Carol Cole ~ SculptOR ~

Email: carol@carolcole.com  •  Tel.:  610.664.2825

THE ARTIST

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My mixed media sculptures are inspired by the works of ancient and tribal artists and architects — archetypal forms that speak a universal language. As a contemporary artist, however, I take relics of our own time — found manufactured items — and combine them with handmade paper, textured paper pulp, and paint.  I transform everyday objects into iconic abstract sculptures that are lightweight and easy to move and hang.

 

I have been making “green” art since before there was a name for it.

I see beauty where others see trash.

I am a beachcomber, not only at the shore but on city streets.

I walk with my eyes down and find treasures everywhere.

I shop for art materials in junk yards.

I am a gatherer, not a hunter.

I don’t know what I am looking for until I see it.

I don’t know what I am making until it is finished.

My sculptures want to be touched as well as seen.

My favorite color is rust.

SOLO SHOWS

"Carol Cole", The Cerulean Gallery, Philadelphia, 2019-2023

“Words Matter”  The Bazemore Gallery 2017

“Objects and Elements: Sculpture by Carol Cole”

     Villanova University - 2012

 

“Lost and Found: Sculpture by Carol Cole” Crawford Gallery,

     Episcopal Academy, Newtown Square, PA - 2010

 

“Transformations: Carol Cole Sculpture” Longyear Museum of

     Anthropology, Colgate University Hamilton NY - 2007-08

 

“Carol Cole: Green Art” Eureka Crafts Gallery,

     Syracuse, NY  - 2008

 

“Connections/Reflections” Gotthelf Gallery, La Jolla, CA  -  2002

 

“Artful Recycling” Eureka Crafts Gallery, Syracuse, NY - 1999

 

"Transformations" Levering Gallery, Philadelphia, PA - 1997

INVITATIONAL AND JURIED GROUP SHOWS

2023

“Philadelphia Dumpster Divers” Chester County Art Association, West Chester PA

 “25 Years, 25 Women Artists” Delaware Center of Art and Design, Wilmington, DE

 

 2022

“Deconstructing Bowie” National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia, PA

 “30 Years of Philadelphia Dumpster Divers” Dupree Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

 “Creative Reuse” reCreate Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

 “Small Works” Black Moth Gallery, Ardmore, PA

 

2021

“Alchemy Illuminated: The Art of Crafting Trash” Neon Museum of Philadelphia

 “Big Talent, Small Works” Black Moth Gallery, Ardmore, PA

 “Trashy Women” Cecil County Arts Center, Elkton, MD

 

2020

“Jazz” Art at City Hall, Philadelphia, PA (cancelled due to Covid)

 “Word” Shockboxx Gallery, Hermosa Beach, CA

 “CFEVA Artists”  Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce,  Philadelphia, PA

 

2019

“The Woodmere Annual” Woodmere Art Museum, Phila., PA “Visual Democracy” The Art Gallery at City Hall, Phila., PA

“Paper Awareness” Montgomery County Community College Gallery, Blue Bell, PA

 

2018

“Philadelphia Sculptors” NoBA Artspaces, Bala Cynwyd, PA

“Re-Crafted: Found Object Art”  Dupree Gallery, Philadelphia

"Paper Awareness” Abington Art Center, Jenkintown, PA

“Imaginari” Oxford Art Alliance, Oxford, PA

 

2017

“Crafting Contexts” CraftNow at City Hall, Phila., PA

“Dumpster Divers 25th Anniversary Show” Passayunk PopUp Gallery, Phila.,PA

“Message to Our Daughters” Philadelphia City Hall, Phila., PA

“Reimagined” Duke Gallery, Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA

“Nasty Women” Fireside Gallery, Main Line Unitarian Church, Devon, PA

 

2016

"If Walls Could Talk"  Dupree Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

"Re-Cycle” BWAC Gallery, Brooklyn, NY (Juried by Harriet Taub)

"Eco-KINDness”   KIND Institute Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

"The Art of the Dumpster Divers" Media Art Center, Media. PA

"The Soul of A Young Girl" Old City Jewish Art Center, Philadelphia, PA

"Messages and American Dreams" CCC Gallery, Episcopal Academy, Newtown  Square, PA

"POST at City Hall," The Galleries at City Hall, Philadelphia, PA

 

