Bio
about
Randy Buvala
The artworks that I create come to me in waves. I tend to work in a series of projects as opposed to a specific style. I enjoy creating in a variety of media, often working on more than one piece at a time. Many of the pieces have been created recently have been done with charcoal on paper. I need to push the medium into the fibers of the paper with my hands, cloth and various other materials to achieve the effect I am looking for. I like the tactile quality the piece holds when I am able to really push the charcoal around creating a variety of appearances and textures within each work.
The same holds true for the works in color. The touches of color created with dry pastels allow for the textures of the paper to show through or lend themselves nicely to the combinations of pastel, charcoal and acrylic paint. Some of my more recent, larger color images have been created with acrylics and oil sticks. The oil sticks allow me to make spontaneous, free marks very quickly. I enjoy being able to get thoughts and emotions down in a fast yet provocative manner. The immediacy of this medium also allows a tactile approach to the work.
The tactile element is very important to me, as I hold close emotional ties to each work. Creating art is way for me to wrap my head around the emotional issues, positive and negative, that each of us must face throughout our lives. While the audience may not understand exactly what I am feeling as the work is created, my hope is that the art contains enough aesthetic quality to capture their attention and hold it. Once the attention is captured, the goal is also to create an open forum of questions within each piece so that each viewer can make the work their own
I currently work as an art instructor and a coach at Palos South Middle School. I have three children; Hannah, Sammi and Kyle. I Reside in Munster Indiana with my wife Wendy and our boxer, Harley.
"The purpose of the artist is to provide what life does not."
Tom Robbins
EDUCATION
MFA (Educational Administration) Governors State University, University Park,
Illinois 2002
Illinois Teaching Certification (Visual Arts Instructor) Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois 1992
BFA (Medical Illustration/Painting) University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
1986
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
Color Blind: Explorations In Charcoal, Napleton Gallery, Merrillville, In
(curated by Lori Saulters)
Eleven New Questions, Napleton Gallery, Merrillville, In (curated by Lori Saulters)
2018
13 Pieces, Seven Projects, Napleton Gallery, Merrillville, In (curated by Lori Saulters)
2017
700 Days of Art, Pieces of Projects, Promise You Art House, Highland , In
(Curated by David Lubarski and Eric Rolden)
Connections, McCord House Gallery, Palos Park, Il, (curated by Giovanna O'Mally)
2015
Seeking the Sublime, Paul’s Henry’s Art Gallery, Hammond, IN, (curated by David
Mueller)
1998
A Series of Thoughts, Gallery Park West, Chicago. IL, (curated by David Norinsky)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020
Symmetry, Tall Grass Gallery, Park Forest, Il
Interwoven Stories, Paul Henry's Art Gallery, Hammond, In
Studio Jackie Pop Up, 198 Allen Street, New York, New York, (curated by Jackie Fuks)
SLAC 10 Year Retrospective, Paul Henry's Art Gallery, Hammond, In
Space, Time, Energy, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith, In, !st Place
2019
Things That Go Bump In The Night, Center for Visual and Performing Arts,
Munster, In
Holiday Show, Promise You Art House, Highland , In
(Curated by David Lubarski and Eric Rolden)
Cracked, SIP Coffee House and Artisan Gallery, Highland, In
Word, Sip coffee house and artisan gallery, Crown Point, In
76th Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Center for Visual and Performing Arts,
Munster, In
Fearless, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith, In
Texture, Sip Coffee House and Artisan Gallery, Crown PI
Porttrait, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith, In
Concepts and Compositions, Cornerstone Art Gallery, Whiting, In.
Best of Drawing Award
Bridgeport Art Center 7th Annual Art Competition, Chicago, Ill
Indifference/Ecstasy, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith, In
Fearless, SIP Coffee House and Artisan Gallery, Highland, In
Pentimento, Tall Grass Gallery, Park Forest, Il
Curators' Show, Tzatziki Restaurant, Hammond, In
2018
42nd Annual Beverly Arts Center Competition and Exhibition, Chicago, Illinois
75th Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Center for Visual and Performing Arts,
Munster, In
Synesthesia, Sip Coffee and Artisan Gallery, Crown Point, In
Tragedy, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith , In
Small, Medium, & Large, Promise You Art House, Sip Cafe and Artisan Gallery, Wildrose
Brewery
Concepts and Compositions, Cornerstone Art Gallery, Whiting, In.
