Resume

PROF. RICHARD DOREAN BRINN

Education

I earned my BFA at Wayne State University, graduating in 1970 and majoring in painting and drawing with a minor in ceramics. I primarily studied with Robert Wilbert, Tom Parish and John Egner; all professors in the painting department. In addition, I also did significant work with John Hagerty, and Pat Quinlin, both drawing professors.

Two years later I returned to Wayne State University to earn my MA in painting. My painting direction at that time was primarily with the human figure and still life, although I also worked with landscape and did some non-objective work.

After teaching for several years at WCCC and Schoolcraft College, I decided to return to WSU and get my MFA in painting, at that time studying additionally with Professor Peter Williams, as well as some of the faculty mentioned above, and professors assigned to the graduate school directed study program for the MFA degree. By this time the direction of my work had changed and I was focusing on landscape as my primary area of interest. Over recent years this has evolved from using both urban and rural subject matter to solely rural and nature motifs, in addition to still life work.

Teaching Experience

My first teaching experience was teaching drawing in adult education. This gave me the experience and basis for interacting with adults and learning communication skills. I taught inner-city residents of Detroit, learning to interact with a diverse group of students requiring unique and specialized attention.

In 1973 I began my college level teaching career at Wayne County Community College. I taught several different subjects there throughout the years including: drawing, painting, design and ceramics. I also taught some adult education painting classes at Greenfield Village at this time.

One year later I joined the staff at Schoolcraft College where I was an Associate Professor of Art until 1995, at which time I moved to the west coast of Michigan. Although I briefly taught art history and design at Schoolcraft College, my primary teaching responsibilities were classes in: drawing, painting and figure painting.

The Michigan Gallery

As one of the three founding members of the Michigan Gallery (a non-profit educational and exhibition space), I participated in establishing this venue as one of the most active and successful non-commercial outlets for midwestern artists, both traditional and avant-garde. The Michigan Gallery was a Detroit based arts institution that operated out of facilities on Michigan Avenue in old Corktown; one of the oldest ethnic communities still existing near downtown Detroit. The Board of Directors consisted of Carl Kamulski, Roy Steyskal and myself.

In conjunction with the efforts of Carl and Roy, the three of us restored a circa 1860’s commercial building as our operating facility, created, organized and ran workshops, benefits, exhibitions and modeling sessions for over a 30-year period, servicing the greater Detroit art community. We also received grants from the National Endowment For The Arts, Michigan Arts Council and other grant giving entities. Eventually, we established a membership of artists and people interested in the arts numbering in the hundreds.

I was responsible for performing those tasks typical of managing a smaller community arts institution, in addition to many that were more specific, such as: grant writing, marketing, designing advertising and exhibition materials, planning and hanging exhibitions, public relations, etc. With three large building/exhibition spaces, the three of us also used a portion of the facility as our personal studios for the first few years in operation, which helped create an interactive vehicle for communication between a diverse group of artists, organizations and other parties interested in the arts.

Over the three decades that the Michigan Gallery was in operation, we offered opportunities to hundreds of local artists to exhibit their work, some for the first time, as well as giving the Michigan Gallery membership exhibition opportunities with our yearly membership show.

During the last few years of operation, Carl Kamulski directed and managed the Michigan Gallery by himself, building upon and expanding the services and opportunities, while my exhibiting and teaching responsibilities precluded serious participation. However, I continued to participate as a member, use the services and give advice when needed.

Education

M.F.A.: Painting

Wayne State University

B.F.A., M.A.: Painting/Drawing

Wayne State University

Employment

Associate Professor of Fine Arts: Schoolcraft College

Instructor: WCC College, Greenfield Village, and Detroit Adult Education

Selected Exhibitions

Artphase 1, Chicago, IL

Willis Gallery

Buchman Gallery, Flint, MI

Mole Hole Gallery

Focus Gallery

Wayne State University

University Artists and Craftsman Guild

Schoolcraft College Faculty Exhibition

Michigan Gallery

University of Michigan Exhibitions

WCCC Faculty Exhibition

The MCA Gallery Artisan Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN

DCA Gallery

Mercury Head Gallery

Juried Competitions

Scarab Club, Detroit, MI; Directors Award

Fort Wayne Museum of Art

Artlink, Ft. Wayne, IN

Ecclesiastical Exhibition at Historic Trinity; Purchase Award

Paint Creek Center for The Arts

Detroit Artists Market

Muskegon Museum of Art; Friends of Art Award 2007

Grand Valley State U. Purchase Award 2008

Kalamazoo Museum of Art

Grand Rapids Museum of Art