Michael Reafsnyder’s painterly abstractions convey a sense of delirious happiness. Although they look like the product of spontaneous gestural painting, Reafsnyder’s works are in fact carefully crafted to convey their sense of frenetic energy, each brushstroke, thick swath of acrylic, or vibrant color deftly deployed in the creation of an overall sense of manic exuberance. Falsely conjuring the Action Painting of Abstract Expressionism, Reafsnyder’s bright canvases are often more playfully sarcastic and confrontational than lyrical; he works a “smiley face” symbol into several of his otherwise abstract works.

 

EDUCATION

1996   MFA, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California

1992   BA, Chapman University, Orange, California

 

 

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio

Creative Artist’s Agency, Beverly Hills, California

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, California

Las Vegas Art Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California

Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, San Diego, California

Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, California

Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon

Progressive Corporation, Mayfield Village, Ohio

 

 

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

 

2015   Ameringer/ McEnery/ Yohe, New York, New York

2014   Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Sunday Best, Culver City, California

2013   Ameringer/ McEnery/ Yohe, We Ate the House, New York, New York

2012   RB Stevenson Gallery, Gleam, La Jolla, California

2011   Ameringer/ McEnery/ Yohe, Feast, New York, New York

            Marty Walker Gallery, Delight, Dallas, Texas

2010   Western Project, Put it There, Culver City, California

            Rebecca Ibel Gallery, Sweetness, Columbus, Ohio

2009   RB Stevenson Gallery, Undone, La Jolla, California

2007   W.C.C.A., Fresh, Singapore

            Western Project, Aqua La La, Culver City, California

            RB Stevenson Gallery, Whirl, La Jolla, California 

2005   Las Vegas Art Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada. More: Paintings and Sculpture from 2002-2005

2004   Uplands Gallery, Yum-Yum, Melbourne, Australia

2003   Mark Moore Gallery, Paintings, Santa Monica, California

2002   Galeria Marta Cervera, Paintings, Madrid, Spain

            Finesilver, Paintings, San Antonio, Texas

2001   Mark Moore Gallery, Paintings, Santa Monica, California

            Artissima, Present/ Future, Turin, Italy

1999   Mark Moore Gallery, Paintings, Santa Monica, California

1997   Blum and Poe, Paintings, Santa Monica, California

 

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

 

2017    Rarity Gallery, Mykonos

2015   Acme, Works in Paper II, Los Angeles, California

            Barrick Museum, Recent Acquisitions, Las Vegas, Nevada

            Guggenheim Gallery, Paths and Edges, Chapman University, Orange, California

2014   Peggy Phelps Gallery, Floor Flowers, Claremont Graduate University,

            Claremont, California

2012   Barrick Museum, Into the Light, Las Vegas, Nevada

2011   Acme, Los Angeles Ceramic Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California

            Ameringer/McEnery/Yohe, Summer Selections, New York, New York

2010   Peggy Phelps Gallery, Forever Now, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California

            Pacific Design Center, Keramik, Los Angeles, California

            Ameringer/ McEnery/ Yohe, Summer Selections, New York, New York

            RB Stevenson Gallery, Just Enough, La Jolla, California

2009   Blaffer Gallery, Electric Mud, University of Houston, Houston, Texas

            Morgan Lehman, Selected Works from Pilliod Records, New York, New York

            Donna Beam Art Gallery, Way Out West, Las Vegas, Nevada

            CTRL, Good Ship Lollipop, Houston, Texas

            RB Stevenson Gallery, Well-Tempered, La Jolla, California

            Western Project, Sculpture Two, Culver City, California

            Laguna Art Museum, Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum,

            Laguna Beach, California

2008   Sweeney Art Gallery, Like Lifelike, curated by Brad Spence, University of California,

            Riverside, California

            Cypress College Art Gallery, iCandy: Current Abstraction in Southern California,

            Cypress, California

            Rebecca Ibel Gallery, Splash, Columbus, Ohio

            Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion, Luscious Abstraction, Orange Coast College,

            Costa Mesa, California

            Black Dragon Society, Black Dragon Society, Los Angeles, California

2007   Rebecca Ibel Gallery, Summer Selections, Columbus, Ohio

            RB Stevenson Gallery, Abstract, La Jolla, California

            Harris Art Gallery, Combo Platter: Collaborative Woks by Michael Reafsnyder and David Kiddie.

