M J Hickerson went to Italy to be an artist on a one-way ticket with her 4 year old son on her lap. She had friends, made friends, sold artwork in the piazzas and got a thorough, in person, art education. She decided she needed credentials, too, in order to survive and support herself and her child. So Hickerson returned to her home state of Texas and entered school.
M. J. Hickerson studies to learn, practice, explore art supplies and images. Then applies with courage. There is an underlying ribbon of life that binds us together. All of life. All of us. In any of the arts – in words or dance or song or imagery. Inside and out the artist becomes both observer and participant. Bugs – butterflies, ladybugs, dragonflies soar in the grand supernal of our world and our imaginations. The tremendous losses of these essential elements of the ribbon of life could be an irreparable doom for all of us.
Ms Hickerson seeks to contribute information, entertainment, and wonder to this planet. She believes the social nature of our species benefits from such objects and energy in this world. Imaginations must be trained, stimulated and exercised.
The natural world puts on an endless, vivid show. I seek an element that makes sense in the context but is unusual, momentary. The forms and relationships in the natural world are the greatest teachers so I use them. In this, painting captures the ephemeral and the eternal. – M. J. Hickerson
Selected One Person Exhibitions
| 2023 | IMMIGRANTS ALL, Ribbon of Life Ceres Gallery, 547 West 27th St. NYC |
| 2022 | RIBBON OF LIFE, Lydia Street Gallery, 1200, E. 11th St. Austin, TX ME and MOM, Link & Pin Gallery, 2235 E. 6th, Austin, TX |
| 2020 | THE TIE THAT BINDS, Dougherty Art Center, Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, |
| 2010 | WALLS (and Dolls), ACC Cypress Campus, Hallway Gallery, Cedar Park, TX |
| 2003 | Girl on the Wall, Austin Spirit Gallery, 1206 S. Congress, Austin, TX |
| 2000 | New Work, Art on 5th , 1501 W. 5th Street, Austin, TX |
| 1998 | Living in 3-D, Borough Hall, 100Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY |
| 1996 | Painting Myself, Ceres, 584 Broadway, New York, NY |
| 1994 | Chasing the White Buffalo, Garden in the Forest, 96 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY |
| 1993 | Melanie Hickerson, Staten Island CTV, 100 Cable Way, Staten Island, NY Surviving, Ceres, 584 Broadway, New York, NY |
| 1991 | Melanie Hickerson, Art Lab Gallery at Snug Harbor, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY |
| 1987 | One Woman’s Vision, Art Lab Gallery at Snug Harbor, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY |
| 1983 | Retrospective, Data Gallery , 407 E. 7th , Austin, TX |
| 1977 | Melanie Hickerson, Teatro Goldoni, Via dei Soldati, Rome, Italy |
Selected Group Shows
| 2023 | VISION BOARD, Lydia Street Gallery, 1200 East 11th St.,#109, Austin TX. | |
| 2022 | SUMMER STRUT, Link & Pin, 2235 E. 6th Street, Austin, TX. WOMEN’S VOICES: A NEW DAY, 547 West 27th St., NY, NY, Ceres Gallery HYSTERICAL, 547 West 27th St., NY, NY, Ceres Gallery, curated by C. Mottau | |
| 2021 | DON’T SHUT UP, Newhouse Gallery, 1000 Richmond Terrace, S.I., NY, curated by Susan Grabel and Stefany Benson | |
| 2020 | Art Studio Tour, BigMedium, Austin, TX. DIVULGE, D’art Gallery, Norfolk, VA, juried art exhibit. The Big Show, Round Rock Arts Center, TX, Virtual. San Antonio Art League, 90th Juried Exhibition, 130 King William, San Antonio TX | |
| 2019 | 2019 E.A.S.T., Art84, 84 Waller St., Austin, TX. Artist’s Parents Exhibit, Westbeth, NY, NY, curated by Robert Bunkin. | |
