NYC/Hudson Valley based Artist
b. 1989, Mount Vernon, NY
email: melindamkiefer@gmail.com
instagram: @melindamkiefer
Bio
Melinda Kiefer is a multidisciplinary New York based artist whose work examines how art provides one of the last spaces for the sensory imagination to confront and transform the monoculture that presently engulfs the world. Kiefer holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Studio Art from Purchase College, SUNY, a BS in Studio Art from Skidmore College, and an Advanced Certificate in Art Education from Hofstra University. Research interests include an intersectional view of ecology and feminism through both historical and contemporary art. Other areas of interest cover how art can be a tool for intrapersonal and interpersonal development alongside the value of mindfulness in education. Recent exhibitions include September Gallery, Pari Passu Gallery, wwted.com, Richard and Dolly Maass Gallery at Purchase College, as well as a solo show at Flowers for All Occasions Gallery and a two person show at HiLo Gallery. Current exhibitions include a two-year outdoor sculpture installation for the exhibition, Owning Earth, at the Unison Arts & Learning Center in New Paltz, NY. She has been an Artist in Residence at Eco Practicum in the Hudson Valley and will be an upcoming Artist in Residence at Huerto Roma Verde in Mexico City. Kiefer has taught drawing classes as well as an experimental Yoga and Art Class at Purchase College, which she continued at SEPTEMBER Gallery in Hudson, NY. Kiefer is currently Director of Art - Visual Arts Faculty at Loyola School, NYC.
C.V.
Education
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Advanced Certificate in Fine Art Education, 2021; GPA 4.0/4.0, Dean's Scholarship, Departmental Scholarship
Purchase College, SUNY Purchase, NY
Master in Fine Arts, 2017; GPA: 3.9/4.0, Presidential Scholarship, National Italian American Foundation Scholarship.
Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY
Bachelor of Science in Studio Art, 2011; GPA: 3.6/4.0, Recipient of multiple grants and art awards: Anne Reid Scholarship, Columbus Citizens Foundation Scholarship, SACI Studio Art Centers International for Study Abroad Florence, Italy.
Exhibitions
Solo
2020 There Is No Thought Without A Phantasm, HiLo, Catskill, NY (with Chris Santiago)
2019 Magicicada, Flowers For All Occasions Gallery Brooklyn,NY 2015 Rebuilt Recollections, Indiginal Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2014 Indiginal Presents, Indiginal Gallery, Baltimore, MD
2009 Please Knock; Please Sit, Please Pray, Round Door Pop Up Gallery, Mt Vernon, NY
Reconstruction, Case Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
Group
2021 So Gathering Seems Essential, Secret Project Robot, Brooklyn, NY
Owning Earth, Unison Arts Center, New Paltz, NY
Alumni Art Exhibition, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
2020 Holiday Show, LABspace, Hillsdsale, NY
Haunted Parade, The Wassaic Project, Wassaic, NY
Drawings in a Time of Social Distancing, Long Island City Artists, online
What Would the Egg Do, Tedx, online
Osmosis, Gallery Petite, Brooklyn, NY
Semiotic Materialism, Pari Passu Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2019 Bushwick Open Studios, Studios on Broadway and Park, Brooklyn, NY
XZ Sign, 7 Belvidere, Brooklyn, NY
The Living Gallery 7-Year Anniversary, The Living Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018 Recognize You When She Sees You, September Gallery, Hudson, NY
2017 Art OMI Staff Show, OMI International Arts Center, Ghent NY
MFA Thesis Show, Richard & Dolly Maass Gallery, Purchase NY
Artefactual-MFA Show, Equity Gallery, New York, NY
Witches-Opening Performance, September Gallery, Hudson, NY
2016 Stolen, Lost, Disappeared, Richard & Dolly Maass Gallery, Purchase, NY
Lyndhurst Scarecrow Invasion, Lyndhurst Historic Site, Tarrytown, NY
2015 'In Watermelon Sugar', Fields Festival, Baltimore, MD
Medium Rare, Richard & Dolly Maass Gallery, Purchase, NY
Spring Fever, The Crown, Baltimore, MD
2014 Everything All the Time, The Annex 2E, Baltimore, MD
Iron Rainbow, 5th Dimension, Baltimore, MD
The Happening II, Gristle Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
More Like A Monk 2, EMP Collective Space, Baltimore, MD
Soundnest, Artscape, Baltimore, MD
More Like A Monk, EMP Collective Space, Baltimore, MD
Octavia Butler Tribute, Jaam Rek Studio, Seattle, WA
2013 Purgatory with Piñatas, Old Man Hustle Space, New York, NY