            University of La Verne, La Verne, California

2006  David Reed Studio, Too Many Tear Drops, New York, New York

            Mandarin, A Little So Cal Abstraction, Los Angeles, California

            West Coast Contemporary Art, Discovery, Singapore

2005   Ben Maltz Gallery, Otis Art Institute, Step Into Liquid, curated by Dave Hickey,

            Los Angeles, California

            Mark Moore Gallery, In Bloom, Santa Monica, California

            Black Dragon Society, Los Angeles, California

2004   Gallery Eugene Lendl, Fresh Paint, Graz, Austria

            Mark Moore Gallery, Painting and Sculpture, Santa Monica, California

            Laguna Art Museum, Funny Business: Humor in Art from the Permanent Collection,

            Laguna Beach, California

            Laguna Art Museum, The O Scene, Laguna Beach, California

            Claremont Graduate School, Now and Then Some, Claremont, California

2003   Uplands Gallery, LA TAP, Melbourne, Australia

            Manny Silverman Gallery, Not the Usual Suspects, curated by James Hayward,

            Los Angeles, California

            Charlotte Jackson Fine Art, Pfat and Sassy, Santa Fe, New Mexico

            Peter Blake Gallery, Extreme Paint, Laguna Beach, California

2002   Modernism, Five Times Four, San Francisco, California

            Guggenheim Gallery, Chapman University, Trade Show, Orange, California

            Portland Art Museum, New in Town, curated by Bruce Guenther, Portland, Oregon

2002   Mark Moore Gallery, Western States, Santa Monica, California

2001   University of North Texas, Cal’s Art, Sampling California Painting, Denton, Texas

            Laguna Art Museum, One Minute of Your Time: A Brief Survey of Southern California Art from                                   1835 to 2001, curated by Tyler Stallings, Laguna Beach, California

            Art Frankfurt, The Stuff Dreams are Made From, Frankfurt, Germany.

2000   Todd Hosfelt Gallery, New Work: Abstract Painting, San Francisco, California

            The Jones Center for Contemporary Art, New American Painting 15, curated by David Pagel,                                       Austin, Texas

            Mark Moore Gallery, Paint, American Style, Santa Monica, California

            Gallery Marabini, Radar Love (with Gajin Fujita, Andrea Bowers and Linda Stark), Bologna, Italy.

1999   Black Dragon Society, Under 500: Intimate Abstract Paintings, Los Angeles, California

            Cheryl Pelavin Fine Art, LA/ New York Abstract, New York, New York

1996   The Loft, Risk, Laguna Beach, California

1995   Gander Mountain High, Ride ‘Um Hunter, curated by Daniel Mendel- Black,

            Pasadena, California

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Anania, Katie. "A Gorgeous Mess." Las Vegas City Life 7 Oct. 2005.

Artrois, Stella. "Exhibitionism/ Painting Out the Century." Flaunt 1999: 133-34.

Baker, Kenneth. "Abstraction at Todd Hosfelt Gallery." San Francisco Chronicle 8 Jan. 2000: B1.

"Ramos and Five Times Four at Modernism." San Francisco     Chronicle 14 Dec. 2002.

B, C. ""Kamasutra a Ritmo di Rock"" Gulliver Dec. 2000: 336.

Biel, Kim. "Michael Reafsnyder." Art Ltd. June 2007.

Britt, Douglas. “Blaffer Gallery Hosting Art Rebellion.” Houston Chronicle 26 Mar. 2009

"California Dream." Flash Art Italy Oct. 2000: 65.

Chang, Richard. "Celebrating O.C.'s Own Scene." Orange County Register 7 Nov. 2004.

Dambrot, Shana Nys. "Michael Reafsnyder at Mark Moore Gallery." Artweek June 2003.

"Sculpture Part Two at Western Project." Artweek Oct. 2008.

Ellertson, Karrin. "New in Town." Portland Mercury Apr. 2002.

Ellgood, Anne. New American Painting 2004.

Forestieri, Susanne. “Fine Blend.” Las Vegas Weekly 3 Sept. 2009.

Franceschetti, Roberta. "Arte & Mercado: Bologna." Arte Jan. 2001: 210.

Frank, Peter. "A Little So Cal Abstraction." LA Weekly 27 Sept. 2006.

Galletta, Alessandra. "Ritorno Alla Pitture." Kult Dec. 2000: 145.

Hickey, Dave. "Best of the 90's." Artforum Dec. 1999: 112.

"Four Fish Tacos and a Step Into Liquid." Otis College of Art and Design Magazine (2006).

Honotoria, Javier. "Michael Reafsnyder at Galeria Marta Cervera." El Mundo [Madrid] 16 Jan. 2003.

Jones, Tricia. "Three Shows Under One Museum Roof." The Columbian 12 Apr. 2002: F3+.

Knight, Christopher.“Michael Reafsnyder at Western Project.” Los Angeles Times 12 March 2010.

"45 Painters Under 45." Los Angeles Times 2 Dec. 2007.

"Just Going with the Flow." Los Angeles Times 14 Jan. 2006.

"Melding divergent forces, with a smile." Los Angeles Times Feb. 2007.

"Michael Reafsnyder at Mark Moore Gallery." Art Issues Mar. 2000.

"Michael Reafsnyder at Mark Moore Gallery." Los Angeles Times 12 Apr. 2003.

