introduction

2011 I am comfortable in my skin and I believe that my life experience strengthens my art. New York-based, I am fortunate to have had extensive exposure to diverse cultures through my pre-art professional work, travel, and studies. This broad perspective is manifest in my work. My recent work brings perspectives of the Baby Boomer Generation to contemporary iconography.

art education

2006 MFA Brooklyn College, City University of New York (CUNY). Sculpture.
2003 BFA Hunter College, CUNY. B.F.A. Sculpture, Highest Honors.
2003/04 The Skirball Institute, NYC. Artists’ Study Group with Tobi Kahn.
2002 The Art Students League, NYC. Stone Carving with Gary L. Sussman.

awards & honors

2013 Frankel Fellowship, Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Michigan. Fall 2013. Project Title: Words Heard in a Black Maria [conceptual art based on the life and work of Activist & Journalist Martha Gruening (1889-1937)].
2012 Manhattan Community Arts Fund (MCAF) Grant, supported by the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), NYC.
2010 Artist's Grant. Puffin Foundation Ltd. (NJ)
  Lighton International Artists Exchange Program Grant, Kansas City Artists Coalition (K.C., MO)
2009 Manhattan Community Arts Fund (MCAF) Grant, supported by the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), NYC.
2008 Emergency Grant. Foundation for Contemporary Arts. New York, NY.
2007 HEART AS ARENA includes Dessel on TOP 10 ART THINGS 2006 http://heartasarena.blogspot.com/2007/01/top-10-art-things-2006.html
2006 Dessel heads Hoggard’s 2006 HIGHLIGHT’s list http://www.mtaa.net/mtaaRR/news/mriver/more_06_cya.html
  Research Award (GIP). Brooklyn College, CUNY. Brooklyn, NY.
  Cerf Award for Excellence in Art. Brooklyn College, CUNY. Brooklyn, NY.
2005 Cerf Award for Excellence in Art. Brooklyn College, CUNY. Brooklyn, NY.
2004/2005 Graduate Merit Award. Brooklyn College CUNY. Brooklyn, NY.

Residencies

2011 Visiting Artist, Umm el-Fahem Palestinian-Israeli Art Gallery. Umm el-Fahem, Israel. (October 2011)
2010 A.I.R. ACSL (Art & Cultural Studies Laboratory) Yerevan, Armenia.
2008 Artist-in-Residence Tondach Brick Factory. Prague, Czech Republic.

solo exhibits

2013 "american samplers, series 3 (the chicken chronicles, nos. 1-14)". Gallery G, The Gomez Mill House (Marlboro, NY). May 5 - August 18th.
  "WHAT A NEIGHBORHOOD!" Entranceway Gallery, Bloomingdale Branch NY Public Library (W.100th St., between Amsterdam & Columbus Avenues NYC) June 1-29th.
2012 "crystal clear", an installation. Park Avenue Synagogue Gallery (NYC). This solo exhibit was made possible in part through a 2012 Manhattan Community Arts Fund Grant, supported by the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
2010 "optimists" chashama gallery 266 (NYC), supported in part by a grant from the Puffin Foundation.
  "nothers" Naregatsi Art Institute Gallery. Yerevan, Armenia. This exhibit was the culmination of an ACSL Residency in Armenia funded by the Lighton International Artists Exchange Program, A Project of the Kansas City Artists Coalition.
2009 "still lives". This solo exhibit was made possible in part through a 2009 Manhattan Community Arts Fund Grant, supported by the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Culpeper Gallery Abrons Arts Center at Henry Street Settlement (NYC).
  wishbone series, nos.3-5. Jeffrey's Gallery. Essex St. Market, NYC.
2006 OUR BACKYARD: A Cautionary Tale. Curated by James Wagner & Barry Hoggard. Dam Stuhltrager Gallery Sculpture Garden, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (NYC).

