About Harlow

Harlow Blum

 

1511 East Broadway
Monmouth, Illinois 61462
(309) 734-7553
blum@maplecity.com


Harlow Blum is a Professor of Art Emeritus from Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois where he taught art for 40 years.  Since his retirement, he has constructed a new art studio/gallery at his home in Monmouth and devotes his time pursuing his creative interests.  His work has been accepted in numerous art competitions and he has held solo exhibitions of his work in Tokyo, Kyoto, New York City, St. Louis, Chicago and in the local Monmouth area where he has mounted over 20 shows.

 

Professional Experience

1999 - Present         Professor of Art Emeritus, Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois

1959 – 1999            Professor of Art, Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois
                                Department Chair, 1959–1979, 1993-1998

Education

1966                         Master of Fine Arts, Printmaking, Syracuse University

1959                         Master of Arts, Painting, Michigan State University

1956                         Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting, University of Illinois

 

Group Shows

2017                         Golden Scots Art Exhibition, Everett Art Gallery, Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL

2016-17                    Faculty and Student Exhibition, Wallace Hall, Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL

2016                         “Politics on Paper:  Art with an Agenda from the SUArt Collection,”
                                 Syracuse University Art Galleries, Syracuse, NY

2016                         Two person show, Harlow Blum and Ken Daley, West Central IL Art Center,
                                  Macomb, IL

2015                        “Revive,” Bucktown Center for the Arts, Davenport, IA

2015                        “Nature vs. Man,” with Fisher Stolz, Galesburg Civic Art Center

2012                          Golden 60s Art Exhibition, Monmouth College with John Vellenga ’61 and
                                  Deeks Carroll ‘61

 

Solo Exhibitions

2014                         “Recent Works in the Rust Series,” Fusion Theatre Gallery, 230 South Main    St.,
                                  Monmouth, IL

2009                         Retrospective exhibition, “40+10,” Everett Art Gallery, Monmouth College,
                                 Monmouth, IL 

2007                        “Coastal /Canyon Works,” American Soil and Stone Showroom, Richmond, CA                                    

                                “Coastal;/Canyon Works,” Parkside Restaurant & Gallery, Stinson Beach, CA                                    

2006                          Q’s Café, Galesburg, Illinois

2000                         “Asia- Sensory Experience and Response” exhibition,
                                  Western Illinois University Art Gallery, Macomb, Illinois                                    

1999                         “Cedar, Tin, and Paper,” Recent Collage Paintings,
                                   Monmouth College Everett Art Gallery, Monmouth, Illinois

                                  (A total of 12 exhibitions at Monmouth College, 1960–1999)

1994                          Buchanan Center for the Arts, Monmouth, Illinois

1986                          Burlington Arts for Living Center, Burlington, Iowa, also in 1969

1984                          Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois, also in 1966 and 1961

1983                          Departure Gallery, New York City, New York

1979                          Solo exhibitions at:  Mitchell Art Museum, Mt. Vernon, Illinois

                                  Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, Nebraska

                                  Aiko’s Gallery, Chicago, Illinois

1975                          Tokyo American Club Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1972                          Augustana College, Rock Island, IL

1969                          Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galesburg, IL   Also in 1961

1968                          Gallerie #16, Kyoto, Japan

 

Selected Juried Competitions and Prizes

2017                           Juror’s Choice Award, Members and Friends Show, Galesburg Civic
                                   Art Center, Galesburg, IL

2016                           GALEX National Juried Competition, (held annually) Galesburg Civic Art Center,
                                   Galesburg, IL.  Also in 2007, 2006, 1969, 1967                   

2011                           Painting award and Linda Lytle Memorial Award, Members and Friends Show,
                                   Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galesburg, IL 

2011                           64 Arts, National Juried Exhibition, Buchanan Center for the Arts, Monmouth, IL

2009                           Mixed Media Award, 64 Arts, National Juried Exhibition,
                                   Buchanan 
Center for the Arts, Monmouth, IL   

2006                           Rock Island Fine Arts Exhibition (held annually) at Augustana College,
                                   Rock Island, Illinois.  Also 2003, 1987, 1979, 1978, 1977 
                                  (Painting awards in ’77, ’78, ’79)                                                                                                                       

2003                           Juror’s Choice Award, Galesburg Civic Art Center Members Show

2001                           First Place Award for Works on Paper, Galesburg Civic Art Center Members Show

1980                           Painting Award, Survey of Regional Painting and Drawing,
                                   Lakeview Art Museum, Peoria, IL,

1979                          1st Small Painting Exhibition, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL

1974                          Judge’s Special Mention Award, Container Corporation of America,
                                  Fine Arts Exhibition, Rock Island, IL; also accepted in ’71, ’69, ’68, ’65, ‘63                             

1973                          Alcoa Award, 11th Mid-Mississippi Annual, Davenport, IA

1971                          New Horizons in Painting, North Shore Art League Competition, Chicago, IL                                    

 

Fellowships & Grants

1998                         Monmouth Faculty Development Grant for study in Korea to develop course 
                                 materials on Korean art and culture                                                                         

1989                         Sears Roebuck Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence and Campus
                                 Leadership at Monmouth College                                                                         

1987                         National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar for College Teachers
                                 Fellowship, “The Japanese Cultural Tradition,” at Harvard University                                                                                    

1985                         Associated Colleges of the Midwest/Great Lakes College Association Faculty Travel
                                 Grant for study in Japan, (fall ’85 semester);

                                 Monmouth College Faculty Development Grant (summer ’85) for study in
                                 Southeast Asia to develop course materials on Asian art and culture

1981                         National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Seminar for
                                College Teachers Workshop, “The Nature of Abstraction in Early Medieval Art,”
                                 at State University of New York at Stony Brook

1967-68                  Sabbatical leave study in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan under the auspices of an
                               Associated Colleges of the Midwest/Ford Foundation Non-Western Studies
                               Fellowship

 

Commissions

2007                      Collage painting, “Blue Bamboo,” (80”x36”) for private residence in Monmouth, Illinois

1979                      Japanese-style dry rock garden, 28’ triangle, designed and constructed for
                              W. Stewart Riley residence, Kaneohe, Hawaii.
                              Materials:  180 moss rock boulders, sand, and cement   

1972                      Original etching, “Ryoanji Garden,” designed for members of the
                              Monmouth Society, Friends of Monmouth College,  Monmouth, IL    

                                      

Travel and Study

2014                     Travel to Big Island, Hawaii, exploration of volcanic formations

 

1998                     Travel to Korea to develop course materials on Korean art and culture           

1994                     Travel to India with Monmouth College Faculty Group
                             Photographs of temples, cave sites, mausoleums taken for use in Asian art courses

1990                     Summer residency in Jakarta, Indonesia with travel to Yogyakarta.
                             Study of Indonesian art and culture with emphasis on batik techniques

1985                     Summer travel to Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia,
                             and Japan

1974-75               Resident Director, Associated Colleges of the Midwest East Asian Studies Program
                             in Japan, Waseda University, Tokyo   

1967-68               Sabbatical leave residency in Japan, study of Japanese printmaking techniques,
                            screenmaking, and gardens, in Tokyo and Kyoto

 

 

 

05/2018