CV
KENNETH RAGSDALE
Senior Lecturer
Arts Department, School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY
Chair, board of directors
Collar Works
Troy, NY
5 Arcadia Avenue
Albany, NY 12209
518-221-2837
Education:
MFA, University at Albany, State University of New York 2005
BFA, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, Oregon 1991
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, Michigan 1985
Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, Washington 1981-1983
Professional Experience:
2008-2025 Adjunct, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Basic Drawing, Intermediate Drawing, Advanced Drawing, First Year Seminar, Advanced Studio, Creative Seminar II, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
2011-2013 Adjunct Professor, 2-D Design. Sage College of Albany, Albany, NY
2006-2013 Adjunct Professor, Drawing 1, 2 and 3, Painting 1, 3-D Design, Sculpture 2, Advanced Sculpture. College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2006-2007 Visiting Assistant Professor, Sculpture and Drawing. Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
2005 Adjunct Professor, Special Topics in Drawing. University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, NY
2002-2005 Graduate Assistant / Instructor of Record, Basic and Life Drawing, 2-D Design, Undergraduate Transfer advising. Fine Arts Dept. University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY
2001-2002 Adjunct Professor, Drawing and 3-D Design. Foundations Dept., Art Institute of Portland, Portland, OR
1992-2002 Studio Assistant, Artist William Moore, Portland, Oregon
1999-2002 Painting Instructor, Summer Seminars, Sicyon Gallery, Walla Walla, WA
1994-2001 Woodshop Technician, Pacific Northwest College of Art. Portland, OR
Exhibition Record:
Solo Exhibitions:
2025 Symphony, Front Room Gallery, Hudson, NY
2019/2023 A Melody with Embedded Harmonies, for Rear View: Life Examined, Albany Public Library,Albany, NY
2019 Memory as Process 3, Lake George Arts Center, Lake George, NY
2019 Facts, Reality, and the Truth, Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, NY
2018 The Course of Empire, for Landmark, Albany International Airport Gallery, Albany, NY
2015 The Hundred Acre Wood. Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts, Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, OR
2014-2018 The Accident. Sage Laboratories, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
2014 The Hundred Acre Wood. Front Room Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2014 Recent Work as Artist in Residence. The University Club, Albany, NY
2013-2014 The Quest. Installation at Portland International Airport, Portland, OR
2013 The Gypsum Clad for An Armory Show. Opalka Gallery, Sage Colleges of Albany, Albany, NY
2012 Cars, Trucks and Campers. The Massry Center Atrium. The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2012 Recent Work for Auto Porn. Upstate Artist’s Guild, Albany, NY
2011 From the Center of Our Worlds, with Ann Wolf. HVCC Teaching Gallery. Troy NY
2011 It’s in The Book. For Keeping Time. Albany International Airport Gallery, Albany, NY
2010 Recent Work. The Delack Guild Room, Proctor’s Theater, Schenectady, NY
2009 The Accident, Etc. Market Block Books Gallery Space, Troy, NY
2009 The Accident. Crisan, Albany, NY
2008 Lewis and Clark go Car-Camping. Photography Center of the Capital District, Troy, NY
2008 The Corps of Discovery II. American Bliss, with Michael Milspaugh. Saratoga Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
2008 How did I get here? Siena College, Loudonville, NY
2007-2011 The Quest. Installation at Albany International Airport, Albany, NY
2007 Harvest. Amrose Sable Gallery, Albany, NY
2006 Memory as Process II. Johnson Art Gallery, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
2006 Memory as Process. Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy, NY
1994-2002 Month-long exhibitions held bi-annually at the Sicyon Gallery, Walla Walla, WA
Special Exhibitions:
2024 Recent Work by RPI Faculty, Office of the Dean, HASS, RPI, Troy, NY
2017-2020 Recent Work. Executive Offices, HANYS, Rensselaer, NY
2015-2016 Recent Work. Executive Offices, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY
2013-2016 Recent Work. Offices of the New York Secretary of Health, New York State Capitol, Albany, NY
2009-2011 Recent Work. Offices of the Chancellor, State University of New York Headquarters, Albany, NY
2008 Edible Albany. Crisan, Albany, NY
2002-2024 Vacancy (Built). Albany’s Built Environment Through Artists’ Eyes. Historic Albany Foundation, Albany, NY. Preparator and exhibition design.
