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Allison Cooke Brown

ARTIST STATEMENT
My work ranges from the small hand held book-like structures to larger scale sculpture. I create apparel and forms relating to women that may contain dichotomies both in material and subject matter.

What interests me most is the domestic world, using materials like wire, clothing, or vintage linens; in traditionally female activities such as sewing or knitting ; and personal subject matter often relating to the puzzling and contradictory expectations of behavior for women.

EDUCATION
2001 BFA, Maine College of Art (MECA) , Portland, ME
1973 BA, Skidmore College’s “University Without Walls” program, Saratoga Springs, NY
1970 Associates Degree, Bradford Junior College, Bradford, MA

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2009
Home Work, Whitney Art Works, Portland, ME
Intertwined, Lord Hall Gallery, University of Maine, Orono, ME
Resurrect The Art of the Reclaimed Object, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ
National Fiber Directions Exhibition 2009, The Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, KS
The Book as Art, McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College, Cambridge, MA

2008Artists and Books, the Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA

2007
Tiny, Whitney Art Works, Portland, ME
Narrative Thread, Donna Seager Gallery, San Rafael, CA

2006
Mixed Messages, Target Gallery, Alexandria, VA
Material Matters, Whitney Art Works, Portland, ME
The Book as Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC

2005Biennial 2005, Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME

2004
Un/Coverings, Farnsworth Museum, Rockland, ME
A Common Thread: Innovative Textile Art of Maine, Turtle Gallery, Deer Isle, ME
CMCA Biennial, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME
Fiber as Sculpture, Hay Gallery, Portland ME
Contemporary Maine Fiber Art, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME

2003MECA Alumni Show, ICA (“Institute of Contemporary Art”) gallery at MECA

2002
Uncommon Threads: New Twists on Textile Art, Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH
Cambridge Art Association National Prize Show 2002, Cambridge, MA
Art of the Book 2002, University of Indianapolis, IN

1999MECAtextiles show

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Adam and Sophie Gimbel Design Library, Parson’s School for Design, New York, NY
Rochester Institute of Technology Libraries, Rochester, NY
Southwest Collections, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute Library, Williamstown, MA
Arts of the Book Collection, Sterling Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Diagnostic Breast Center, New Britain General Hospital, New Britain, CT
Ella Strong Denison Library, Scripps College, Claremont, CA
Maine Women’s Writers Collection, University of New England, Portland, ME
Mortimer Rare Book Room, Neilson Library, Smith College, Northampton, MA
National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine, CA
Special Collections, Hawthorne-Longfellow Library, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
Special Collections, Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Special Collections, Margaret Clapp Library, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Special Collections, the MECA Library, Portland, ME
Yarmouth Public Library, Yarmouth, ME

AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS
2010
The Tattoo Project catalogue by Allison Cooke Brown

2009
Stitching it to the Man: Q&A with Allison Cooke Brown, MaineToday.com:blogs, 10/16/09
Muse, Maine Women Writers Collection, Vol 1#1
Fiberarts Magazine, Jan/Feb 2009 issue

2008500 Handmade Books, Lark Books

2006The Book as Art, show catalogue by National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC

2005
Surface Design Magazine, Summer 2005 issue
Resonance/Response, publication by Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Fiberarts Magazine, with additional image on web, Summer 2005 issue

2004
Featured in the “Portfolio” section of “American Craft Magazine”, Feb/Mar ’04 issue
Words and Images, annual national literary and art publication of the University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME, 2004 issue

2002Uncommon Threads: New Twists on Textile Art, show catalogue, Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH

2000Laurence and Judy Sisson Traveling Fellowship, Florence, Italy

1996Best in show, “Art For The Cure”, Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT

1995
Quilt chosen as the logo for the new “Women’s Health and Resource Center” at New Britain General Hospital, New Britain, CT
Quilt featured in March ’95 issue of “Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine”









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Allison Cooke Brown, <i>Her Doilies</i>, 32 assorted vintage doilies, cotton embroidery floss
Allison Cooke Brown, Her Doilies, 32 assorted vintage doilies, cotton embroidery floss

deatil
deatil

Allison Cooke Brown, <i>Tattoo Project</i>, vintage linen napkins, cotton embroidery floss
Allison Cooke Brown, Tattoo Project, vintage linen napkins, cotton embroidery floss

Allison Cooke Brown, <i>Both Sides #3</i>, vintage hand towel, thread
Allison Cooke Brown, Both Sides #3, vintage hand towel, thread

Allison Cooke Brown, <i>Untitled</i>, From a series of wearable books
Allison Cooke Brown, Untitled, From a series of wearable books

Allison Cooke Brown, <i>Untitled</i>, From a series of wearable books
Allison Cooke Brown, Untitled, From a series of wearable books

Allison Cook Brown, Choose, 2007, 2 vintage antimacassar linens with cross stitched words of cotton floss and beads
Allison Cook Brown, Choose, 2007, 2 vintage antimacassar linens with cross stitched words of cotton floss and beads

Allison Cooke Brown, Daydream, 2006, ticking and linen with cotton embroidered floss
Allison Cooke Brown, Daydream, 2006, ticking and linen with cotton embroidered floss

Allison Cooke Brown, Exemplar, 2007, cotton, embroidered floss
Allison Cooke Brown, Exemplar, 2007, cotton, embroidered floss

Allison Cooke Brown, Ghost Dress, 2006 tuille, glass and steel
Allison Cooke Brown, Ghost Dress, 2006 tuille, glass and steel

Allison Cooke Brown, 7 Deadly Virtues, 2005,  knitted cooper wire, tulle, rice paper
Allison Cooke Brown, 7 Deadly Virtues, 2005, knitted cooper wire, tulle, rice paper

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