Ardis DeFreece
My current artwork and research focus on the intersections of nature and human intervention. I am inspired to create work that reflects the changing nature of our environment and the everyday objects, people, creatures and places in that environment. I am fascinated by what we see every day, but that we don't really appreciate. We don't see the beauty, the disaster, the wonder, the conflict, the shadows, the lights, and the colors right in front of us. I attempt to capture some of these things in my work and hopefully share a bit of the un-seen world. Painting and drawing are my voice. Whether painting a mural, a landscape, a large narrative piece, a portrait or a small intimate work, I hope to convey something special about my subjects and tell their story. As an educator, I hope to encourage my students to find their own voice through their work as well.
I am a representational painter and draftswoman born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Since childhood I have been making art and I come from a long line of artists. I have a BA in Art and an MFA in Visual Studies. I have studied art in the US and Europe in colleges and the classical atelier system in Italy. Every year I continue to learn more about art through my own work, other artists, and teaching. Over the years, I have worked with students of all ages and I have discovered that each stage of life brings new ways of seeing and experiencing. Teaching art is an important part of my life and I am always inspired by my students. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor at Pacific Northwest College of Art. I also enjoy speaking to audiences through conferences and artist talks far and near.
Nature and ecologically centered work, landscapes, murals, still life, and installation make up the largest portion of my artwork. I love the challenge of working on miniatures or medium sized work one day and murals, large canvases, or whole rooms the next.
My artwork can be found in public and private spaces regionally, nationally and internationally. For the past twenty years, I have shown my work through non-profit organizations and institutions, juried art festivals, galleries, and alternative venues. I am fortunate to have participated in artist residencies and projects with: The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association at Hatfield Marine Science Center, Metro’s Native & Rare Plant Center, Portland, OR, Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR and The Children’s Museum of Houston, among others. Currently, I am a faculty member at Pacific Northwest College of Art.
I do accept commission projects and enjoy working with clients.
For information please check out my blog page though this site or visit my public Facebook Page @artbyardisdefreece and on Instagram @ardisdefreece
email: ardisdefreece@hotmail.com
Teaching Experience
I have been teaching adults and children in art making methods such as drawing, painting, ceramics, book arts and design since 2000.
Currently, I am an assistant professor in the Foundation and Drawing & Painting departments at Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR.
Exhibition Highlights, Festivals, & Commissions
2016 - Present
Completed several private commissions
The Alchemy of Seeds, A Year with Metro’s Native Plant Center Botanists, Oregon Zoo Education Center, Oct/Nov 2019
Art & Ecology Exhibition, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR Fall 2018
Solo Exhibition, Columbia Center for the Arts, June 2017
Solo Exhibition, Guinn Library, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR 2017
MFA Thesis Exhibition, Pacific Northwest College of Art, May/June, Portland, OR 2017
Art-A-Day , Columbia Center for the Arts, Group Exhibition, Hood River, OR April 2017
Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR, permanent exhibition, August 2016
Momentum, Pacific Northwest College of Art, MFA VS First Year Exhibition, Portland , OR
Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour, exhibiting with Carl Annala and Elizabeth See, Hood River, OR
Instrumental, Columbia Art Gallery, Hood River, OR, invitational exhibition
2013 - 2015
97% Invisible, Lodge Gallery, PNCA MFA Group Exhibition, Portland, OR
Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour, juried tour of artist’s studios in the Columbia Gorge region
Art Fest Spokane, juried art festival, Spokane, WA
Best of the Gorge juried exhibition at Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR.