2015

“If The Walls Could Talk” Dupree Gallery, Philadelphia

"Upcycling: The Art of the Dumpster Divers"

Goggleworks Center for the Arts, Reading, PA

 

"Finders Keepers"

Art Trust Gallery, West Chester, PA

 

2014

“FiberNext” Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE

 

“Archives Alchemy – The Art of the Dumpster Divers”

     National Archives at Philadelphia

“Lost and Found” West Chester University Gallery,

     West Chester, PA

“Reclaim”  Destination Frankford Gallery, Philadelphia

 

2013

“Papyrus” The Art Trust, West Chester, PA

 “Upcycling: Trash to Treasure” Fireside Gallery, MLUC,

     Devon, PA

“From the Vat”   Markheim Art Center, Haddonfield, NJ

 

2012

“Meta-Fiber 2012” Art in City Hall, Philadelphia PA

“Paper Fortress” Pterodactyl Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

“The Chair Show” Salon Des Amis, Yellow Springs, PA

“Re-Cycle/Re-Imagine” Delaware Center for Horticulture

     Gallery, Wilmington, DE. (Best in show award.)

 

2011

“Touch: Beyond Sight” Noyes Museum of Art, Oceanville, NJ

“Raw Beauty: An Exhibition of Sculpture” Robeson Center

     for the Arts, Princeton, NJ

“Uncommon Threads: The Fiber Show” Artworks Gallery, Trenton ,NJ

“The Journey: Philadelphia Sculptors” Gallery at B543 at the

     Philadelphia Navy Yard

“Find, Inspire, Create” Crawford Art Gallery, Episcopal Academy,

     Newtown Square, PA

“From Ordinary to Extraordinary: the Art of Being Green”

     Susquehanna Art Museum, VanGo! Traveling Museum

     Harrisburg PA

“C3: Create, Connect, Collect” Main Line Art Center,

     Haverford, PA

 

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2010

“Handprint Identity Project: Artists and Poets” West Chester

     University, West Chester, PA

“Paper Awareness”  Perkins Center for the Arts,

     Collingswood, NJ

“Going Green” Noyes Museum of Art, Hammonton NJ

“Over the Bridge” Third Street Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

“Carol Cole Sculpture” Casa Papel, Philadelphia PA

 

2009

“Sculpture On and Off the Wall” Hess Gallery, Elizabethtown

     College, Elizabethtown, PA

“TransFORMation” Hicks Art Center Gallery, Bucks County

      Community College, Newtown PA

“Pulp Function” Curated by Lloyd Herman and the Fuller Craft

     Museum, Brockton, MA . Traveled nationally 2007-2009.

“Resurrect: The Art of the Reclaimed Object” Mesa

     Contemporary Arts, Phoenix, AZ

“Ecologically Correct” Outsider Folk Art Gallery, Reading, PA

“All Women All Media” Widener University Art Gallery

     Chester, PA

“A Little on the Trashy Side” Elkton Arts Center, Elkton MD

“Recycling is AMAZING!” Please Touch Museum,

     Philadelphia PA

“State of the Garden: Art of the Dumpster Divers”

     Noyes Museum of Art, Hammonton, NJ

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2008

“Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate” Holter Museum of Art,

     Helena, Montana

“Woven Together: 12 Fiber Artists” Stonewall Gallery,

     Cambridge Springs, PA

“Handprint Identity Project: Artists and Poets” Elizabethtown

     College, Elizabethtown, PA

“The Green Exhibition” Art in City Hall, Philadelphia, PA

“Philadelphia Sculptors” McKinney Gallery, West Chester

     University, West Chester, PA

“Touch” DaVInci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

 

2007

“Fiber Art” Ohio Craft Museum Columbus, Ohio

“Paper Cuts:  The Art of Contemporary Paper” Toured 16

     American Museums, 2004-2007

“Art Tells a Story: The Narrative in Art” Susquehanna

     Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA 2007-2008

“Green Alchemy” The Perkins Center for the Arts,

     Collingswood NJ

“Implements Implications” SCEE Gallery, Philadelphia PA

 

2006

“Woven-Twisted-Twined: Redefining Fiber” Gallery DePaul,

     Lancaster, PA

“Fiber Feast” The Fiber Center, Amherst, MA 2005

“Dumpster Divers: Secret Garden of a Fertile Mind”

