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Mimi Pinnow

Through my paintings I invite the viewer to place their perception into a world of objects. Here we can let go of the unstable cultural structures we have adopted to find protection from the world at large. In letting go we can find beauty in the nuance of object becomings and turn to find that in the overlooked qualities of each other. My paintings feature feminine objects, heirlooms, and spaces that have a life of their own. I collect objects that have accumulated  generational histories and that have lived in numerous homes. Sweeps of transparent paint create light sources that illuminate the objects,  suspending them in moments of meditation. While I work from observation, I translate the objects from my perception to the painting.This reveals dialogs of shadows and chromatic pairings that existed between the world of the source objects, but were highlighted through painting.  Painting these rhyming forms and associations, allows me to build the structure of a hand-held world. The different viscosities of the paint allow the objects to come forward and recede. This opens the door for the viewer to enter the world of the painting, past a perspectival illusion of depth, into a place where they can picture picking up the objects, handling them, and returning them to their atmospheric home. The viewer is given permission to find their own magic, similar to that of a child. In the solitary viewing experience of the painting they may discover small imaginative worlds and objects imbued with life.These worlds reveal themselves through patient looking. They arrange islands of stability in addition to providing spaces where we can negotiate with different parts of ourselves and our relationships with others.

Education

2020                         Master of Fine Arts in Painting

                                    Maryland Institute College of Art, LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting

                                    Under the Advisement of Joan Waltemath and Stephen Ellis

                                               Graduate Merit Scholar

2017                         Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting with a Minor in Art History

                                  Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Spanish

                                  Indiana University Bloomington

                                                Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honors Society

2014                        Study Abroad: Florence, Italy Indiana University Summer Program

 

Exhibitions

Juried Shows

 

2017                           Social Thoughts, Indiana University Kokomo, Kokomo, IN

2017                           Summer Series Curio Cabinet Exhibition, Indianapolis Art Center,                                        Indianapolis, IN

Group Shows

2020                        “Grad Show II (Online Due to COVID-19),”      

2020                          From Our Living Room to Yours, Maryland Hall for the                                                                                                            Creative Arts, Annapolis, MD

2020                          Pitch and Pulse, Broadmead Community Center,                                                                                                                      Cockeysville, MD

2019                           Incubate This, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

2019                           Dark Passenger, Maryland Institute College of Art GradEx, Baltimore, MD

2018                           LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting Fall Show,

                                     Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

2017                            Spring 2017 Student Films Showcase,

                                     Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2017                            HHart: A Celebration of the Arts, Hutton Honors College,

                                     Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2017                            HHart Salon, Indiana University Memorial Union Canvas Gallery,

                                     Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2016                           BFA Thesis Show, Grunwald Gallery,

                                    Indiana University Bloomington, IN

2016                           Current BFA Students Showcase, Grunwald Gallery,

                                     Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2016                           HHart: A Celebration of the Arts, Hutton Honors College

2015                           In[FORM]ation, Fuller Projects Studio,

                                    Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2015                           Window Dressings, Fuller Projects Studio,

                                    Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2015                          Current BFA Students Showcase, Grunwald Gallery,

                                    Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2014                          Overseas Study Exhibition, Grunwald Gallery,

                                    Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2013                          Mural, SonRise Disabilities Ministry Bethesda Lutheran Communities

                                    Anderson, IN

 

Residencies

2019                           Windy Mowing Residency, Halifax, VT

 

Collections

2017                           Indiana University Bloomington Permanent Art Collection

 

Awards & Honors 

2017                          Segal AmeriCorps Education Award

2017                         Office for the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Fine Arts                                                                                      Award: First Place, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2016                         Indiana University Faculty Nominee for Yale Norfolk

                                  Painting Fellowship, Bloomington, IN

2015                         Pygmalion’s Fine Art Award, Bloomington, IN

2014                        Hutton’s International Experience Program Grant, Indiana                                                                                                        University, Bloomington, IN

 

Press

2015                        Canvas Creative Arts Magazine

2015                       The Undergraduate Scholar

 

Curatorial Experience

2020                       Curator

                                 (Upcoming) Pushing Color Undergraduate Class Group Show (Exact Show Title TBD),

                                 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

2020                      Producer

                                 From Our Living Room to Yours, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis, MD

2020                       Curator

                                 Pitch and Pulse, Broadmead Community Center, Cockeysville, MD

2015-2017            Curator

                                 HHart: A Celebration of the Arts, Hutton Honors College, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2015                       Visual Arts Liaison

                                Current BFA Student Showcase, Grunwald Gallery of Art, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

 

Teaching Experience

2020-2021          High School Art 1 and Ceramic 1 Instructor

                                           Bladensburg High School

                                           Bladensburg, MD

2019                       Graduate Teaching Intern (with Sangram Majumdar)

                                           The Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

                                           Pushing Color: Theory & Practice in Contemporary Painting

2019                        Artist Apprentice

                                           Young Audiences/Arts for Learning, Summer Arts and

                                            Learning Academy, Baltimore, MD

                                            Teaching Literacy and Math with Arts Integration

2019                        Graduate Teaching Intern

                                            Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

                                            First Year Experience Drawing: Contemporary Practices

2018                       Graduate Teaching Intern

                                            Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

                                            Life Drawing

2017-2018            Preschool Assistant

                                            Gan Shalom Preschool, Bloomington, IN

                                            Early Childhood Education

2017                       Art Program Director

                                             Boys & Girls Club Camp Rock and AmeriCorps, Bloomington, IN

                                             Art Programming and Arts Integration

2014-2017           Art Program Coordinator

                                            Middle Way House (The Rise), Bloomington, IN

                                            Art Programming, Social Learning Strategies, Volunteer Recruitment

 

Design Experience

 

2019-2020        Graphic Design: Co-Designer

                                             The Maryland Institute College of Art and Broadmead Community Center, Baltimore, MD

                                               Editing of Show Brochure and Poster

2019                    Graphic Designer

                                              LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting, Baltimore, MD

                                              Designing posters promoting visiting artists and critics for the

                                              Painting MFA Department at MICA

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