Exhibitions Curated:
2025 Re:Drawn. Group Exhibition of work by Student Artists. Arts Center of the Capital Region Gallery, Troy, NY
2024 Untitled. Group Exhibition of work by Student Artists. CollarWorks Gallery, Troy, NY
2023 Synthesis. Group Exhibition of work by Student Artists. 50 Fourth Avenue Gallery, Troy, NY
2018 Parallel Realities. Group Exhibition of work by 28 Artists. CollarWorks Gallery, Troy, NY
2016 The Partial Observer. Exhibition of work by Darcie Abbatiello and Richard Moninski. CollarWorks Gallery, Troy, NY
2013 An Armory Show. Co-Curated with Michael Oatman Exhibition of work by 45 regional artists. Opalka Gallery, Sage Colleges of Albany, Albany, NY
2013 Working-Drawing. Exhibition of 20 Sculptor’s Drawings. Fulton Street Gallery, in collaboration with Collar Works Gallery, Troy, NY
2009 All this Useless Beauty. Exhibition of recent paintings by Brian Cirmo, Elizabeth Cooper,Andrea Hersh, and Ryan Parr. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Group Exhibitions:
2024 FR:25, 25th Anniversary Exhibition, Front Room Gallery, Hudson, NY
2024 September Splendor, Washington Park Conservancy, Albany, NY
2024 ‘The River in the Morning’, Light Box Gallery, UAlbany SUNY, Albany, NY
2023 Winter Wonderland, Front Room Gallery, Hudson, NY
2022 Winter Wonderland, Front Room Gallery, Hudson, NY
2022 Built, Argus Hotel, Historic Albany Foundation, Albany, NY
2022 Distorted Reality, Front Room Gallery, Hudson, NY
2022 Distorted Reality, Front Room Gallery, NYC, NY
2022 Complex Muses, Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA
2021 Be Mine, Front Room Gallery, Hudson, NY
2021 Fall Transformation, Front Room Gallery, NYC, NY
2021 Pieced Together, Albany Public Library, Albany, NY
2020 Summer Sampler, Front Room Gallery, NYC, NY
2019 Rear View: Life Examined, Albany Public Library, Albany, NY
2019 FR:20 Part 1, The Environment in Contemporary Photography, Front Room Gallery, NYC, NY
2019 Summer Sampler, Front Room Gallery, NYC, NY
2019 Unfoldingobject-The Art of Collage, Concord Center for the Visual Arts, Concord, MA
2019 American Society of Media Photographers Show, Association of International Photographic Arts Dealers Exhibition, Pier 96, NYC, NY
2018 Landmark, Albany International Airport Gallery, Albany, NY
2018 Idols and Icons, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
2018 ASMP Members Exhibition, Front Room Gallery, NYC, NY
2018 Summer Sampler, Front Room Gallery, NYC, NY
2017 Masters of War, Curated by Brian Cirmo, Albany Center Galleries, Albany, NY
2017 Summer Sampler, Front Room Gallery, NYC, NY
2016 Future Perfect: Picturing the Anthropocene, Curated by Danny Goodwin, Corinna Schaming, and Janet Riker, The University at Albany Art Museum, Albany, NY
2016 Making the Future, David and Schweitzer Contemporary, Brooklyn, NY
2016 Black and Blue plus Orange, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
2016 Unfolded, Chicago Design Museum, Chicago, IL
2016 Scenes and Variations, Schick Gallery, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
2016 Wonderland, No. Six Depot Gallery, West Stockbridge, MA
2015 Polysolaris, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, MA
2015 Lit, Albany International Airport Gallery, Albany, NY
2014 Homespun, Curated by Judie Gilmore, Albany Public Library System, Pine Hills, Albany, NY
2014 FR15: 15th Anniversary Exhibition of Gallery Artists, Front Room Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2014 Artists of the Hudson-Mohawk Region. Curated by Stephen Westfall. Albany Institute of History and Art, Albany, NY
2014 American Playlist: Selections from The University at Albany Art Collections, The University at Albany Art Museum, Albany, NY
2012 Art + Design Faculty Exhibition, The Esther Massry Gallery. The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2012 Made in NY. Schweinfurth Memorial Art Gallery, Auburn, NY
2011 After School Special / UAlbany Alumni Exhibition. Curated by Ken Johnson. UAlbany Art Museum, Albany, NY
2011 Artists of the Hudson-Mohawk Region. Curated by Holly Hughes. Albany Institute of History and Art, Albany, NY
2011 Transport. Curated by Tara Fracalossi and Thom Lail. Cypriana Majernika Gallery, Bratislava, Slovakia
2011 Country Culture Geography. Collarworks Gallery, Troy, NY
2010 The Other End of the Line. A Francis Cape project curated by Lauren Ross and Ian Berry, The High Line at Gansevoort Plaza. NY, NY
2010 Faculty Show. Massry Center for the Arts. The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2010 Made in NY. Schweinfurth Memorial Art Gallery, Auburn, NY
