BIO

Christine Petty was born in New York, lived in many locales in the States and graduated from Colegio Roosevelt High School in Lima, Peru. She earned a degree in English Literature from Stanford University. She lives and works in Philadelphia. 

Her work is in private collections in Palo Alto, California, Lake Oswego, Oregon, Seattle Washington, Salt Lake City, Utah, Los Altos, California, Piedmont, California, New York City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ARTIST STATEMENT

An array of ideas tempts every maker.  A gravitation to molecular images & color dominates my works on paper, whereas actual remnants of the past or objects trouvée are crucial to the scale & composition of the assemblage I construct.

My assemblage incorporate collected and saved objects, which are then wired to roofing plywood that is either painted or adhered with vintage book, magazine, cookbook pages or ephemera.  The layers are attached by electric fence and other wire to the backing and when complete, the entire piece is enveloped with a clear plastic which physically manipulates and can transform objects through heat and pressure.  Piercing the two-dimensional, some pieces include objects subsequently fastened to the work after the plastic enrobes the initial work.  Always experimenting, a forthcoming polyptych utilizes screen printed images on the composition. 

Analysis of my work by others includes the terms “readymades,” reminiscent, clinical.  In reality my art practice synthesizes in equal measure the instinctive and the analytical, inspiration of the new versus memory, attraction to beauty and the off-kilter.

RESUME

SOLO AND TWO PERSON SHOWS

2023 Narrative Interrupted - Two Person Exhibit with Lauren Halquist-Anderson Rutgers, Atlantic Cape Campus

2019 Works on Paper and Assemblage - Solo show Gallery Architeqt North, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2015 New Paintings and Assemblage Gallery Uncommon Events, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2003 “house work” - Solo Show Sun Gallery, Hayward, California

Collection of Peoria Riverfront Museum, Peoria Illinois

Museum of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Seymour Library Special Collections, Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois

Malpass Library Special Collections, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

EXHIBITIONS

2019 “From Philadelphia to Tehran & Back” - A Print Portfolio Exchange Between Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Print Makers & Tehran Independent Printmakers

2024 Certain Women Invitational: The Measure of Her Creation JKR Gallery, Provo Utah

2023 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Jurors: Colleen O’Donnell & Deon Robinson

Works on Paper 2023 National Juried Competition, Long Beach Island Foundation for Arts and Sciences, NJ, Juror: Marilyn Symmes, Honorable Mention Award

Sixty Square Inches XX, Purdue University Gallery, West Lafayette, Indiana Juror: Jennifer Scheuer

2022 Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Juror: Jill Rupinski

Art for Ukraine - Invitational Benefit Show South Orange Performing Arts Center, NJ

2019 Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Jurors: Renee P. Foules and Jon Horn

Works on Paper and Assemblage - Solo show Gallery Architeqt North, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2018 Ethereal/MaterialMarsha Moss, Curator: Art in City Hall,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Celebrate Illinois: 200 Years in the Land of Lincoln Bill Conger, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Peoria Waterfront Museum, Peoria, Illinois

Transforming Jazz: A Visual Journey Art in City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Honorable Mention Award, Juror: Neysa Grassi

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts | Jurors: Patrick Connors, Sharon Koelblinger and Steve Nocella

2012 Not Yet Famous Artists Revealed Wilmington, Delaware, Maiza Hixson, Juror

2004 New Visions: Introduction 04 – Pro Arts Gallery Oakland, California, Rene Di Rosa, Jack Rasmussen, Jurors, The Columbarium, Day of the Dead Exhibition Sun Gallery, Hayward, California

19th Annual Exhibition, Nancy Mizuno Elliot, Juror Berkeley Art Center Association, Berkeley, California

“house work” - Solo Show, Sun Gallery,Hayward, California

2002 New Visions Introduction 02 Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland, California, Carolina Ponce de Leon, Guillermo Gomaz-Pena, Karen Tsujimoto, Jurors

Bay Area Student Sculpture Biennial Pacific Rim Sculpture Group, San Francisco, California Rene Yanez, Juror

Annual Exhibition, California State University Hayward, Moria Roth, Juror

Unique Voices, Green Shutter Gallery, Hayward, California

2001 Annual Exhibition, California State University Hayward, Mary Hall-Webster, Juror

Winter Show University of California Berkeley Gallery

Annual Show, California College of the Arts

Awards

2002 May 3-4: California State University Student Research Competition, Long Beach, California Creative Arts and Design First Place Award Statewide & Prize “Portfolio of Christine Sessions Petty, ‘house work’: Rationale and Historical Context”