Sisavanh Phouthavong
My source material is autobiographical and stems directly from my personal experiences of being a mother, wife, teacher, citizen, and observer of an incredibly complex network of the everyday culture. My work is a hybrid of drawings, collages, paintings, photos, film, and sound based installations that can exist in the digital space, public space, and or the network of person-to-person exchange.
Currently, my artistic intent has been to create works in various sizes and mediums that speak about the psychology and taboo of the subject matter "Money" in U.S. society. Corporate scandals, bankruptcy, interest rates are some of the current events in the public sphere that affects and infects our daily lives. With brightly colored targets, I hope to lure the audience and to expose the ugliness of our current situation. I indirectly use such insects or animals like bees, mosquitoes, and hummingbirds to represent big corporations such as Enron and Merrill Lynch that stings, swarms, and sucks at the bright target "You and Your Money". My interest as an artist is not only to create, but also to inform and educate the public and to question the viewers' ambivalence to the situation at hand.
Biography:
Sisavanh Phouthavong-Houghton is currently an Associate Professor of Art at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro where she teaches advanced level painting courses. She was born in Vientiane Laos in 1976. At the age of four, her family emigrated from Thailand to Winfield, Kansas. She attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting in 1999. Sisavanh continued her education at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale where 2003 she received her Master of Fine Arts Degree in Painting and Drawing. She has exhibited her work in solo, juried, and invitational exhibitions throughout United States, Canada, and New Zealand. Sisavanh resides in Woodbury, TN with her sculptor husband Jarrod Houghton, their two daughters Zoe and Ava, and two cats Mr. Peacock and Gwen.
EDUCATION
2000-2003 MFA Painting, Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
1995-1999 BFA Painting, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
2008 Winter Workshop with Sherrie McGraw, LAAFA Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, CA
2008 Summer Workshop with Ephraim Rubenstein, The Art Student League of New York, NY
2007 Summer Workshop with David Leffel, The Art Student League of New York, NY
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Fall 2003-Recent Associate Professor of Studio Arts in Painting, Middle Tennessee State
University of Liberal Arts College, Murfreesboro, TN
EXHIBITIONS
Solo Exhibitions
2007 Things That Suck, Joan Derryberry Art Gallery, Tennessee Technological University,
Cookeville, TN
2004 Displacement, Union Groove Gallery, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL
2003 The Working Body, MFA Thesis Show, Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
2002 Smell of Art Through Culture, Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Dri-Bottoms, Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Selected Exhibitions
2009 Southern Identity, Two Person Exhibition, New Orleans University Gallery, University of
New Orleans, LA
Texas National 2009, Juror: Mel Chin, The Cole Art Center, Nacogdoches, TX
Reflective Ambivalence , Two Person Exhibition, Salon Gallery, Tinney Contemporary,
Nashville, TN
2008 Observation / Interaction, Two Person Exhibition, Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery,
Nashville, TN
2007 Ideal, Two Person Exhibition, Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery, Nashville, TN
Rat Race, , Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
Four Person Exhibition, Ruby Green Contemporary Art Center, Nashville, TN
E-Volution 2, Group Exhibition, Dangenart Gallery, Nashville, TN
Undercurrent, Vanderbilt University Law School, Curator: Lain York, Nashville, TN
Group 62901, Group Exhibition, Well Street Art Company, Fairbanks, Alaska
2006 Evolution, Group Exhibition, Dangenart Gallery, Nashville TN
MTSU Faculty, Group Exhibition, Chumley/Orr Gallery Contemporary American Art, Cleveland, TN
8th International Collage Exhibition & Exchange, Juror: Dale Copeland, Traveling Exhibition:
Hill Country Arts Foundation in Ingram, TX, Turchin Center at Appalachian State University
in Boone, NC, Real Tart Gallery at New Plymouth, New Zealand
20"x20"x20", Juried Group Exhibition, LSU Union Art Gallery, Louisiana State University,
Baton Rouge, LA
2005 Night of 1000 Drawings, Group Exhibition, Artists Space Gallery, NewYork, NY
Works on Paper, Group Exhibition, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Fort Worth, TX
Eponymous, Group Show, Zeitgeist Gallery, Nashville, TN
The 7th Bakers Dozen International Collage Exchange, Juror: Dale Copeland,
Traveling Exhibition: Durango, Colorado; Museo de Collage, Mexico; New Plymouth Gallery,
New Zealand
Soft Boundaries, Biggin Gallery, Juror: Liz Martin, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Diversity, Juried Group Exhibition, Giles Gallery, Juror: Deborah Borrowdale-Cox,
Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY
2004 Go, Group Invitational Exhibition, Gatov East Gallery, California State University of
Long Beach, Los Angeles, CA
7th Visual AIDS Postcards from the Edge, Benefit Show, Brent Sikkema Gallery, New York, NY
2004 Local-Motive, Group Invitational Exhibition, The Barn Gallery, Murfreesboro, TN
7th International Open Exhibition, Juried Group Exhibition, Woman Made Gallery, Juror:
Claudia DeMonte, Chicago, IL
2003 6th Visual AIDS Postcards from the Edge, Benefit Show, Galerie Lelong, New York, N
Mini-Print 8, Group Exhibition, Graduate Association of Painters and Printmakers
Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
From the Margin, Group Exhibition, Des Lee Gallery, St. Louis, MO
The "I" Show, Group Exhibition, Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
MFA Senior Graduate Show, Group Exhibition, University Museum, SIUC,
Carbondale, IL
2002 Works 2, Group Exhibition, Curator: Joel Feldman, head of Printmaking and 2D,
Rick Smith, head of Metals, Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Philadelphia Exchange, Group Exhibition, University Museum, SIUC, Carbondale, IL
Works 1, Group Exhibition, Curator: Joel Feldman, head of Printmaking and 2D,
Rick Smith, head of Metals, Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Pulp, Group Exhibition, Muse Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, Coordinator: Eileen Macdonald
Pulp II, Group Exhibition, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, Coordinator:
Dawn Gavin, Assistant Professor of University College Park, MD
2001 Mini-Print 7, Group Exhibition, Graduate Association of Painters and Printmakers
Art Speak Gallery, Coordinator: Barb Bondy, Windsor, ON
Graduate Painting Show, Group Exhibition, Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Inked, Advanced Printmakers Group Exhibition, Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
2000 222.7 Miles, Group Exchange Exhibition, University of Memphis Gallery, Memphis, TN
Mini-Print 6, Group Exhibition, Graduate Association of Painters and Printmakers
Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Pet Show, Group Exhibition, Coordinator: Mike Geno, Vergette Gallery, Carbondale, IL
1999 Love at the Glove, Group Exhibition, Surplus Gallery, Carbondale, IL
Senior Show, Group Exhibition, University of Kansas Gallery, Lawrence, KS
1998 Scholarship Show, Group Exhibition, University of Kansas Gallery, Lawrence, KS
Juried Undergraduate Exhibition, Kansas City Arts Coalition, Charno Galleries,
Kansas City, MO
COLLECTION
2008 Tennessee State Museum, Nashville, TN
PUBLISHED ITEMS (TV, Radio, Print, On-line)
2008 Studio Visit Magazine, Volume One, The Open Studios Press, April 2008, juried by
Michael Lash, former director of Public Arts for the Cityof Chicago, A Juried Selection
of International
Visual Artists
2007 David Maddox, Nashville Scene, "Culture Clash", Art Review, May 17th
2005 New Zealand National Radio on the Wayne Mouat Current Affairs Program, International,
The 7th Bakers Dozen International Collage Exchange, Traveling Exhibition
New Zealand "Front Seat" TVNZ Station and on "Living Room" Arts Television Program Show
TV3 Station, International, The 7th Bakers Dozen International Collage Exchange,
Traveling Exhibition
2004 Local Motive, Review, Published in Bell Buckle Echo Newspaper, Bell Buckle Publication,
Vol. 13/Issue 9
Chicago Public Radio's "Eight Forty-Eight", 7th International Open Exhibition
2003 Jerry Bradley, The Southern Illinoisan Flipside, "Two Artists, One Show", June 12th ,
News Feature
Gary Gangi, Daily Egyptian, Pulse, "Masters Duo", June 12th, News Feature
ACADEMIC AWARDS/ GRANTS
December 2008 Professional Development Support Grant, Tennessee Arts Commission, Nashville, TN
December 2008 Faculty Development Grant, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
May 2008 Instructional Development Grant, Middle State University, Murfreesboro, TN
July 2007 Professional Development Support Grant, Tennessee Arts Commission, Nashville, TN
May 2007 Faculty Development Grant, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
May 2006 Faculty Curriculum Development Grant, Middle Tennessee State
University, Murfreesboro, TN
June 2004 Faculty Research and Creative Activity Grant, Middle Tennessee State University,
Murfreesboro, TN
Fall 2000-Spring 2003 Full Tuition Waiver, Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, IL
Fall 1998-Spring 1999 Beatrice L. Bonine Scholarship,University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Fall 1998-Spring 1999 Hollander Family Foundation, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Fall 1997-Spring 1998 University of Kansas Art Dept. Scholarship, Lawrence, KS
LECTURES & PROFESSIONAL VISIT
2009 Visiting Artist / Lecturer, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
2007 Visiting Artist/ Lecturer, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN
2007 Visiting Artist / Lecturer, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
2007 Visiting Artist, Juror, Lecturer, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
2004 Visiting Artist / Lecturer , The University of Alabama, Huntsville, AL