McClemont, Doug. “Michael Reafsnyder at Ameringer/McEnery/Yohe.” Artnews Apr. 2011.

Meyers, Terry. "Step Into Liquid." Modern Painters Feb. 2006.

"Michael Reafsnyder at Western Project." Web Article. Saatchi-Gallery Online. Feb 17 2007.

Molinari, Guido. "Radar Love." Flash Art Italy Dec. 2001.

"9 picks that say peace out to the left eye." Williamette Week 1 May 2002: 33.

Pagel, David. "A Few Tests to See How Much Input the Brain Can Handle: Michael Reafsnyder." ,

Los Angeles Times 8 June 2001.

"A Little So Cal Abstraction." Los Angeles Times Sept. 2006.

“All forms are welcome at ‘Museum’.” Los Angeles Times 14 Jan. 2011

"Aperto: Los Angeles." Flash Art Mar. 1998.

"Art Reviews: Michael Reafsnyder at Mark Moore Gallery."

Los Angeles Times Mar. 2003: F33.

"Editor's Choice: Michael Reafsnyder." Bomb Winter 1998.

“Floor Flowers.” Gallery Magazine issue 191 Oct. 2014.

"Michael Reafsnyder at Blum and Poe." Los Angeles Times May 1997.

"Not the Usual Suspects at Manny Silverman Gallery." Los Angeles Times 1 Aug. 2003.

"Rambunctious Group Energy." Los Angeles Times 29 Aug. 2008.

“Silly…Seriously.” Los Angeles Times 17 Dec. 1999

Peterson, Kristen. “An Infusion of Art: Contemporary works from Los Angeles.” Las Vegas Sun 11 Sept. 2009.

Pincus, Robert. “Quartet of Soloists.” San Diego-Union Tribune 26 Nov. 2009.

“He’s Come Undone.” San Diego Union-Tribune 13 Aug. 2009.

"Whirl at RB Stevenson Gallery." San Diego Union-Tribune Apr. 2007.

Plagens, Peter, and Corrie Brown. "Hollywood's Big Art Deal." Newsweek 6 Dec. 1999: 78-80.

"Present/ Future at Artissima 2001." Art and Job 2001.

"Radar Love at Galeria Marabini." Flash Art Italy Nov. 2000.

Reed, Victoria. "Michael Reafsnyder at RB Stevenson Gallery." Artweek June 2007.

Row, D. K. "Two Hands Clapping." The Oregonian 12 Apr. 2002: 52+.

Schlesinger, Mark. "A Musing: The Work of Michael Reafsnyder." Perla Oct. 2002.

Schweighofer, T. "Take Away at Der Galerie Lendl in Graz." Kroen-Zeihiup [Graz] 31 Dec. 2004.

Twardy, Chuck. "Paintings pose questions about possibility for soulful abstraction." Las Vegas Weekly 27 Oct. 2005.

"UNT Explores methods, inspiration of California Art." Chronicle, University of Northern Texas  (Sept. 2001).

Uplands Gallery. Interview with Michael Reafsnyder. Brochure. Melbourne: Author, 2004.

"Visual Marvels: Michael Reafsnyder." Singapore Tatler Nov. 2007.

Wilkinson, Jeanne C. "Smiley Faces Emerge from Swirls of Abstraction." Tribeca Trib Sept. 1999.

Wille, Chris. "Fruit Loop Turns into Treat." Spokesman Review [Spokane] 7 Apr. 2002: 114.

Yelo, Maria G. "Michael Reafsnyder at Galeria Marta Cervera." ABC [Madrid] 16 Jan. 2003.

 

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS PUBLICATIONS

 

Hickey, Dave. Michael Reafsnyder. New York: Ameringer/ McEnery/ Yohe, 2015.

White, Wayne and Cliff Benjamin. Michael Reafsnyder: Aqua LaLa. Culver City: Western Project, 2007.

Dambrot, Shana Nys. Combo Platter: Collaborative Works by Michael Reafsnyder and David Kiddie.

University of La Verne: Harris Art Gallery, 2007.

 

 

GENERAL PUBLICATIONS AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS CATALOGS

 

Paths and Edges. Guggenheim Gallery, Chapman University, 2015.

Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum: Laguna Beach, California,    2010.

Pagel, David, and Sara Cochran. Electric Mud. Houston: Blaffer Gallery, 2009.

Spence, Brad. Like LifeLike. Riverside: University of California, 2008.

Lumpkin, Libby. Las Vegas Collects Contemporary. Las Vegas Art Museum, 2008.

A Little So Cal Abstraction. Los Angeles: Mandarin Gallery, 2006.

Present/Future. Turin: Artissima, 2001.

Art Out of School. Beverly Hills: Creative Artist's Agency, 2000.

New American Talent: 15. Austin: Jones Center for Contemporary Art, 2000.