia Gallery, Gloucester, MA
2000 "modernMODULAR," Gallery Bershad, Somerville, MA
"Bound," in collaboration with Bennett Dance Co., Emerson Majestic Theatre and Boston Center for the Arts Cyclorama, Boston, MA
"Amulets and Talismans," Starr Gallery, Newton, MA
1999 "In View of Nature," Lehman College Art Gallery, NYC
"1999 Bronze Portfolio II," Boston Sculptors Gallery, West Newton, MA
"Windows Art Project," Goodwill Industries window, Somerville, MA
"Material Connection: Boston-Paris: Sculpture/Fiber," Federal Reserve Gallery, Boston, MA
1998 "Form, Space and Imagination," Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH (catalog)
"The Garden Path: Mediating Nature and Culture," Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, NY (catalog)
"Recent Acquisitions from the Permanent Collection," DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA
"Biennale Internationale de Tapisseries Contemporaines et de Sculptures," Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris, FRANCE (catalog)
1997 "Verdant Eyes," Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro, VT
"1997 Forest City Annual," Deering Oaks Park, Portland, ME
"Watching the Detectives," outdoor installation/performance, Somerville, MA
1996 "More Specific," The Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA
"Dream House," interactive performance/installation, Somerville, MA
"Bronzes: 18," Boston Sculptors Gallery, West Newton, MA
1995 "Convergence VIII," Roger Williams Park, Providence, RI (catalog)
Connemara Conservancy Foundation, Dallas, TX
"Ghost Factory," an outdoor performance/installation, Linear Way, Somerville, MA
1994 "Influenced by Architecture: 10 Artists," Fitchburg Art Museum, MA (catalog)
"Light-Space-Time: CAVS/MIT 25 Years," MIT Museum and CAVS, Cambridge, MA
1993 "Outdoor Sculpture 1993 at Manhattan Psychiatric Center," Ward's Island, NYC
"Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood 1993," Stockbridge, MA (catalog)
1991 "Present Bunting Fellows: Past Work," Radcliffe College, Cambridge, MA (also 1990)
1990 "Massachusarts: Installation and Place," Boston Center for the Arts, MA
"Visiting Artists Exhibition," Cantor Gallery, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
"5 Proposals for Public Art in Union Square," Somerville Museum, MA
1989 "Creative Collaborations: Artist/Architect," University Place, Cambridge, MA
"Hanukkah Windows 1989," Starr Gallery, Newton, MA
1988 "Lights Orot," Yeshiva University Museum, NYC (catalog)
1987 "Brockton Triennial," Brockton Art Museum, Brockton, MA
"Antarctica," with Nancy Compton Dance Theatre, Cambridge, MA
"Beyond Ornamentation," New England Institute of Business Designers, Cambridge, MA
1985 "Urban Light at the Limelight," Limelight Club, NYC
"Highlights from Kansas City Art Institute Alumini," Nelson-Atkins Museum, MO
1984 "Worlds Apart: 8 Sculptors," Rose Art Museum, Waltham, MA (catalog)
"Light on Light," Boston Visual Artists Union, Boston, MA
"Five Sculptors," Northeastern University, Boston, MA
1983 "Major Works," New England Artists Festival, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
"Group Members Exhibition," Kingston Gallery, Boston, MA (also 1984,85)
1982 "Browne Fund Initiative: Proposals for Public Art," Boston City Hall, MA
"15 Somerville Artists," Gallery 11, Tufts University, Medford, MA
1981 "Collaborations One," Connecticut College, New London, CT

SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS
2003 Mudge Fellow, Groton School, MA
Artist Fellowship, Somerville Arts Council, MA
2000 Thunderbird Bridge, Award of Merit, Arizona Consulting Engineers Association
Finalist, MBTA Airport Station, public art project, Boston, MA
1999 Artist's Resource Trust Grant, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