Purgatory with Piñatas, Solarized Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2012 The Muse at Home, Schick Gallery Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
Enduring Ephemera, Louise McCagg Gallery, Barnard College, New York, NY
Bushwick Open Studios, Splinters and Logs Studio Space, Brooklyn, NY
Oankali, artist book, curated by Megan Hyde
Hello Earth, The Loom Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Gifts + You, Cargo Collective, Internet, curated by Jordan Lord
Passion, CCP Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2011 Annual Drawing Exhibition, Greenpoint Gallery, Brooklyn, N
Winter Show, Greenpoint Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Bushwick Open Studios, Splinters and Logs Studio Space, Brooklyn, NY
Bushwick Open Studios, Jai Yoga Arts, Brooklyn, NY
Senior Thesis Exhibition, Tang Teaching Museum, Saratoga Springs, NY
Skidmore Infusion, House of Creative Soul Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
Student Art in the Library, Lucy Scribner Library, Saratoga Springs, NY
Skidmore Student Exhibition, Schick Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
2010 Recyclemania, Saratoga ArtsFest, Saratoga Springs, NY
SACI Student Exhibition, SACI Gallery, Florence, Italy
Skidmore Student Exhibition, Schick Gallery, Saratoga Springs NY
10 by 10, Mimosa Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
Pro Arts Group Show, Case Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
2009 Winter Show, Rounds Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
Pro Arts Installation, Tang Teaching Museum, Saratoga Springs, NY
Progressive Fashion Show, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
Student Art in the Library, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
Pro Arts Group Show, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
2008 Pro Arts Installation, Tang Teaching Museum, Saratoga Springs,
Pro Arts Group Show, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
Awards and Residencies
2021 Artist in Residence, Huerto Roma Verde, Mexico City, Mexico (forthcoming)
Artist in Residence, Ox Bow, Conversations in Practice, full scholarship, remote
2020 Artist in Residence, CAIR, Crisis Art Residency, Virtual
2016 Artist in Residence, Eco Practicum, Liberty, NY
2011 Jesse Solomon Memorial Award in Painting, Skidmore College
Highest Honors, Thesis Exhibition, Skidmore College
Student Opportunity Funds Grant, Skidmore College
2010 Best in Show, SACI Student Exhibition, Studio Art Centers International
Tang Museum Award, Skidmore Student Exhibition, Juror, Dawn Clements
2009 Soave Fair Award, Skidmore Student Exhibition, Juror, Michael Oatman
Pro Arts Tang Party Installation Grant, Skidmore College
2008 Pro Arts Tang Party Installation Grant, Skidmore College
Publications
2022 Guest Editor / Contributor for Special Edition: "Art and Consciousness" in Anthropology of Consciousness Journal
"The Grottoship: Bathtub Madonna," The Seers Catalogue (forthcoming)
"Owning Earth Catalogue," Unison Arts Center, NY (forthcoming
2021 "How To Unlearn Drawing," Ox-Bow School of Art
2018 Album Illustration, Before the Apocalypse, BTA Sounds Record
2016 "Lunch," MoMA PS1 Staff Zine, Artbook, MoMA PS1, NY
Press
2021 "Who Owns the Earth?" Hyperallergic, https://hyperallergic.com/675233/who-owns-the-earth-unison-arts/
2011 "Space of the Week -Where Paula Hayes Waters her Artwork," New York Magazine, https://nymag.com/homedesign/features/paula-hayes-2012-6/
Artist Talks & Presentations
2021 "Collage," Oklahoma University, School of Education, Arts Integration Program, Graduate + Undergraduate, Zoom
2020 "On Roots and Rooting," Owning Earth Artist Panel, Unison Arts Center, Zoom
"What Would the Egg Do, Opening Event," wwted.com, Zoom
2016 "Labyrinths: Past to the Present Day," Eco Practicum, Liberty, NY
Collaboration
2018-2021 Dancing Sickness: Multidisciplinary art and music band based in Brooklyn NY
Performances: Secret Project Robot, The Glove, The Grove, Gold Sounds, Living Gallery, BK
Bandcamp: dancingsickness.bandcamp.com
2014-2019 Iron Rainbow: Performance art dance group based in Baltimore, MD
Teaching
The Loyola School
Director of Art - Visual Arts Faculty • Brooklyn, NY January 2022 – Present
Teaches high-school, (10th-12th grade) college-prep classes in Jesuit school: AP Studio Art, Painting, Drawing and Mixed Media, Film Study, Digital Photography, and Introduction to Studio Art.