judged competitions

2012 Sacred Time – Sacred Space Still Point Art Gallery (on-line exhibit)
  International Jewish Artist of the Year Award (IJAYA) Certificate of Commendation. BEN URI GALLERY The London Jewish Museum of Art. (England)
2011 End of an Empire. Grass Gallery. Juror: Richard Rand, Senior Curator, Clark Art Institute. No. Adams, MA.
  A.I.R. GALLERY 9th BIENNIAL. Juror: Alexandra Schwartz, MoMA; Montclair Art Museum. DUMBO, Brooklyn, NYC.
2008 "Discover Emerging Artists". Nurture Art Benefit (Oct. 27th) at James Cohan Gallery, NY, NY. Jurors: Koan-Jeff Baysa, Lowell Pettit, Amy Rosenblum Martin, & Lilly Wei.
2007 "Politics of Power". Brooklyn Artists' Gym (BAG), Brooklyn NY.
  "In Praise of Physical Labor". Woman Made Gallery , Chicago, Il. Juror: Ursula Kammer-Fox, Artist.
2006 10th Anniversary Tokyo-New York Friendship Ceramic Competition (Sculpture). Nippon Gallery, NYC. Jurors: David McFadden, Chief Curator, Museum of Arts & Design, Shinichi Doi, Conservator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cora Rosevear, Asso. Curator, MoMA, Yoshiko Ebihara, Gallery 91, Arthur Pogran, Ceramist.
2005 VISIONS IX International Juried Art Exhibit. The Cathedral Foundation, Covington, KY. (Catalogue). Recipient, JURORS’ Award. Jurors: Matthew Distel, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. Susan B. Halpern, Film Council of Greater Columbus, Ohio. Trevor Martin, Betty Rymer Gallery & School of the Art Institute of CHICAGO, IL.
2004 International Jewish Artist of the Year Award 2004. Finalist(Sculpture). London Jewish Museum of Art & The Ben Uri Gallery. Tram Studios Exhibition. London. (Catalogue) Jurors: Dr. Andrew Renton, Dir. Curatorial Programs-Goldsmiths College, Univ. London & Columnist Evening Standard. Dr. James Hyman, Art Dealer & Writer. Artists David Breuer-Weil, Carole Berman Sujo & Naomi Alexander. Rachel Dickson, Curator. Marion Naggar, Collector & Patron.
2002, 2001 Tokyo-New York Friendship Ceramic Competition (Non-Functional). Nippon Gallery, NYC.
2000 Faculty Committee, Hunter College Art. Dept. Gallery. NYC.

selected group exhibits

2013 Momenta Art Spring Benefit (Brooklyn, NY). May 26th.
  CITYarts Benefit Art Auction (NYC) May 21st
  What A Neighborhood! Bloomingdale School of Music. (NYC).
2012 Small Works Summer Show, II. Sterling National Bank (L.I.C., NYC)
  Theme: "Along The Line". The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour. For Digitized version of Dessel's drawings See LINKS page(Sketchbook Project).
2011 Wish You Were Here 10. A.I.R. Gallery. DUMBO Brooklyn (NYC)
  CITYarts Benefit Auction. On-line and TIME WARNER Center (NYC)
  DISTANT COUSINS. Curator, Haifa Bint-Kadi. Phillipse Manor and Manhattanville College (Dates TBD). Westchester, NY.
  LIC ARTS OPEN. Artists Open Studios. LIC Art Center (NYC).
2010 ArmoryFest 2010. Clocktower Building Gallery. Long Island City, NY.
  Countdown To Peace, Missing Peace Art Museum On-Line (go to Dessel's LINKS to access).
  The 12th Annual POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE, A Benefit for Visual AIDS (January). Hosted by ZieherSmith Gallery, NYC.
2009 "Countdown to Peace". St. Augustine’s College (Oct.9-Dec.4), Raleigh, North Carolina.
  LIC Art Center & LIC ARTISTS, Inc. OPEN STUDIOS. LIC, NY.
  LIC Artists INC Exhibit in Armory Week - A DAY IN QUEENS. Paintcan Studios. LIC, NY.
2008 TheArtConspiracy (December). Gallery Korea, NYC.
  Jircany 2008 (September). Galerie EcceTerra, Prague, Czech Republic.
  Guest Artist, Long Beach Island Foundation 2007-2008 Artist Residency and Retreat Exhibition (May). L.B.I. Fdn. of the Arts & Sciences, Loveladies, NJ.
  COUNTDOWN TO PEACE. East Carolina University (Greenville, No. Carolina). Installation conceived and curated by ECU art faculty members Catherine Billingsly and Jodi Hollnagel-Jubran.
2007 "Small Rays of Hope and Fragments of a Larger Idea" (December). Curated by Rhonda Schaller and Dave Jaquish. Rhonda Schaller Studio (Chelsea)New York City. Dessel one of five artists chosen from the group to also create and exhibit a larger work. (Art calendar Small Rays of Hope 2008)
  ACCESS: A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE. Curated by Rhonda Schaller and Dave Jaquish. Rhonda Schaller Studio (Chelsea) NY (Catalogue)
2006 Dangling Between The Real Thing And The Sign In The Window. Curated by James Wagner and Barry Hoggard. Dam Stuhltrager Gallery (Williamsburg, Brooklyn).
  Plan B Prevails - MFA Thesis Exhibition. DUMBO (Brooklyn), NY. (May 24-June 16)
  Plan B MFA Thesis Exhibition. Brooklyn College Art Gallery. Catalogue Essayist Dena Schottenkirk. (May 3-4)
2004 VISIONS & DREAMS Curated by Tobi Kahn. A.I. Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY
2003 SEPTAGON Curated by Nari Ward. Hunter College BFA Degree Show. Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Art Gallery. NYC, NY.
2001-2002 Public Art. 105th Street DOG RUN. Riverside Park, NYC, NY.