Whitefish Art Festival, juried art festival, Whitefish, MT
Trout Lake Art Festival, juried art festival, Trout Lake, WA
Art and Wine Fusion, art festival, White Salmon, WA
Luminous Yellow, Columbia Art Gallery, Hood River, OR, invitational exhibition
White Salmon, WA, Windows Gallery, Group exhibition
Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR, Group Exhibition
The Dalles Art Center, The Dalles, OR, Group Exhibition
Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour, Juried tour of artist studios, Columbia Gorge Region of WA & OR
Solo Show, Cafe Voila, Portland, OR
Art Fest Spokane, juried art festival, Spokane, WA, *Winner: Best 2D art of the festival
Group Show, “Tiny Vision” Juried show at Lakeside Art Center, Lake Oswego, OR
Trout Lake Art Festival, Trout Lake, WA, juried fine art festival
Art and Wine Fusion, White Salmon, WA, juried art festival
Hood River Harvest Festival, juried fine art and craft festival
Completed two painting cycles for the White Mountain Druid Sanctuary, Trout Lake, WA
Solo Exhibition, The Gorge White House, Gallery and Tasting Room, Hood River, OR
Trout Lake Festival of the Arts,, Trout Lake, WA, Juried Festival
Mosaic project for the White Mountain Druid Sanctuary, Trout Lake, WA
Art & Wine Fusion, White Salmon Art Festival, White Salmon, WA
Maryhill Art Festival, Juried Regional Festival on the grounds of Maryhill museum. Goldendale, WA
Hood River Harvest Festival, Juried Art Festival, Hood River Event Center, Hood River, OR
From 1992 to 2012, I showed my work regularly in juried festivals and gallery shows in Los Angeles, Boston, and the Pacific Northwest. I also completed many commission murals, paintings and drawings including; a mural cycle for Mt Adams Zen Buddhist Temple in Trout Lake, WA (a 5 month project). During this time I also organized artist led charitable events and worked as a gallery assistant in Los Angeles and London, England.
Education: MFA Visual Studies, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR, 2017
BA in Art, Art History Minor, Mount St. Mary’s College, Los Angeles, CA, 1996
Charles H. Cecil Studios, Florence, Italy (classical drawing and painting atelier) 2002-2003
Residencies, Projects & Awards
Artist in Residence, Metro Native Plant Restoration Center, Portland, OR 2017/19
Selection Panelist, Percent for the Arts/Oregon Arts Commission, The Dalles Readiness Center, 2018
Juror, “Best of the Gorge,” Columbia Art Gallery/Columbia Center for the Arts, July 2018
Artist in Residence, National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 2016
Art and Science Student Fellow, Pacific Northwest College of Art, 2016-2017
Art & Science project, Columbia River, OR & WA 2016
PNCA Project Grant recipient, Wairua River & Shipwreck Bay, NZ, 2016
Excellence in the Arts, Alumni Award, St. Mary’s Academy, Portland, OR, Spring 2016
Artist in Residence, Hood River Schools w/ Columbia Center for the Arts, 2009 - 2011
Artist in Residence, Project Grad Fine Arts, 2001, Houston, TX
Artist in Residence, Children’s Museum of Houston, Houston, TX 2000
Publications & Lectures
Presenter, Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies, PNCA, Symposium: Art and Environmental Justice, 2019. Paper: “Art, Alchemy & Anarchy: Power, Magic & Rebellion in a Time of Global Crisis.”
SciArt Magazine February 2019, Interviewed by Professor of Biology Chris X Jensen, Pratt Institute
Collaboration with artist/activist Brian Holmes for, “The Earth Will Not Abide.” 2018-2019 (in progress)
Journal of the Ecological Society of America, co-author, ”Art/Science Collaborations: New Explorations of Ecological Systems, Values, and their Feedbacks,” Spring 2018
Presenter, Ecological Society of America Annual Conference, Portland, OR 2017.
Presenter, Assn. for Environmental Studies & Sciences Conference, Tucson, AZ 2017
Artist Talk, Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR
The Sinister Sublime, book of paintings and field notes from my explorations on the Columbia River (seeking publication)
Artist Talk, Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR June 2017
Artist Talk, Oregon State University, webinar 2017
Artist Talk, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Earth Day, panel, Portland, OR, 2017
Artist Talk, NOAA Residency talk, PNCA 2016
Guest presenter, Hotline, Newport, OR Radio Program, 2016
Gorge Magazine, featured artist, Spring, 2014
Oregon Home Magazine, featured artist, Summer 2010
* All Images on this website are the property of the artist and protected under copyright.