John Rampley: Artist's Statement

John Rampley draws from the inspiration of the abstract patterns in nature-- rocks, snakeskin, feathers, and the human figure.
Born in California in 1936, John lived with his grandparents until he was 5 years old. His subsequent move to San Francisco was an adjustment; he had spoken Finnish with his grandparents and had been part of their small Finnish community. John's bond with the land and nature came from his grandfather, a farmer and old-world craftsman--a violin maker, musician, master carpenter, metalsmith, & blacksmith.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
Pacific Bridges Project, UC Davis and UC Berkeley, 1995.
Berkeley Art Commission Gallery Show, UC Davis, 1995.
Barrio Days, SOMArts Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1994.
Figure/Space Group Show, San Jose City College Art Gallery, 1986.
Menagerie Group Show, SF International Airport, San Francisco, CA 1985.
San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco, CA. Muralist: Public Art commissions in San Francisco, 1981-83.
San Francisco Zoological Gardens, San Francisco, CA, Artist in Residence Program, Mural Project. 1978-80.
C.E.T.A. Grant., San Francisco Arts Commission, Intersection Theater Art Gallery Development Project. Outdoor murals in S.F. Bay Area. 1975-78.
Keisha Fukioko, State Museum, Japan 1977.
Festival du Japan, Group Show. A Chatenay-Malabry, France 1977.
M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, One man show. San Francisco, CA 1975.
California Palace of the Legion of Honor. Achenbach Gallery. 1974.
San Francisco Art Festival. Invited artist. San Francisco, CA 1972-75.
Vorpal Gallery Group Show. San Francisco, CA 1971.
Sun Gallery Group Show, San Francisco, CA 1970.
San Francisco Museum Art Annual, San Francisco, CA 1966.
Zen Center Benefit Show. San Francisco, CA 1966.
Richmond Art Center Annual, Richmond Civic Center, CA 1964.
New Mission Gallery Group Show, San Francisco, CA 1964.
M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, James Phelan Awards Show, San Francisco, CA 1963.
California Palace of the Legion of Honor, Winter Invitationals, San Francisco, CA, 1962-63.
New Mission Gallery, One man show. San Francisco, CA 1963
Prism Gallery, One man show. San Francisco, CA 1962.

REVIEWS and PUBLICATIONS
Mount Rushmore Reclaimed: An Essay Without Words. in "Ecopsychology, Politics, and Environmental Justice," Ecopsychology Online, The Ecopsychology Institute. California State University, Hayward. No. 3, May 1997
Community Murals. Alan Barrett. Associated University Presses. Cranbury, NJ 1984.
Street Murals. Volder Barthelmeh Wandbildet. USA/Westeropa. Kiepenhener & Witsch. 1983.
Big Art (megamurals and supergraphics). Environmental Communications. Running Press, Philadelphia, PN 1977.
Cover photo, Mural "Positively 4th Street," in San Francisco Examiner Magazine, 1976.

EDUCATION and RELATED EXPERIENCE
U.S. Air Force, 1954-1958, Honorable Discharge.
B.F.A. 1964, San Francisco Art Institute.
Art Instructor, Junior Art Center, Municipal Arts Gallery, Barnsdale Park, Los Angeles, CA, Robert Whyte, Director, 1967-68.
Art Instructor, De Young Museum Art School, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA, Elsa Cameron, Curator. 1969-75.
Curatorial Aide/ Preparator, San Francisco International Airport, Airports Commission, San Francisco, CA. 1983-85.
Aquarium Exhibit Preparator, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, 1986-present