Finalist, Boston Arts Academy Public Art Project
1998 Massachusetts Cultural Council, Professional Development Grant
1995 The MacDowell Colony and Yaddo, Residencies
1994 Puffin Foundation, Project Grant
1990-92 Bunting Institute Fellow, Radcliffe College, Cambridge, MA
1991 Massachusetts Cultural Council, Environmental Issues Grant
1991 Boston Society of Architects, Design Collaboration Award, with Kennedy Violich Architects
1990 Sculpture Space, two months funded residency, Utica, NY
1988 Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities, New Works
1987 National Endowment for the Arts, InterArts Grant
1987 Fellow, M.I.T. Center for Advanced Visual Studies, (also 1981-85)
1984 Massachusetts Artists Fellowship in Sculpture
1983 The Artists Foundation, Project Completion Award
M.I.T. Council for the Arts, Project Grant (also 1984,86,87)
1983 Somerville Arts Council, Project Grant (also 1985,87,88,90,93)
1982 Cambridge City Arts, Grant for Art in Public Places
1981 St. Botolph Club Foundation, Grant for Sculpture and Public Art

SELECTED COLLECTIONS
DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA
Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA
City of Phoenix, AZ
City of Mesa, AZ
City of Cambridge, MA

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2006 Baker, Alyson and Ivana Mestrovic, Socrates Sculpture Park, Yale Univiersity Presss, 2006, front and back cover image, and pp. 104-105
Zelanski, Paul and Mary Pat Fisher, Shaping Space, Thomson Wadworth publishers, p. 191
Artist's Resource Trust: The First Ten Years, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, 2006, p. 37
Infusion: 20 Years of Public Art in Phoenix, Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, 2006, pp. 26-28, 30
McQuaid, Cate, Boston Globe, "Beth Galston: Fragilities", May 11
LaFrance, Adrienne, WBUR Arts Blog, "Fragile Art", May 10
Sidekick, Boston Globe, "Warning: Fragile", May 5
2005 Jacoby, Lars, The Arizona Republic, “’Color Walk’ will brighten Mesa Arts Center,” March 14
French, Katherine, The Middlesex Beat, “Naturally Inclined,” cover image and article, January
2004 Bonenti, Charles, The Berkshire Eagle, “Art shaped by light,” July 2
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, “’Annual’, a la carte,” June 18
Millis, Christopher, Boston Phoenix, “The 2004 DeCordova Annual Exhibition,” June 18
Silver, Joanne, Boston Herald, “DeCordova works magic of imagination,” June 18
Rosenfield Lafo, Rachel, and Nick Capasso, George Fifield, Alexandra Novina, “The 2004 DeCordova Annual Exhibition” catalog, June
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, “Fenway puts cultural foot forward,” February 11
2003 McKown, Rich, Art New England, "Luminous Garden," August/September
Giszpenc, Noemi, artsMEDIA, "Luminous Garden," cover image and review, April 15 - May 15
McQuaid, Cate, Boston Globe, "In Groton, a garden of haunting, hypnotic luminance", April 4
Rutenbeck, James, WGBH-TV, Greater Boston Arts, "Luminous Garden", April 16-23
Hopkins, Randi, Boston Phoenix, "Computer-generated: Return of the Cyberarts Festival", April 18
Singer, Thea, Boston Globe, review: "Apokalypsis", February 15
Bale, Theodore, Boston Herald, review: "Apokalypsis", February 28
2002 Holbrow, Gwendolyn, artsMEDIA, "Let there be light", Winter
Varnavas, Melissa, Beverly Citizen, "Sculptured Scenes", November 2
Gannon, Victoria, Casco Bay Weekly, "Strange Terrain", March 7
McQuaid, Cate, Boston Globe, "The September 11 College Fund Exhibition", March 2
2001 Faxon, Alicia, Art New England, review: "Recasting Nature," December/January
2000 Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "Nature's forms are preserved in sculpture," September 20
