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Lea Bult

 

 

 

 

 

For the past few years I have been consulting with the Human

 

 

 

Trafficking Clinic at the University of Michigan and use this resource

 

 

 

to inform my work. While attention is finally being paid to victims of

 

 

 

international trafficking, their exploited American counterparts are

 

 

 

often criminalized for their victimization. Working with the clinic was

 

 

 

a galvanizing force in my life, and has emboldened me to utilize my

 

 

 

creative ability to visually depict the scenarios I encountered.

 

 

 

 

Children in the sex trade make up a substantial percentage of

 

 

 

human trafficking victims. They exist in America, just as they do in

 

 

 

other countries, and they can often be found in our own

 

 

 

communities. Even more unsettling is the fact that these children

 

 

 

are often incarcerated on charges for prostitution, and the johns

 

 

 

and pimps who exploit them encounter little consequence. I am

 

 

 

particularly frustrated by this aspect of the prison industrial

 

 

 

complex, and am motivated to make work about it.

 

 

 

 

I draw much of my inspiration from graphic novels and illustration. I

 

 

 

am interested in how these mediums are usually classified as falling

 

 

 

outside the boundary of fine art. On the contrary, I feel that there is

 

 

 

a place for such work within this establishment. By removing the

 

 

 

drawing aesthetic from its original context, and expanding it to a

 

 

 

larger scale, I invite the viewer to consider the capacity of

 

 

 

illustrative work. 

 

 

 

 

www.leabult.com

 

 

 

 

Education/CV:

 

 

EDUCATION

 

 

2012 University of Michigan School of Art and Design

 

2005 Kendall College of Art and Design

 

MFA in Painting

 

BFA in Photography

 

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

 

2015 Adjunct Faculty - Albion College; Albion, MI

 

Creative Process: 2D

 

2014 (Spring Term) Studio Mentor and Artist in Residence - Albion College; Albion, MI

 

2012 - present Adjunct Faculty – Washtenaw Community College, Ypsilanti, MI

 

Intro to Oil Painting

 

Intro to Acrylic Painting

 

2012 - 2014 Instructor -Ann Arbor Art Center; Ann Arbor, MI

 

2012 Workshop Instructor – University of Michigan Museum of Art

 

2009 - 2012 Graduate Student Instructor- University of Michigan School of Art and Design

 

Foundation Drawing

 

Intro to Figure Drawing

 

Drawing and Painting in Plein Air

 

Intro to Collage and Abstract Painting

 

Portrait Drawing

 

Drawing from the Collection

 

Art and Design Perspectives: Society

 

Art and Design Perspectives: The Creators

 

2010 - 2011 Graduate Student Instructor University of Michigan School of Art and Design

 

BFA Thesis: Integrative Process

 

2010 Workshop Instructor- The Greatmore Studios; Cape Town, South Africa

 

2005 Instructor and Counselor - Interlochen Center for the Arts; Interlochen, MI

 

 

CURATORIAL PROJECTS

 

 

2014 The Northwest Ohio Community Art Exhibition (Juror)

 

Bowling Green State University; Bowling Green, OH

 

2013 - 2015 Director of Exhibitions - Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, MI

 

2009 - 2014 Curator and Collaborator - Gallery Project ; Ann Arbor / Detroit

 

2011 Guest Curator -Work Gallery; Detroit, MI

 

Curator for the exhibit, Altered Ground, which featured 15 national artists.