- Oversees visual arts program
- Moderates co-curricular club: Makers Studio
BRIC Arts Media
Teaching Artist Residency • Brooklyn, NY April 2019 – December 2021
Teaches visual art classes to 1st-2nd at PS59 and middle school at Van Siclen Community School and IS383
- Plans lessons incorporating contemporary practices in painting, fibers, performance and sculpture.
- Designs curricula based on the Harlem Renaissance paired with contemporary art.
- Instructs accordion style and paper pop up sketchbook making for course “Artist As Observer.”
- Guides multi-week project for student exhibition at BRIC Gallery and at the schools.
- Leads remote art classes online via Zoom and Google Classroom.
The Painted Cloud
Teaching Artist • Brooklyn, NY May 2019 – March 2020
Teaches visual art classes to 2.5-4 year olds, K-2nd, and 3rd-5th graders at studio in Williamsburg.
- Designs semester long curricula for after school programs based on contemporary and visiting artists.
- Leads 3rd-5th graders on Art Treks to relevant cultural centers and studios around the city.
- Organizes end of semester student art show.
OMI International Arts Center
Studio Instructor • Ghent, NY June 2017 – August 2017
Teaching artist for prestigious and experimental contemporary art Camp OMI.
- Co-taught 2D multimedia contemporary art to various age groups ranging from 6-13.
- Designed lesson plans with the director.
- Guided dynamic projects: up-cycled fashion, street art murals, transformed books.
SEPTEMBER Gallery
Yoga Instructor • Hudson, NY June 2017 – August 2017
Taught innovative yoga class in contemporary art gallery.
- Created class that combined yoga, aromatherapy, sound healing, reiki.
- Taught unique approach connecting the yoga conceptually to the artwork in gallery.
- Designed and promoted poster for summer class; assisted with gallery administration.
Purchase College, SUNY
Drawing Instructor • Purchase, NY September 2016 – May 2017
Taught Introduction to Drawing class to 18 undergraduate college students.
- Produced comprehensive syllabus for class.
- Demonstrated different observational drawing methods and techniques.
- Presented art history that included diverse and underrepresented artists.
- Graded student portfolios and cumulative effort for the semester; documented student artwork.
- Maintained online class forum with assignments and presentations.
- Provided one on one mentorship: received strong evaluations and positive feedback from students.
Graduate Teaching Assistant • Purchase, NY September 2015 – May 2016
Two classes: Studio Art Painting Class, Materials and Techniques; Art History Seminar, Art in the Age of Electronic Media
- Presented on the history of pigment, color, paint.
- Worked one on one with students in making paint from scratch.
- Maintained online archive with class presentations and assignments.
- Organized studio and ensured safety when handling toxic materials
Yoga Instructor • Purchase, NY September 2015 – May 2016
Taught Yoga for Creative Expression at the Wellness Center to undergraduates; weekly drop in classes (1-15 in size).
- Researched and designed Yoga + Art syllabus.
- Created multidisciplinary class that combined art, yoga, and reiki.
School of the Apocalypse
Group Facilitator • New York, NY March 2017 – June 2017
Leader in adult school that addressed the relationship of art and survival.
- Created class content: Embarrassing Dead Magic-Revived (Alternative Healing as a Human Right).
- Moderated discussion, blog, collaborative project, and presentation.
Certifications
2022 PreK-12 Visual Arts Teacher, NYSED Initial License, New York State
2020 Teacher Assistant, Level 1, NYSED, New York State
2014 Yoga Alliance Teacher, 200 hr., Kripalu Center, Stockbridge, MA
