ResumÈ

Ron Kowalke was born November 8th, 1936 in Chicago. He attended Chicago Vocational High School on the south side of the city and after graduation in 1954, enrolled as a B.F.A. candidate at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago academic program. He accepted an art scholarship from Rockford College in 1956, graduated in 1959 and went on for an M.F.A. degree in 1960 from Cranbrook Academy in Michigan.

His teaching career began as an art instructor at Northern Illinois University and shifted in 1960 to the Swain School of Design located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In 1969, he accepted a full time teaching position in the Art Department of the University of Hawaii. He is a full professor in the painting and drawing program and teaches courses ranging from beginning drawing to graduate painting.

His work in included in numerous permanent collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Museum of Modern Art, the Boston Public Library, The Library of Congress, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, The Contemporary Museum in Honolulu,and the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

He has participated in over one hundred national and international exhibitions and has accepted numerous invited teaching positions including the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw, Poland , the University of Washington in Seattle, and the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia.

Works in Progress:
    THE BOOK OF DRAW: an artful guide to creativity and visual awakenings.

    THE SOURCE: an interactive, solar powered, eleven foot metal and glass outdoor sculpture.

    HEARTBEATS: an interactive, computer generated, eight foot, metal sculpture.

    Public Commissions:

      The Europa Center for Economic Study in Mannheim, Germany Collaborative design and consulting with Head Architect, Ludwig Schwoebel Interior wall- 18' x 70' metal and neon with computer systems Work in progress 1995-1997

      The Hawaii Convention Center, awarded the commission for a n 18' x 15' wall sculpture titled, "Windows of Fire"-cast pahoehoe/lava-neon light-computer systems-Internet connection.
      Written proposals, elevation drawings, maquettes/casting/design computer systems/ mounting devices /electrical motherboard/ team scheduling 1995-1997.
      Installation and completion date, March 1, 1998

    Workshops-Lectures-Jurying:

      Kauai Artists Association-Jury Annual Exhibit/Public lecture/creativity workshop 1996.

      Big Island Art Guild-Jury Annual Exhibit spring,1997

      Big Island Art Guild-Public lecture and creativity workshop fall,1997

    Exhibitions:
      University of Hawaii Annual Faculty Exhibition, 1996-97

      Crossings Hawaii/Pegge Hopper Gallery-Group exhibition 1997

      Honolulu Academy of Art-The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, 30th Annoversary Exhibition of Selected Works.

      Queen Emma Gallery, "Lions, Tigers, and Terrors," One Man Exhibit, Honolulu, Hawaii, May 1990

      Che Pasta Gallery, "No Hiding Places, "Collaborative Works, Anderson/Kowalke, March, 1991

      Ramsay Gallery,"Postcards from Poland,"One Man Exhibit, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1991

      Gallerie Maire 16th, Society of Arts and Letters, Group Exhibition, Paris, France, November, 1991

      Artists Union Gallery, "Poland Marches," One Man Exhibition, Warsaw, Poland, October, 1991

      Galeria Z.P.A.P., Group Exhibition, Warsaw, Poland, 1991 Traveling Group Exhibition, Titled: "THE BIG PRINT," Sponsored by Quensen Publishing Associates and Dr. Jurgen Ruhfus, German Ambassador to the United States, Honorary Chairperson. Exhibition originated at the Furlong Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Stout and traveled to Arizona State University, Brigham Young University,University of Tennessee, University of Southern California, Nicolson Art Center, Wyoming, and Kansas State University. Exhibition included artists from Italy, France, Spain, Germany,and Porto Rico. 1991-1993

      Sparkasse Gallery/Alfeld, "Grimms Fairy Tales-Childhood Terrors,"Alfeld, Germany, Summer, 1991

      A.E.G. Gallery, "Aura/Light," One Man Exhibit, Hannover, Germany, Summer, 1991

      Buscher Gallery, "Weintraub Engel," One Man Exhibit, Presentation of Design and Fabrication of 1992 Spring Edition Wine Label, Betchheim Germany, May, 1992

      Hans Wacker Gallery, "Works on Paper," One Man Exhibit, Hildesheim, Germany, 1992

