Libby Newman Retrospective

April 25 - June 15, 2008

Reception: April 25th, 5:00 - 7:00 pm

Guest Curator, Linda Bantel, former Curator and Director of the

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Villanova University Art Gallery

Connelly Center, 2nd Floor
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
610-519-4612
artgallery@villanova.edu


http://www.artgallery.villanova.edu/

Images from Retrospective Catalog

Love Japanese Style, 1971
Woodcut and etching on Goya paper
18" x 27"
Collection of the artist
Color variations in the collections of:
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Drs. Thelma and Edward Gosfield, Jr.


My approach to my work gives me the freedom to explore texture and color, the freedom to be inventive, the freedom for poetic expression, and the freedom of choice. - Libby Newman

















Self Portrait, 1960
Pen and ink on paper
13 1/2" x 10 1/2"
Collection of Drs. Andrea and Robert Orsher























Nude, 1960
Oil on canvas
46 1/2" x 32 1/4"
Collection of Marguerite Del Guidice and Doran J. Twer






























Chief, 1965
Acrylic on canvas
55 1/4" x 37 1/4"
Collection of
Dr. Patricia Michael

















Endless Hills, 1984
Woodcut and gold leaf on paper
21 1/2" x 30"
Collection of Drs. Andrea and Robert Orsher





















Branches and Flowers, 1995
Woodcut on Goya paper (color variation)
36" x 30"
Collections of Drs. Thelma and Edward Gosfield, Jr.,
and Dr. Xuemeng Han and Dale Sarro, esq.



Mountain Series, 1988
Torn paper and acrylic on canvas
35 1/2" x 50"
Collection of Judge and Mrs. J. Sydney Hoffman























Window Series, 1985
Silkscreen on paper (color variation)
22 1/4" x 13 1/2"
Printed at Brandywine Workshop, Philadelphia
Represented in the collections of
Tianjin Fine Arts College, Tianjin, China;
Israel Museum, Jerusalem;
University City Science Center, Philadelphia;
Don E. Newman























Primeval Thaw, 1992
Two-panel screen: acrylic, oil and gold leaf on craved mahogany
85" x 56"
Collection of the artist

Creation II, 1988-92
Four-paneled folding screen: gold leaf, acrylic and oil on canvas
72" x 64"
Collection of GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia
Color variations in the collections of Madame Justice Sandra Schultz Newman, M.D.,
and Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Feldman

Trees Without Leaves, 1996
Clay monoprint on Reemay (archival non-woven fabric)

18 3/4" x 13 1/2"
Collection of Don E. Newman



Subterranean Forces I, 1975
Woodcut on Goya paper
21" x 29"
Collection of the artist



Daedalus and Icarus, 1970

Woodcut on Goya paper
25" x 15 1/2"
An edition of 50 commissioned by the University of Pennsylvania Law School

Holocaust Series (series of six), 2003-07
Woodcut, collage and acrylic on paper
21"x 25"
Collection of the artist

Big Wave II, 2003
Chine colle and silk aquatint on paper
16" x 25"
Collection of the artist



Holocaust Series (series of six), 2003-07
Woodcut, collage and acrylic on paper
21" x 25"
Collection of the artist

Collections and Exhibits

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
United States Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Alexandrina Library, Alexandria, Egypt
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
King St. Stephen Museum, Szekesfehervar, Hungary
Paper Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi, Pakistan
Tianjin Fine Arts College, Tianjin, China
Museum of Modern Art, Buenos Aires, Argentina
National Museum of Belgrade, Serbia
National Museum of Women in the Arts, “American Album,” Washington, D.C.
Museum of the Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, PA
Bailey/Howe Library, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Philadelphia, PA
University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, PA
Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Temple University Law School, Philadelphia, PA
Temple University Health and Science Center, Philadelphia, PA
St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA
University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA
Friends Central School, Wynnewood, PA
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood, PA
St. Charles Borromeo Church, Bensalem, PA
Akiba Academy, Bala Cynwyd, PA
Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
Brandywine Workshop, Philadelphia, PA
Federal Reserve Bank, Philadelphia, PA
GlaxoSmithKline, Swedesboro, PA
Hay Group, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Nationalities Service Center, Philadelphia, PA
Kraft Foods, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Buchanan & Ingersoll Law Offices, Philadelphia, PA
Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center, Langhorne, PA