| 2018 | E.A.S.T., DANCE+MUSIC+ART, Gallery 84, 84 Waller St., Austin, TX. The People’s Gallery Exhibition, Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St., Austin TX. | |
| 2017 | E.A.S.T., DANCE+MUSIC+ART, Gallery 84, 84 Waller St., Austin, TX. Century Of Resistance, Gallery of Common Experience, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, curator Kelsey. Women Under Siege, Ceres, 584 Broadway, New York, NY, Invitational curated by Susan Grabel, | |
| 2016 | Friend’s Exhibit, Ceres, 584 Broadway, New York, NY, Austin Figurative Show , AVAA Artspace, 7739 Northcross Dr, Austin, TX, juror: Melissa Grimes. Thornton Road Studios Exhibit, City Council office of Ann Kitchen, Austin City hall, 301 W. 2nd St., Austin TX. . | |
| 2015 | MILL & LEAF, KIDS AT PLAY, 10,000 Research Blvd., Ste. 103, at the Arboretum, Austin TX. 2015 E.A.S.T. Imagine Art, 2830 Real St. Austin TX. Pop-up WEST, GenArt at Google Fiber Space, 201 Colorado, Austin, TX. The People’s Gallery Exhibition, Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St., Austin TX. | |
| 2012-2013 | Airport Art Exhibit, ABIA, Austin TX, Exhibit Coordinator, Matt Coldwell. | |
| 2013 | Women’s Rights: An Artist’s Perspective, Pam Foss Fine Art, St. Michaels, MD, Nov. 1 – Nov. 24, 2013, Karen Gutfreund, curator. | |
| 2012 | Arts Connects New York , El Centro del Inmigrante, Staten Island, NY, Curator, Susan Grabel. | |
| 2010 & 2011 | The People’s Gallery Exhibition, Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St., Austin TX. | |
| 2008 | Hunting Art Prize Finalist, Houston, TX. Sound Upon the Water, AVAA Gallery, four person exhibit, 3707 Home Lane, Austin, TX. | |
| 2005 | SILVER, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace, S. I., NY. | |
| 2004 | Constellation , Ceres, 584 Broadway, Suite 306, New York, NY; Invitational. | |
| 2003 | Spirit of Women, Austin Spirit Gallery, 1206 S. Congress, Austin, TX. | |
Reviews and Publications
2016 Cover drawing for THERE’S A BEAR RIGHT BEHIND YOU! Steve Bickerstaff, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, SC
1997-1998 Bloody Wymmin Comix, Issues 1-3, “Flawed Fury”, Bloody Wymmin Productions, 253 Fillmore St., Staten Island, NY.
June 11, 1996, Michael J. Fressola, “Memory Speaks to Island Painter”, Staten Island Advance.
November 4, 1995, Michael J. Fressola, “Of Buffaloes and Neighborhoods”, Staten Island Advance.
May 17, 1993, Michael J. Fressola, “Island Artist Has One-Woman Show”, Staten Island Advance.
November 13, 1991, Michael J. Fressola, “Two Women Artists Make Powerful Statements in Art Lab Shows”, Staten Island Advance.
Winter 1993, “Community Mural Making: A Real Life Adventure”, CCOSI Newsletter, Jan-Feb. 1993; and WCA New York City Chapter Newsletter
SELECTED LECTURES AND PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Gallery Talk, New Island Views, Snug Harbor, Staten Island, NY, February 20, 1999.
Gallery Talk, Living in 3D, Staten Island Borough Hall, Staten Island, NY, October 24, 1998.
Panel Moderator, “Defining and Developing Women’s Iconography”, WCA National Convention, Philadelphia, PA, February 1997
Selected Collections:
2003 Permanent collection of the University of Texas at San Antonio
A sampling of paintings can be seen on the Internet at: http://www.etaoin.com. Select art gallery; then Melanie Hickerson.
2022 Permanent Collection of Northeast Lakeview College, Universal City, TX
Thompson & Tiemann, LLC, Austin Texas
Website: http://www.melaniehickerson.com