     Journey Home Gallery, Philadelphia

“Motherhood: the Myth, the Magic & the Madness”

     Crafts for Living Gallery, Philadelphia

“Women of Culture” Art on the Avenue Gallery, Philadelphia

 

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2005

“Between Dimensions” Projects Gallery, Philadelphia

“Re: Form, The Figure in Found Objects “Crafts for Living

     Gallery”, Philadelphia, PA

“Paper Guild” Payne Gallery, Moravian College,

     Bethlehem, PA “Gallery in the Garden”

     Hawk Mountain, PA

“Art of the State” State Museum of Pennsylvania,

     Harrisburg, PA

“A Papered Approach” The Hyder Gallery, Philadelphia

“Rearranged/Redefined:Domestic Objects Reconsidered”

     Main Line Art Center, Haverford,PA

 

2004

“Fabulous Fibers” Lincoln Center Galleries, Fort Collins, CO

 

2003

“Crafts National” Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA

 

2002

“Artifacts” Tres Studio Gallery, San Diego, CA

“Not for Your Eyes Only” Borowsky Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

 

2000

"Paper in the Millennium" American Museum of Papermaking,

     Atlanta, GA

"Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2000" State Museum of

      Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA

 

1999

"Focus on Fibers" Art in City Hall, Philadelphia, PA

 

1998

"Five Sculptors" Gallery Siano, Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia Sculptors" Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ

 

1994

"Paper/Fiber National XVII" The Arts Center, Iowa City, Iowa

 

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COMMISSIONS

“Infinity Knot”  Private commission, 2017

 

“Steppin’ Out”  Private commission, Philadelphia, PA 2015

 

“One Hundred Years” Ricklin’s Hardware, Narberth PA   2013

 

“Michy Mobile”  Garden State Discovery Museum”

    Cherry Hill NJ   2012

 

“Sixteen Candles Awards”  Garden State Discovery Museum,

    Cherry Hill NJ 2010

 

“Joy of Life”  Private client, Livingston, NJ 2009

 

Go For the Green Awards” Lower Merion Township

    Environmental Advisory Council 2008

 

“Tree of Life” Congregation Beth Am Israel,

    Penn Valley, PA  2006

 

“Seventy Five”  La Jolla Country Day School,

    La Jolla, CA 2002

 

“Silverside”  The Silverside Church,  Wilmington, DE, 2002

 

"Telecommunication 2000"  Communications Test Design, Inc.,

    West Chester, PA, 2000

 

"Connections"  Communications Equity Associates,

    Berwyn, PA 1999

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"Shield"  Isdaner & Company, Certified Public Accountants,

    Bala Cynwyd, PA, 1999

 

"Balancing Act"  Voorhees Pediatric Facility,

    Voorhees, New Jersey  1998.

 

“Branching Out”  Imasco Holdings, Inc. ,  New York  1998

 

“Into the Future” and  “Fragments”  Educational Testing Service,

    Washington, DC 1998 (2 pieces)

 

“Dimensions”  Market Dimensions, Inc.,  Media, PA 1998

 

"Transformation"  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,

    Philadelphia, PA. 1997. (10 pieces)

 

"Communications"  Communications Equity Associates,

    Berwyn, PA, 1997.

 

"Putting It All Together"  Career Blazers,

    King of Prussia, PA, 1994

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WORKSHOPS, RESIDENCIES AND TEACHING

“Doing What Comes Naturally” A one day creativity workshop given at many venues including Main Line Art Center, Cerulean Gallery, Kendall at Kennett Square 2014-present

 

Bangalore, India.  Invited to teach a ten day workshop.  2015

 

The Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia,PA. Designed and coordinated a month-long artist residency for eight artists working with children to construct a sculptural installation for the museum gallery. 2009.

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City Museum Educators Roundtable 2008.  “TOUCH, An Art Experience for the Senses” Presented and provided art for workshop.

 

Main Line Art Center. Haverford PA.  On the faculty, teaching adult papermaking/collage classes and creativity workshops 1992-present

 

La Jolla Country Day School, La Jolla, CA.  Artist/mentor in-residence for lower, middle and high school students and art teachers.  2002 and 2006.