      Halberstadt Gallery, "Works on Paper," One Man Exhibit, Halberstadt, Germany, Spring, 1993

      Pali Art Gallery, "Lamentations," Group Exhibit, Summer, 1993

      University of Hawaii Art Gallery, Faculty Exhibition, Honolulu, Fall 1993

      Hans Wacker Gallery, 'Works on Paper," One Man Exhibit, Summer, 1994

      University of Hawaii Art Gallery, Faculty Exhibit, Honolulu, November, 1994

      "Meditation Icons-Earth/Fire-Neon," One Man Exhibit, Fribourg, Switzerland, 1995

      Zakopane State Museum, "Neon Light Sculpture," One Man Exhibit, Zakopane, Poland, Summer, 1995.

      Che Pasta Gallery, "Kowalke, Kowalke, and Hans," Group Exhibit, Honolulu, Hawaii, Fall 1995

    Teaching:

      New Courses, Special Events and Lecture Series
      Course Design and Presentation of ART #400 Titled; International Collaboration-Honolulu/Warsaw
      Spring and Fall Semesters 1992. An Interactive Course, Designed and Affiliated with the Warsaw Academy of Fine Art and the University of Hawaii Art Department.
      Course Description:
      Art #400 - International Collaboration is a combination seminar and studio coarse offered to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in art. The purpose of the course is to establish personal contact with the counterpart class of twelve students directed by Professor Winiarski at the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw and to support, maintain and embellish upon modes of communication between each group of students. The primary method of exchange of original artwork will be by direct international mail and the FAX system at the university and the Academy. Other supplemental contact points include private correspondence, telephone, and video tapes.

      Visiting Artists Program; Course Design and Presentation of Twelve Professional Artists and Educators to Graduate and Undergraduate Seminars. Fall 1993 and Spring 1994 Semesters.

    Titles and Themes:
      "Working Artists? Artists Working," Guest Speakers, Dorothy Faison and John Morita

      "The Business of Art and the Art of Business," Guest Speakers Keiko Hatano, Director, Hatano Gallery /Valtra Lockett, Free Lance Designer, Videographer/Roy Venters, Free Lance Designer.

      "Artists of Hawaii/Hawaiian Artists," Guest Speakers, Meleana Meyers, Artist, Educator/Ima'i Kalani,Free Lance Artist/ Bob Freitas, Sculptor, OHA Representative/ Herman Clark, Graduate Student, Design

      "Teaching and Making Art In New Zealand Maori Style," Guest Speaker, Rheihana McDonald, Maori Arts Educator and Legislator, Studio Artist; Wellington College of Education, New Zealand

      "The Art of the Mississippi River," Guest Speaker, Billy Curmano, Conceptual- Performance Artist, Missouri

      "How to Survive in the City with Art," Guest Speaker, Ron Genta, Free Lance Artist, Honolulu, Hawaii

    Exhibitions: Organized and Curated

      "Freedom Berlin/Warsaw,"a collection of drawings from artists living and working in Berlin and Warsaw after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Exhibited and Documented in the University of Hawaii Commons Gallery and sponsored by a grant from the UH Presidents Special projects fund. November, 1990

      "Operation Desert Storm," a collection of paintings and drawings by #313 Advanced Drawing students. University of Hawaii Commons Gallery photographed and documented by Ka Leo. January, 1992

      "Iniki and the People of Kauai,"a collection of paintings and drawings by #313 Advanced Drawing students. University of Hawaii Commons Gallery photographed and documented by Ka Leo. Sept.,1992

    Grants, Awards, and Fellowships:
      University of Hawaii Presidents Special Projects Grant: Travel and Exhibition Funding,
      "Freedom ---- Warsaw / Berlin," November, 1990

      University of Hawaii, Office of International Programs and Services (O.I.P.S.) Travel Grant to Poland to Establish an Exchange Program for Students and Faculty / Warsaw Academy of Fine Art and the University of Hawaii Art Department, Fall 1991

      Chopin Society of Hawaii; Distinguished Citizen Award, Summer 1993

      Center for Arts and Humanities Fellowship; Project-"Neon Light Sculpture in Architecture," Fall, 1994