Best of Mixed Media, Best of Show
LOUD, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith , In
Recycled Art, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith , In
Best of DAVe, Gallery 659, Whiting , In
Collaboration, SIP Coffee Houses and Artisan Galleries, Highland and Griffith, In
2017
Orange, SIP Coffee Houses and Artisan Gallery, Crown Point, In
Beginning, Middle, End, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith In; SIP Coffee House and Artisan
Gallery, Highland, In and Paul Henry's Art Gallery, Hammond, In
74th Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Center for Visual and Performing Arts,
Munster, In Anne E. & Stephen L. Brtko Award
Mark of the Hand, Tall Grass Gallery, Park Forest, Il
Fishing Season, Paul Henry's Art Gallery, Hammond, In
Dual/Duel, SIP Coffee AND Artisan Gallery, Highland, In
Outside the Box, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith, In
Self/Us, Paul Henry's Art Gallery, Hammond, In
Wings, Tall Grass Art Gallery, 367 Artist Walk, Park Forest, Il, awarded 3rd place in
show
Contraptions: 7th Annual SLAC Show, Paul Henry"s Art GAllery, Hammond In,
awarded 3rd place in show
2016
Artistic License, Gallery 659, Whiting Indiana
Annual Oliver Brown Exhibition, Cornerstone Gallery, Whiting, IN,
3rd Annual Small Works Show, White Ripple Gallery, Hessville, In, awarded 2nd
place in show
Symmetry, Sip Coffee House and Artisan Gallery, Crown Point, In
I.C.E., Wild Rose Brewery and Gallery, Griffith, In
73rd Annual South Shore Arts Salon Show, Center for Visual and Performing Arts,
Munster, In
Witching Hour, White Ripple Gallery, Hessville, In
Glow, Sip Coffee House and Artisan Gallery, Crown Point, In
Concepts and Compositions; Juried exhibition, Cornerstone Gallery, Whiting, IN,
awarded “Best of Show” and “Best Drawing”
(juried by Ann Fritz, Indiana University, Savana Gallery for Contemporary Art, Director)
Self/Us, Paul’s Henry’s Art Gallery, Hammond, IN, (curated by David Mueler)
Metamorphosis, Sip Coffee House and Artisan Gallery, Crown Point, In
Beer, Wild Rose Brewery and Gallery, Griffith, In
2015
Spice, Sip Coffee House and Artisan Gallery, Crown Point, Indiana
6th Annual South Lake Artists Co-op Exhibition, Paul Henry’s Art Gallery, Hammond
Indiana
Small Works, White Ripple Gallery, Hessville In
39th Annual Beverly Arts Center Competition and Exhibition, Chicago, Illinois,
(juried by Michael Kaysen and Karolina Gnatowski)
Artistic License, Gallery 659, Whiting Indiana, awarded “Whiting Lions Community
Award”
16TH Regional Juried Exhibition, Illini Artists, Chesterton Arts Center, Chesterton, IN,
(juried by Robert Krajecki, artist and author [catalog])
Triad Show, Cornerstone Gallery, Whiting, IN
Giant Monsters, a Catalogue of Fears, Paul Henry’s Art Gallery, Hammond, Indiana
Tsunami, Sip Coffee House and Artisan Gallery, Crown Point, IN
Concepts and Compositions; Juried Exhibition, Cornerstone Gallery, Whiting, IN,
awarded “Best of Show” (juried by Ann Fritz, Indiana University, Savana Gallery for Contemporary Art,
Director)
5th Annual South Lake artists Co-op Exhibition, Paul Henry’s Art Gallery, Hammond , Indiana
1998
Robert Brasher’s Travelling Gallery, Chicago. IL and Northwest Indiana
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Palos South Middle School, Visual Arts Instructor and Head of Department, Palos
Park, IL 1992-Present
Charcoal and Chardonnay, drawing seminar, McCord Art Gallery, Palos Park, IL 2017
LECTURES
Artist Talk, Artist interview with David Lubarski and Eric Rolden, Promise You Art House, Highland , In
Conversations with the Artist, Lecture, Paul Henry’s Art Gallery, Hammond, IN,
March 28 2015
GALLERY AFFILIATION
Studio Jackie, New York, New York
Promise You Art House, Highland, In
Paul Henry’s Art Gallery, Hammond, IN
New Oberpfalz Brewery, Griffith, In
Radius, Valparaiso, In