 

Southern Utah University Museum, Keynote speaker, Friends of the Gallery Annual Banquet, in conjunction with Paper Cuts Exhibit, 2004.

 

Philadelphia Museum of Art,  Art Futures artist residency,  created a permanent installation with art students from William Penn High School  2004

 

Noyes Museum, Oceanville, NJ. Workshops with high school art students: “Touch, the Forgotten Sense in Art”  2003.

 

Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE.  Adult papermaking classes and workshops 1998-2002.

 

University of the Arts. Philadelphia, PA.  Paper sculpture and creativity workshops. 1995-2003.

 

Rittenhousetown Papermill. Philadelphia, PA. Cast Paper Sculpture workshop, 1995.

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CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE

2023

“The Philadelphia Dumpster Divers: Still Upcycling After All These Years” Chester County Art Association

I organized this 30th anniversary show of 130 sculptures by 30 members of the Dumpster Divers.

 

2014

“FiberNext”  Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE

 

I was invited to guest curate, along with fiber artist Gina Bosworth, a show of contemporary fiber arts from the mid-Atlantic region. We selected innovative work by twelve artists, and coordinated the delivery, hanging and publicity.

 

2012

“The View From 915”   Center For Architecture Gallery, Philadelphia PA

 

A  show of the works of 40 artists depicting views out the windows of the 915 Spring Garden Artists Building done over the past 30 years. I had the idea for the show, found the venue, invited the artists, coordinated delivery, supervised hanging the work and did the publicity and signage.

EDUCATION, AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS

EDUCATION

 

Tucson, Arizona Public Schools.

Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.   B.A. with honors, 1966

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.    M.A.T.   1967

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.    M.S.  1974

University of the Arts, Philadelphia. Papermaking Institute

     1991-1992

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts,  Barnes Foundation

Seminar:  Advanced Theoretical and Critical Studies in the

     Fine Arts.  2000-2002, 2009

 

AWARDS

 

2012 for Best in Show Del Hortic.

2001-2002, Mentor of the Year, The Panta Rhea Foundation (see Art Calendar Magazine, Oct. 2002)

Best in Show, “Re-Cycle/Re-Imagine” Delaware Center for

    Horticulture Gallery, Wilmington, DE

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

 

Philadelphia Sculptors, The Guild of Papermakers, The Fiber Arts Collective, The Dumpster Divers

 

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PUBLICATIONS

 

“Sculptures from Everyday Objects” Philadelphia Inquirer, by Victoria Donohoe, May 11, 2012, p.W32

 

“Philadelphia Artists Celebrate the Railroad Building They Call Home” Newsworks.org  by Peter Crimmins, May1, 2012.

 

 “Carol Cole’s Iconic Sculptures at Villanova University Art Gallery” City Suburban News, April 11-17, 2012, p.10.

 

“Carol Cole: Paper Pulp and Mixed Media” by Susan Lomuto   www.dailyartmuse.com, October 20, 2010

 

Found Object Art 2: Carol Cole pp. 56-57 Tina Skinner,editor.

Schiffer Books. 2009

 

“Transformation:  Carol Cole Sculpture” Colgate University Longyear  Museum.  Show catalog, essay By Dr. Carol Ann Lorenz.

 

“Home to Eureka! Carol Cole Creates ‘Green’ Work” Syracuse

     City Eagle, March 6, 2008 p.14.

 

“Gutenberg Never Thought About Using Paper Like She Does” The La Jolla Light, Dec. 29, 2005 pp.18-19

 

 “Inside the Artist’s Studio”  Philadelphia Style, Fall 2005

     pp. 60-62.

 

 “Philly Opens Studio Doors” American Style  October 2005

     p.40

 

 “Debris d’Art”  American Style August 2005  pp. 76-82.

 

 “Making a Living Using Found Objects: An Interview with Carol Cole” The Crafts ReportDec. 2002 p. 22

 

“Mentoring: A Different Way of Artistic and Career Growth” Art Calendar October 2002 pp 7-8

 

“Paper Crafts Gallery: Carol Cole” p.118. PaperHouse, Mary Ann Hall, Rockport Press, 2001

 

“Trash Talker: Eureka Exhibit showcases Carol Cole”  Syracuse New Times September, 1999.

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