2010 There’s No Place Like Here. Tower Fine Arts Gallery, The College at Brockport, SUNY, Brockport, NY
2009 Azimuth 21. Feast Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY
2009 Morsel Remains. Morsel Studios, Queens, NY
2009 31st Annual Photography Regional. Curated by Elizabeth Dubben. Opalka Gallery, Sage College of Albany, Albany, NY
2009 Faculty Show. The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2008 Fresh. North Main Gallery, Salem, NY
2008 Small Pieces. Amrose Sable Gallery, Albany, NY
2008 Fence Show Select. Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy, NY
2008 6 X 6 X 2008. Rochester Contemporary Arts Center, Rochester, NY
2007 Member’s Show. Albany Center Galleries, Albany, NY
2007 Faculty Show. The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2007 Road Show. Froelick Gallery, Portland, OR
2007 Art and Soul. Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy, NY
2006 Model Citizens, Giant Size. Curated by Michael Oatman. Albany International Airport Gallery, Albany, NY
2006 Model Citizens. Curated by Michael Oatman. Rockingham Arts and Museum Project, Bellows Falls, VT
2005 The Institute Show. Albany Underground Artists, Albany Institute of History and Art, Albany, NY
2005 Artists of the Mohawk Hudson Region. Albany Institute of History and Art. Albany, NY
2005 Rock Paper Scissors. Fulton Street Gallery, Troy, NY
2005 MFA Thesis exhibition. University at Albany Art Museum, Albany, NY
2003 Artists of the Mohawk Hudson Region. Curated by Maura Heffner. University at Albany
2002 Art Museum, Albany, NY
2002 Fire and Ice. Changing Spaces Gallery, Albany, NY
2000 Open Walls. Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR
1999 Collaborators. With Bill Moore. Del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Reviews, Articles about Exhibitions:
2019 Todd Bartel, Unfoldingobject-The Art of Collage, Concord Center for the Visual Arts, Concord, MA, Exhibition Catalogue
2018 Quadrennial Catalogue of Exhibitions 2015-2017, Blue Sky, Blue Sky Books
2015 Monograph published, Memory as Process, Blue Sky Books
2013 Exhibition Catalogue, An Armory Show, The Opalka Gallery, The Sage Colleges
2003 Heffner, Maura. Juror’s Essay, Artists of the Mohawk Hudson Region, Exhibition Catalogue
National Publications:
2010 Schultz, Charles. “Francis Cape, The Other End of the Line” The Brooklyn Rail Artseen, December
Broadcast TV/Online Streaming:
https://video.wmht.org/video/exploring-creative-mind-kenneth-ragsdale-studio-tour-bn2zsn/
Radio:
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-hudson-mohawk-magazine-30962782/episode/10-00-collar-works-radio-ken-54200783/
Websites:
Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts, Exhibitions Archive https://www.blueskygallery.org/exhibitions/archives/2015/ken-ragsdale
William Jaeger. “Artist Ken Ragsdale Constructs Memories”. Albany Times Union. 10 am, Thursday, November 14, 2019 Web https://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Artist-Ken-Ragsdsale-constructs-memories-14832244.php (November 14, 2019)
Lily, Barber. “Questions with an Educator.” Strictly Business Blog. American Society of Media Photographers. ASMP.org. Thursday, August 4, 2018 Web. https://www.asmp.org/strictly-business-blog/questions-with-an-educator-2/questions-with-an-educator-kenneth-a-ragsdale/ (March 1, 2019)
Brickman, David. “Lit at Albany Airport Gallery.” GetVisual. dbgetvisual.blogspot.com. Thursday, August 16, 2015 Web. http://dbgetvisual.blogspot.com/2015/08/lit-at-albany-international-airport.html (March 1, 2019)
Griffin, Amy. “Visible Spectrum at Airport Gallery” Albany Times Union. 6:48 am, Thursday, May 28, 2015 Web. https://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Visible-spectrum-at-airport-gallery-6291315.php(March 1, 2019)
Griffin, Amy. “Top 5 of 2013” Albany Times Union. 12:01 a.m. Sunday, December 24, 2013. Web. https://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Critical-review-Amy-Griffin-s-top-5-of-2013-5091154.php(March 1, 2019)
Brickman, David. “Keeping Time at Albany Airport Gallery.” GetVisual. dbgetvisual.blogspot. com. Thursday, May 26, 2011 Web. http://dbgetvisual.blogspot.com/2011/05/keeping-time-at-albany-airport-gallery.html(March 1, 2019)
Griffin, Amy. “Airport Gallery exhibition ‘Keeping Time’ explores nostalgia.” Albany Times Union. 12:01 a.m. Sunday, April 17, 2011 Web. https://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Airport-Gallery-exhibition-Keeping-Time-1340387.php (March 1, 2019)
News Publications, Capital Region of New York:
Janairo, Michael. “Trailer Talk and High Art” Albany Times Union, 21 November, 2010 Arts pp.10. Illus.