Phoenix Arts Commission, Milestones, "Thunderbird Road Bridge: from Boring Box to Natural Curves," September
Singer, Thea, Boston Globe, "'Bound' offers compelling vision of control and freedom," April 7
1999 Zimmer, William, The New York Times, review : "In View of Nature," October 17
Montminy, Judith, Boston Sunday Globe, "Tiny sculptures, big dreams," December 12
Pomerantz, Dorothy, Somerville Journal, "Beth Galston: Investigating Nature," July 15
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "Planting Art in Davis Square," July 14
Rose, Joshua, Get Out, The Tribune, "Squaw Peak latest public art," June 17
1998 Hull, James, artsMEDIA, "Beth Galston: Still Life," November
Knight, Dustin, Art New England, review: Currier Gallery of Art exhibit, October/November
Carlock, Marty, Boston Sunday Globe, "Nature as art: Freezing moments of color," October 11
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "There's still life in Galston's well-resined art," September 30
Christian, Susan, Nashua Sunday Telegraph, review: Currier Gallery of Art exhibit, July 26
Davenport, Charlet, Art New England, "Verdant Eyes," February/March
1997 Carlock, Marty, Sculpture Magazine, "From Light to Leaf: The Installation Art of Beth Galston"
Carlock, Marty, Boston Sunday Globe, "Sculpture expands ideas about art," March 16
Silver, Joanne, Boston Herald, "Leaf Dreams mingles science, philosophy and sculpture," Jan 17
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "Kicking sculpture off its pedestal," Jan 15
Portland Press Herald, "The Annual: art among the oaks," August 26
1996 Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "Doing a doubletake on Duxbury," August 23
Sherman, Mary, Boston Herald, "Nature becomes mirror, reflecting works' impact," June 30
McQuaid, Cate, Boston Globe, "Audience haunts this House," May 24
1995 Fairchild, Lori, Dallas Morning News, "Fields of Endeavor," March 10
Zelanski, Paul and Mary Pat Fisher, Shaping Space, " Harcourt Brace Publishers, p. 209
1994 Cotter, Holland, The New York Times, "Sculpture Under the Sky: Free, Daring and Soon Departed," August 26
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "An open door to art's mysteries," May 4
1993 Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood 1993, catalog, July
1992 Carlock, Marty, Art New England, "Beth Galston: Translucent Garden," August/September
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "Artists make the outdoors their canvas," June 24
Silver, Joanne, Boston Herald, "A meshing of nature, technology," July 17
Baltozer, Diane, The Patriot Ledger, "Artist, Milton Academy students create a 'Garden'," April 21
Aldrich, Kit, The Milton Paper, "Nesto Installation," April 24
Galston, Beth, Radcliffe Quarterly, "Environmental Art," March
1990 Frick, Thomas, Art in America, "Beth Galston at LeSaffre Wilstein," May
Stapen, Nancy, Boston Globe, "Pathways," Dec 13
Walsh, Peter, Sculpture Magazine, "Installation and Place," Sept/Oct
Kover, Johnas, Utica Observer-Dispatch, "Environmental Art," August 2
Giuliano, Charles, The Patriot Ledger, "Massachusarts a Timely Triumph," May 12/13
Temin, Christine, The Boston Globe, "Massachusarts makes room for art," May 3
1989 McQuaid, Cate, South End News, "Beth Galston: Structure/Nonstructure," Sept 21
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "Getting a Good picture of arts in South End, Sept 19
1988 Clarke, Kalo & Kim Alan Pederson, High Performance, "Aviary: A Multi-media Performance"
Carlock, Marty, A Guide to Public Art in Greater Boston, The Harvard Common Press
Lewis, Maggie, Boston Herald, "'Aviary' flies into powerful nest of terror," May 14
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "'Aviary': Big project takes flight," May 11
Alexenberg, Mel and Otto Piene, Lights Orot catalog, Yeshiva University Museum, February
