Artist Statement

Cece Cole examines themes of phenomenology, nature, and ecology in her site-specific installations and sculptural drawings. Intrigued by simulated environments, and utopian and dystopian landscapes, Cole transforms economic and temporal materials into experiential works that evoke moments of wonder and contemplation.

BIo

Cece Cole earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Media Studies from the University of Louisiana, and both a Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Cole was the first recipient of the annual Fountainhead and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Painting/Printmaking Residency and Fellowship Award. She later served as Assistant Professor in the VCU Painting and Printmaking Department. Cole’s record includes both national and international exhibitions and her works have been reviewed in Sculpture Magazine, NY Arts, and D’art International.

Cole has lived in the Phoenix metro area for over five years. She is currently the curator at The Gallery at Mountain Shadows. In 2018, Cece started Cole/Lab, a platform for highlighting her curatorial and collaborative projects, and in 2020, she launched Good Company Contemporary an entrepreneurial, multidisciplinary project studio and online fine art shop.

Cole is the founder and creator of a socially engaged, community-based exhibition project titled Form. Space. Vision. She is partnering with local creatives, scholars, and civic, and cultural organizations across disciplines to present a public exhibition and community conference that examines climate solutions through the lens of the artist.

SELECTED EXHIBITION RECORD:

University of Iowa Art Museum, Midwest Exhibitions in Chicago, IL, and Reynolds Gallery and Solvent Space Gallery in Richmond, VA. Cole was awarded a solo exhibition and award at Wave Hill Cultural Center, Bronx, NY and as a former member of the collective Paintallica, she has participated in collaborative events at the Time-Based Art Fair in Portland, OR, and at Country Club Gallery in Los Angeles, CA. Cole’s work has been exhibited internationally in Berlin, Germany, and with a group exhibition that originated in Brooklyn, NY, and traveled to Japan, Slovakia, Hungary, and Mexico.  Her work has been reviewed in Sculpture Magazine, NY Arts, and D’art International. Selected artwork is represented by Ada Gallery in Richmond, VA. In 2018-2019 where her installation “Projection Studies” was featured in a two-person exhibition in 2018. Her work is included in the July 2022 group titled Other Ingredients. Cole’s works on paper were included in a three-person exhibition at Mary S. Byrd Gallery, Augusta University, GA, and in a group show at Bentley Gallery in Phoenix, AZ.