Kane, Tim. “A new view” Albany Times Union, 22 March, 2009 Arts and Events pp. 8
Bjornland, Karen. “Regional expands its focus…” The Sunday Gazette, 15 March, 2009 Life and Arts pp. E7. Illus.
Rosenberg, Meisha. “Best of 2008, Arts” The Year in Review Metroland, 1 January, 2009. Vol. 32, No. 1. pp. 18.
Rosenberg, Meisha. “Everything is Illuminated” Metroland, 11 December, 2008. Vol. 31, No. 50. pp. 19. Illus.
Liquori, Donna. “Eye on Architecture” Albany Times Union, 30, October, 2005 Arts and Events pp. 11. Illus.
Shepard, Rebecca. “Only Connect” Metroland, 7 August, 2003. pp. 19.
Other Local News Publications:
Dijstelbergen, Christa, and Weiler, John. “The Monster Walks Through Memory” Upstate Magazine Issue 10, Fall 2008. pp. 12-16. Illus.
Gruse, Doug. “inspiration is bliss” The Glens Falls Post Star, 3 May, 2008. pp. D1. Illus.
Cottinger, Caitlyn. “Spotlight On…” The Middlebury Campus, 6 April, 2006. Vol. 104, No. 20. pp. 21. Illus.
Artist’s Statement
My work is process driven, focused on narrative, and involves the study and use of a mixture of many artistic disciplines: drawing, painting, sculpture, paper-craft, theatre lighting, and photography.
Its relationship to the historical trajectory of image making in the arts is closely tied to the work of the post-impressionist naturalist painters Jules Bastien-Lepage and George Clausen and their fellow practitioners in Europe during the late 19th century, and subsequently to that of the new realist photographers exemplified by the German school begun by the Bechers in the 1960’s and on into the contemporary work of Thomas Demand and Gregory Crewdson. The thrust of the research involves memory, mythmaking, the use of photographic recording equipment in conjunction with other forms of media and craft to produce an image which appears to be a representation of the factual and the real but is instead concerned primarily with the truthful representation of a zeitgeist.
The work is based on distinct personal memories, is constructed solely from them, and deals specifically with my own childhood narrative and its metaphorical relationship with that of the growth of America as a nation.
For the photographic works, I begin by making rough sketches of places and things from my past that relate to themes that are relevant today. From these sketches, I make working drawings to solidify the dimensions of each item, and to get the correct feel of each piece. From these drawings I make schematics, which are cut out, folded, and tabbed into their final 3-dimensional formats. Whenever possible these are cut out in one piece from a single sheet of white Bristol vellum paper.
After all the items and structures are built necessary for each image, I work through the view of the camera to assemble the scene. During this process, I begin arranging the lights to manipulate the desired atmosphere. All the color in the images comes from the lights.
My research revolves around my general interest in the atmosphere of tension and anticipation generated by open space and large scale, and by ambiguous forms in incongruous places.
With the understanding that what I think I remember is in a constant state of flux (the organization and arrangement of particulars controlled and altered by every new experience); I try to find the point where even the most mundane event from my past can be reformed into an epic visual story.
I am trying to find the most appropriate way to make visibly tangible the idea that every remembrance is a reinvention, and reality is not fixed, but in process.