    Personal and Professional Development:
    Neon Light Research: Design and Fabrication with Ted Pirsig, Volcano, Hawaii

    Macintosh Centris 650 Computor Programs and Application/Internet/Adobe Photoshop/Microsoft Word

Community Service:
University, Departmental, City and State University Committees

    Member, Steering Committee for the University of Hawaii Summer Session 1993, FESTIVAL OF POLAND.
    Committee Members included Dean Richard Dubonowski, Associate Dean, Cornelia Moore, and Dean Victor Kobayashi.
    The Festival of Poland won the North American Association of Summer Sessions Award for the Most Creative and Innovative Program for 1993

    Directed and Facilitated the Contemporary Polish Art Exhibit and Lecture presented by Professor Pawel Sosnowski, the Director of the Appendix Gallery/Warsaw Academy of Fine Art, Warsaw.

    The University of Hawaii Summer Session: Festival of Poland
    Departmental Committees
    Personnel Committee, 1990-91
    College Art Advisory Committee, 1989-1993
    Gallery Committee, 1992-1994

    City and State Committees
    The Hawaii Organization for the Arts Advisory Board. In the summer of 1993 there were weekly organizational meetings which extended into the spring of 1994. Then monthly meetings with State Senator Carol Fukanaga and Representative David Hagino covering The Small Gallery Association issue. and Site Selection Committee for proposed Visual Arts Center of Hawaii.
    Queen Emma Gallery Advisory Board
    Windward Artists Guild Advisory Board
    Windward Community College, Juror, Young Windward Artists, 1994
    Alliance for Education-Art Programs, Advisor, 1993-94
Permanent Collections:

The Samuel P. Hard Museum of Art, Gainesville, Florida, 1993
The Contemporary Museum of Art, Permanent Collection Exhibition, Hawaii 1994
State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, 25th Anniversary Exhibition of Selected Works from the Permanent Collection, Hawaii 1994

Visiting Faculty Status:
Warsaw Academy of Fine Art, Open Invitation for Seminars, Workshops, and Fall/Spring Courses


Reflections

My artwork echoes my physical, philosophical, aesthetic, intellectual, and spiritual relationship with Hawai'i. This visual bond for me began with a major exhibition of paintings and drawings at the Honolulu Academy of Arts in 1975. Ed Stasack, in his review of the exhibition written for the Star Bulletin states, "The places and the type of landscape are familiar to us. The effects of a shadow from a back lighted hillside, the places where sky, water and shore meet, these are able to strike chords as part of a general experience shared by those who live here and care to try to see." Sheldon Washington, the Assistant Director of the Academy, reinforced this vision with his commentary, "In his current exhibition, Ron Kowalke projects Hawaii into the twenty-first century with marked clarity and precision. Many of the works pose, in imaginative and painterly terms, a serious question: Will technology be our destruction or an instrument of our salvation?"

A series of twelve paintings titled, PALI TUNNELSCAPES, was purchased by the S.F.C.A. in 1980. These pieces focused on the magical moments we experience driving through the Pali Tunnel and the colorful visions that occur with each conscious journey through that delicious landscape. I focused on the twists and turns of the highway coupled with the light and color of the far off horizon culminating in a visual chorus of ancient Hawaiian chants, myths and legends. Also, my work with the students at Kailua Intermediate School focused on the theme of the windward side with Kailua beach, wind surfing, rainbows and hibiscus as the central themes featured in the mural.

In the last three years, I have been working with the theme of physical and spiritual energy using Kilauea volcano and the Kalapana lava flow patterns as visual metaphors. I have been experimenting with different media and attempting to combine the idea of a unified world order with the triumph of the individual human spirit. I am using lava/magma as a visual metaphor for the life force common to all people of all nations.

I intend to use a combination of materials to produce a visual environment that encourages and permits meditation and reflection. I have been experimenting with various materials over the past two years and found that the use of neon light combined with white and black beach sand on acrylic painted aluminum surfaces has proven to be highly successful for both individual and group participation. I can easily envision my current working metaphors blending well within the stated project of the Convention Center proposal.