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2008 Villanova University Art Gallery, Villanova, PA, Retrospective
2006 Mangel Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, 1970-2006, eight solo and thirty-five group
exhibitions, reviews and photos: Philadelphia Inquirer-review by Art Critic, Edward J. Sozanski,
Art News- review by Victoria Donohoe, Art Matters- reviews by Dr. Burton Wasserman and Diane Cercone
1989 Tianjin Fine Arts College, Tianjin, China, accompanying essay written by Zhang Zaifan, President of Tianjin Fine Arts College, Zhang Jianru, Chairman of
Tianjin Fine Arts College, national Chinese newspaper and national television
interviews
1981 Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA, 1971 and 1981, two solo exhibitions, reviews
by V. Donohoe, The Philadelphia Inquirer
1978 University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2008 "Clouds," Borowsky Gallery, Gershman YMHA, Philadelphia, PA
2006 Bibliotheca Alexandrina 2nd International Biennale, Egypt, “Global Warming,”
artist book on exhibit
2006 4th International Artists' Book Exhibition, King St. Stephen Museum, Szekesfehervar,
Hungary, “Global Warming,” artist book on exhibit
2006 "Telling the Story: Artists’ Books,” The Noyes Museum of Art,
Oceanville, NJ, “Global Warming,” artist book on exhibit
2005 Krasdale Galleries, New York, NY, 2000, 2002 and 2005, review The New York Times
2004 Eleven Women Artists from Philadelphia,The Philadelphia Foundation.
sponsored by Philadelphia Art Alliance with guest curator Barbara Wallace
2003 Museo Antropologico, Guayaquil, Ecuador
2003 Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi, Pakistan,
2003 “Selected Senior Initiative Exhibition,” Woodmere Art Museum,
Chestnut Hill, PA
2002 Brandywine Workshop, The Philadelphia Foundation,
Selection/Visiting Artists Project: 1984. 2000 and 2002
2000 “Snapshots 2000,” Contemporary Museum, Baltimore, MD,
catalogue
2000 Mail Art Traveling Exhibition, Damascus, Syria, catalogue
1997 “One of a Kind Artist’s Books,” United States Information Agency,
1995-1997, traveling exhibition: Near East and South America,
catalogue and review by G. Brown for Philadelphia Weekly
1995 Nexus Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, 1990 and 1995
1989 Museum of Modern Art, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1988 "Nouvel Art American,” Musee de Grand Palais, Paris, France,
1987 and 1988, sponsored by the French Ministry of Culture,
catalogue and review
1988 “The New American Art,” Institute of Contemporary Art, Mall Galleries, London,
England, catalogue and review
1986 Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Changqing, China
1986 “A Celebration of Pennsylvania Artists”, Governor’s Mansion,
Harrisburg, PA
1986 Maryland College of Art and Design, Silver Springs, MD
1986 “International Bookworks,” Hand-in-Hand Gallery, New York, NY
1985 Focus International, Nairobi, Kenya
1985 Port of History Museum, Philadelphia, PA, Print award
1985 Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE
1982 “American Color Print Exhibition,” Philadelphia Art Alliance,
Philadelphia, PA, Carl Zigrosser National Memorial Award
1982 “25 Pennsylvania Women Artists,” Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Loretto, PA
1975 “Eucharist Congress Exhibition,” Museum of the Philadelphia Civic Center,
Philadelphia, PA
1975 Fountain Gallery, Portland, OR
1975 William Penn State Museum, Harrisburg, PA
1975 Moore College of Art Invitational, Philadelphia, PA, 1974 and 1975

Artist Books

GLOBAL WARMING, 2006
Artist book
Created in an edition of 10
Collections of:
United States Library Congress, Washington, D.C.
Alexandrina Library, Alexandria, Egypt
Paper Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Bailey/ Howe Library, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Annenberg Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Pennsylvania
Marciarose and Jerry Shestack
King St. Stephen Museum, Szekesfehervar, Hungary
Interfaith Youth Poetry Center, Philadelphia, PA
Exhibited at:
Bibliotheca Alexandrina 2nd International Biennale, Alexandria, Egypt
4th International Artists' Book Exhibition, King St. Stephen Museum,
Szekesfehervar, Hungary
“Telling the Story: Artists’ Books,” Noyes Museum of Art, Oceanville, NJ






















THAW, 1982
Artist book Inspired the large two-panel folding screen “Primeval Thaw”

Artist Statement

Born in the country, a scenic and isolated area along the Brandywine River, I early learned to meditate on the beauty of my surroundings and to care for the spirit in each natural element I observed. I saw into the life of spiraling, twisting branches and dancing, fluttering leaves. I felt the power of rain and lightning and the subtleties of frost and thaw. I began to understand the subterranean forces that created an atmosphere of organic form and fantasy, and, in turn, these forces came to direct my prints and abstract paintings.

Freedom to explore and freedom to invent underpin my work. Imagination is my starting point and experimentation with texture and media is my method. Making art, like observing nature, requires concentration, tranquility and love, but also fervor.

Recently, my passion has driven me to document the ecological turmoil threatening to destroy the balance in our natural world. As a result, the textures in work have become more sweeping, more dramatic. Today, along with my love of nature, my painting and printmaking also expresses my anxiety for an environment that has been my inspiration since childhood.