1987 Taylor, Robert, Boston Sunday Globe, "A Lot to See at MIT," June 21
Friedlander, Lisa, Boston Phoenix, "Weiner, Josa-Jones & Compton are up to the minute", May 24
Taylor, Robert, Boston Sunday Globe, "Brockton Triennial a Refreshing Alternative", June 14
Cash, Debra, Boston Globe, "Antarctica and other dances," May 18
Reeve, Margaret, Art New England, "Beyond Ornamentation," April
Kruger, Deborah, Hartford Advocate, "Eighty bundles of Sticks in a Meadow," January 5
Giuliano, Charles, Art New England, "Art on Campus", February
1986 Morgan, Bruce, Boston Phoenix, "Some down-to-earth talk about art," November 11
Bonetti, David, Boston Phoenix, "Listening to galleries' September songs," Sept 16
Reissman, Carla, The Tab, "High Performance Art," January 14
1985 Simpson, Jenifer, The Cambridge Chronicle, "Sennott Park Sculpture," April 25
Bonetti, David, Art New England, "Overlay," March
Temin, Christine, Boston Globe, "Beth Galston Soothes and Stimulates," Jan 17
1984 Tarlow, Lois, Art New England, "Beth Galston: Alternative Space," June
Taylor, Robert, Boston Sunday Globe, "Emerging New England Artists," March 18
1983 Center for Advanced Visual Studies, SKY Art Conference'83 catalog
Belz, Carl, Worlds Apart catalog, Rose Art Museum, Waltham, MA, March
Hossain, Iqbal, M.I.T. Architext, "Lightwall", October
Freeman, Nan, Art New England, "Lightwall," October
Roche, Eileen, Sojourner, "Dreamy Layers of Light," October
1982 Galston, Beth, Leonardo, "Light Images: An Installation and Performance," Fall
Center for Advanced Visual Studies, Ars Electronica catalog, Sept-Oct

SELECTED TEACHING / VISITING ARTIST
2007 Artist-Teacher, Vermont College, Montpelier, VT (also 2004)
2006 Artist-Mentor, Lesley College at Art Institute of Boston, MA
2004 Artist-Teacher, Vermont College, Montpelier, VT
2002 Visiting Artist, Foundation, Kansas City Art Institute, Light and Shadow Workshop
Visiting Artist, Endicott College, Beverly, MA
Visiting Artist, Sculpture, Boston University, Boston, MA
2001 Artist-in-Residence, Collins Middle School, Salem, MA
2000-01 Instructor, Interarts, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Visiting Artist, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, MA
1998 Artist-in-Residence, Public Schools, Pittsfield and Newburyport, MA
1997 Critic, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Schwartz/Krinke Landscape Studio
Artist-in-Residence, Public Schools, Sudbury, Lincoln, Boxborough and Pepperell, MA
1995 Visiting Artist, Museum of Fine Arts School, Light and Shadow Studio
1994 Critic, Roger Williams University, School of Architecture, Providence, RI
Artist-in-Residence, Public Schools, Somerville and Essex, MA
1993 Visiting Artist, Kansas City Art Institute, Sculpture Department, Kansas City, MO
1992 Guest Lecturer, Brandeis University, Women's Studies, Waltham, MA (also 1993)
Artist-in-Residence, Milton Academy, Milton MA
1990 Visiting Artist, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA
Visiting Artist, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
Guest Lecturer, Tufts University, Fine Arts Seminar, Medford, MA
1989-90 Instructor, 3D Design, Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA
1989 Critic, Massachusetts College of Art, Graduate Seminar, Boston, MA
1988 Visiting Artist, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
1987 Visiting Artist, Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA
Guest Lecturer, Museum of Fine Arts School, Boston, MA
1983 Artist-in-Residence, Public Schools, Brimfield, MA
1981 Instructor, Environmental Sculpture, Tufts University, Medford, MA
1979 Instructor, Sculpture, University of New Haven, CT


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