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

 

2014 Out of Sight - Bobbitt Visual Arts Center, Albion College, Albion, MI

 

2012 Urban Vessels: MFAThesis Exhibition - Slusser Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI

 

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

 

 

2014 Unseen - Eastern Market; Detroit, MI

 

2013 8

 

Temp - Ypsilanti Art Incubator, Ypsilanti, MI

 

th Annual Emerging Artists Exhibition, Bridgeport Art Center; Chicago, IL

 

Drones - Cornerstone Pointe in the Eastern Market; Detroit, MI

 

2012 Clandestine - Work Gallery; Detroit, MI

 

Annual All Media Juried Exhibition - Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, MI

 

rd

 

Place Award

 

3

 

2011 Image as Metaphor Juried Exhibition - Riverside Gallery. Ypsilanti, MI

 

Best in Show Award

 

Annual Human Rights Art Exhibition - South Texas College Art Gallery; McAllen, TX

 

2010 Think Small Juried Exhibition - Lawrence Street Gallery; Detroit, MI

 

Best in Show Award

 

State of the Union - First Fridays. Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art; 

 

Chicago, IL (Interactive performance piece involving several artists)

 

Aganza, Across the Continents - Greatmore Studios; Cape Town, South Africa

 

Thupelo 2010- Interventions Greatmore Studios, Cape Town, South Africa

 

(Collaborative project with Thupelo artists and Cape Flats residents)

 

2009 Annual Student Juried Exhibition Slusser Gallery; Ann Arbor, MI

 

Richardson Award

 

Ann Arbor Artists Juried Exhibition - University of Michigan League

 

Best in Show Award

 

2008 Forth from its Hinges - 3660 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor, MI

 

2005 Wee - Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. Grand Rapids, MI

 

2003 Strength of a Community, Women Make a Difference

 

2002 Undergraduate Exhibition

 

2000 National Portfolio Day Exhibition - Kendall Gallery; Grand Rapids, MI

 

Second Place Award

 

(Fundraiser for Girl Scouts of America)

 

Kendall College of Art and Design; Grand Rapids, MI

 

People’s Choice Award

 

Michigan State University Museum of Art; East Lansing, MI

 

Foundation Recognition Award

 

Key Award – Portfolio

 

 

AWARDS / GRANTS

 

 

2014 Leon Levy Foundation Grant - New York, NY

 

Ann Arbor Awesome Grant - Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences

 

Phillip C. Curtis Fellowship - Albion College; Albion,MI

 

2011 Rackham Reseach Grant - University of Michigan

 

2010 Smucker-Wagstaff Grant - School of Art and Design, University of Michigan

 

International Research Grant - School of Art and Design, University of

 

Michigan

 

2009 Richardson Award - School of Art and Design, University of Michigan

 

 

ARTIST RESIDENCIES

 

 

2015 MacDowell Artist Colony - Peterborough, NH

 

2014 Phillip C. Curtis Residency - Albion College; Albion, MI

 

2010 Visiting Artist Residency - The Greatmore Studios; Cape Town, South Africa

 

PUBLIC LECTURES

 

2014 Out of Sight: Slavery in America Today

 

Spring Arbor University 2nd Annual Human Trafficking Conference

 

Out of Sight: Slavery in America Today

 

Bobbitt Visual Arts Center, Albion, MI

 

2011 Slavery In America Today: A Creative Interrogation

 

Stamps Auditorium, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

 

2010 Creative Interventions: Thupelo 2010 - Cape Town

 

Guest Speaker Series, Ann Arbor Civic Center

 

 

REVIEWS

 

 

 2015 Sculpture Magazine In the Shadows

 

http://blog.sculpture.org/2015/03/11/in-the-shadows/ 3 March 2015

 

2014 Sentinel Tribune BGSU Exhibit Honors Late Blooming Artist

 

2013 MLive Art Review: Ann Arbor Art Center Annual Exhibition blends 

 

www.sent-trib.com/arts_and_entertainment 1 July 2014

 

Albion Pleiad Artist in Residence Explores Human Trafficking in U.S.

 

www.albionpleiad.com 17 February 2014

 

established artists with new talent. www.mlive.com 10 November

 

2013

 

2011 Detroit News From Ruin to Beauty, Thursday, 10 February 2011

 

2010 AnnArbor.com Gallery Project Exhibit Examines What's Faux Real

 

2009 Arts Lounge Change: Art Exhibition at Gallery Project

 

www.annarbor.com 10 August 2010

 

People’s Post, Cape Town On Show, 10 July 2010

 

www3.arts.umich.edu/lounge 24 January 2009

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