professional affiliations/experience

2012 Member, New York Artists Circle (NYAC)
2010 to present Member, Kansas City Artists Coalition. K.C., MO.
2009 to Present Member, Jewish Art Salon
2007 to present Member, Long Island City Artists Inc.
2004 to 2010 Panelist. ARTS in the SCHOOLS GRANTS Panel - Queens Council on the Arts.
2005 to present Member, Women’s Caucus for Art
2004/2005 Assisted Professor Karin Giusti (3D Sculpture). Brooklyn College, CUNY. Brooklyn, NY.
2001 Assisted Ruth Borgenicht, Mold Maker/Ceramic Artist. Hunter College, CUNY. NYC,NY.
2000 Assisted Artist Juan Sanchez with “Cries and Pain”, co-published by LESP & Dieu Donne Papermill. Lower East Side Print Shop,Inc. NYC, NY.
WEB SITE <http://desselstudio.net>

Reviews, ...

2010 For reviews of Desel's 2010 "nothers" exhbit in Yerevan, Armenia, please go to PRESS PAGE.
2009 "Up Close With Susan Dessel's 'Still Lives'". The Lo-Down: News From the Lower East Side. November 06, 2009.http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2009/11/up-close-with-susan-dessels-still-lives.html
  Leah, “‘still lives’ and the Women of the 23 Souls” September 4, 2009. http://jwablog.jwa.org/23souls
  Amy Stone, “FEMINIST FUNERALS Art Opens the Conversation” Lilith Magazine Summer 2009 V. 32 No.2, p.31
2008 ARTIST CLAIMS ACTION IS CENSORSHIP May 14, 2008. The Sandpaper <http://www.desselstudio.net/static/dyn-files/1/1860.jpeg>
  ARTIST CLAIMS ACTION IS CENSORSHIP, continuation. The SandPaper, May 14, 2008. <http://www.desselstudio.net/static/dyn-files/1/1861.jpeg>
  I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (or An Exhibition Space's Responsibilities with Regards to Potentially Offensive Materials). Ed Winkleman, May 12, 2008. <http://edwardwinkleman.blogspot.com/2008/05/i-must-not-think-bad-thoughts-or.html>
  NOT MY VOICE. James Wagner, May 12, 2008. <http://jameswagner.com/mt_archives/007069.html>
  Susan Dessel's "OUR BACKYARD' Censored by Gallery. James Wagner, May 11, 2008. <http://jameswagner.com/mt_archives/007057.html>
  Hiding the Bodies in Our Backyard, May 12, 2008. Brent Burket <http://heartasarena.blogspot.com/2008/05/hiding-bodies-in-our-backyard.html>
2006 2006 HEART AS ARENA Brent Burket “Body Count.” November 6, 2006. <http://heartasarena.blogspot.com/2006/11/body-count.html>
  tom moody “Dangling Between the Real Thing and the Sign in the Window”. November 4, 2006. <http://www.digitalmediatree.com/tommoody/?38269/>
  tinsquo “Dangling” at Dam, Stuhltrager . November 1, 2006. <http://www.tinsquo.com/archives/000376.html>
  ARTINFO “Poli See” NYC. September 7, 2006. <http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/21090/chelseas-opening-night/?page=2>
  James Wagner "Brooklyn College MFA works resurrected, with scars", June 6, 2006. <http://jameswagner.com/mt_archives/005639.html>

Publications & Presentations

2012 2012 “An Introduction to the Visual & Material Culture of NYC Jews, 1654-1865” Linden, Diana L.,Visual Ed. CITY of PROMISES, Dash Moore, Deborah, Ed., Rock, H.B. NYU Press 2012. pp. 276-7.
  Kansas City Artists Coalition, Lighton International Artists Exchange Program (LIAEP)Panel(K.C., MO.). Lighton Grant Recipients Susan C. Dessel, Ehren Tool, & Jessica Segall.
2011 "Art in the Arab Sector". PEACE X PEACE Raise Women's Voices Build Cultures of Peace. Nov. 22, 2011(http://www.peacexpeace.org/2011/11/art-in-the-arab-sector/). Dessel recounts her experience as Artist-in-Residence, Umm el-Fahem Gallery, Umm el-Fahem, Israel)
2010 Mid Manhattan Main Branch NY Public Library. "The Women Buried in Manhattan’s Jewish Cemeteries: First Shearith Israel Graveyards," with conceptual artist, Susan C. Dessel.
2009 Gotham History BLOTTER. Gotham Center for NYC History, CUNY Graduate Center. A CONCEPTUAL ARTIST LOOKS AT JEWISH CEMETERIES. November 6, 2009. http://gothamcenter.org/blotter/?p=303
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