SARA V COLE

artist / educator /art historian/ writer / activist

1974: born in Framingham, Massachusetts

lives & works in San Jose, California

 

EDUCATION

San Jose State University

Graduate Studies in Contemporary Non-Western Art History, 2006-2008

MFA in Pictorial Arts, 2006

BFA in Spatial Arts, minor in Multicultural Art History, Cum Laude, 2002

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TEACHING

2023 Adjunct Faculty in Visual Arts Foundations, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA

2023 Visual Arts Foundations, Visual Philosophy, San Jose CA

2022 Adjunct Faculty in Creative Arts, Humanities Division, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

1999 - 2022 Visiting Instructor / Workshop Instruction, various public & private venues, San Jose CA, Seattle WA, New York City NY 

2019  Adjunct Faculty in Art History, Evergreen Valley College/San Jose CA

2009 Adjunct Faculty in Art History, Gavilan College/Gilroy CA

2008 Adjunct Faculty in Art & Art History, Skyline College/San Bruno CA

2005 - 2006 Graduate Associate, San Jose State University/San Jose CA

2004 - 2005 Graduate Assistant, San Jose State University/San Jose CA

2001 - 2004 Instructor, Community School of Music & Art/Mountain View CA

 

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

Microsoft Corporation/Seattle

Stanford University/Palo Alto

Iberia Bank/Baton Rouge

Hilton Hotel/Orlando

De Anza College/Cupertino

Ritz Carlton/Laguna Niguel

The Grand Hyatt/Atlanta

MGM Grand/Las Vegas

Sela Ward/Actress

Lisa Chadwick/Dolby Chadwick Gallery

Karen Imperial/K. Imperial Fine Art

Julie Mussafer/Jules Place

Ann Connelly/Ann Connelly Fine Art

Anne Marie Haynes/One Kings Lane

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ART DEALER/CONSULTANT PROJECTS & COMMISSIONS

Dolby Chadwick Gallery/San Francisco CA

Emily Amy Gallery/Atlanta GA

Anne Irwin Fine Art/Atlanta GA

Jule’s Place/Boston MA

Ann Connelly Fine Art/ Baton Rouge LA

K. Imperial Fine Art/San Francisco CA

Bryant Street Gallery/Palo Alto CA

Dawson Cole Fine Art/Laguna Niguel CA

Costello Childs Contemporary/Scottsdale AZ

Faulkner + Locke/ Atlanta GA

DAC Consulting/Atlanta GA

Paragone Gallery/West Hollywood CA

Wendover Art Group/Atlanta GA

Gutfreund-Cornett Art/San Jose CA

One King’s Lane

Crate & Barrel

 

SOLO & TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS & INSTALLATION / PERFORMANCE PROJECTS

2022 Interwoven, Two woman exhibition with Marti Somers, Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto CA 

May 2022

2014 Ecology Installation, Iron Door Gallery, INScape Arts, Seattle WA

2013 auspicious/recent paintings, Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

2010 Sara Cole, ArtObject Gallery, San Jose, CA

2010 new beginnings, Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

2009 ecology, The Art Ark Gallery, San Jose, CA

2008 underneath, Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

2007 Dislocations, Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

2006 dirshinsear::diroschliochtoch, MFA Thesis Exhibition, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

1999-2003 Solo & Collaborative site-specific art installations & performance, various locations San Jose, CA

          7 Levels/7 Generations/7 Women, 2003

          Beautiful, 2003

          Tell Me What You Know About Sex/1 in 12, 2002

          Endure, 2001

          Memento Mori, 2001

          Death Row, 2000

          Regrets, 1999

          Force Fed/My Crotch is Your Armpit, 1999

          Buried/I Won’t Do What You Tell Me, 1999

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SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS/FAIRS/BENEFIT AUCTIONS

2023 The Space Between, Arc Gallery & Studios, Karen Gutfreund, curator, San Francisco, CA

2023 WORKS San Jose Benefit Auction, WORKS/San Jose gallery, San Jose CA

2022 RESILIENCE(d), an exhibition about adversity, WORKS/San Jose, San Jose, CA 

2022 Dart for Art, LymeLight Foundation fundraising event, Burlingame CA

2022 Anti-Valentines Exhibition, WORKS gallery, San Jose CA

2021 Hindsight 2021, WORKS/San Jose gallery, San Jose CA

2021 Dart for Art, LymeLight Foundation fundraising event, Burlingame CA

2020 Foresight 2020, WORKS/San Jose gallery, San Jose CA

2020 Infusion, Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto  CA

2020 31 Women, Whitney Modern, Los Gatos  CA

2020 JCO’S SPRING ART SHOW, JCO’S ArtHaus, Los Gatos CA

2019 Salon at the Triton 2019 Statewide 2D Competition and Exhibition, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara CA

2019 Art on Paper New York City , via K. Imperial Gallery, New York NY

2019 WORKS San Jose Benefit Auction, WORKS/San Jose gallery, San Jose CA

2018 Late Bloom, Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto CA

2018 WORKS/San Jose Benefit Auction, WORKS/San Jose gallery, San Jose CA

2017 Fall Affordable Art Fair New York City, via Elisa Contemporary

2017 Root Down, Rising Up: Three Female Artists Re-image Nature: Amy Cheng, Sara V Cole, Michelle Gagliano,  Elisa Contemporary, New York, NY

2017 WORKS San Jose Benefit Auction, WORKS gallery, San Jose CA

2016 womanKIND: An Exhibition Uniting Women, Creativity & Community, The Citadel Gallery, COLE/DREWS WATKINS in support of YWCA Silicon Valley, San Jose, CA

2016 F*CK U In The Most Loving Way, ARC Gallery, Gutfreund/Cornett Art & Northern California Women's Caucus for Art, San Francisco, CA

2016 WORKS San Jose Benefit Auction, WORKS gallery, San Jose CA

2016 Down The Rabbit Hole: Art Party, Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, San Jose CA

2016 Visions: An Artist’s Perspective, Kaleid Gallery, Gutfreund/Cornett Art & UniteWomen.org, San Jose CA

2016 Art on Paper New York, via K. Imperial Gallery, New York City NY

2015 WORKS San Jose Benefit Auction, WORKS gallery, San Jose CA

2015 Cyclone! Inaugural Event & Exhibition, Cyclone Arts Center, Santa Clara CA

2015 Don't Draw That! WORKS gallery, San Jose CA

2015 Over the Top, WORKS gallery, San Jose CA

2014 WORKS San Jose Benefit Auction, WORKS gallery, San Jose CA

2014 Annual 7 Small Works Exhibition, Anne Irwin Fine Art, Atlanta GA

2014 Sacred Heart Community Service Benefit, Alameda Artworks, San Jose CA

2014 SCLERO365 Benefit, Naglee Park Studios, San Jose CA

2014 Art of the Party Benefit to Honor Thomas E. Rohrer, MD, Sturge Weber Foundation, Denver CO

2014 Featured Artists, INScape Arts, Seattle WA

2013 Chairs, Kenneth Brown Design and Ann Connelly Fine Art benefit for City Year, Baton Rouge LA

2013 Through the Window, Anne Irwin Fine Art, Atlanta GA

2013 Human Rights Campaign Benefit Event, Seattle WA

2013 Introductions, Anne Irwin Fine Art, Atlanta, GA

2013 Local Flair, BiLinear Art Group, Seattle Design Center, Seattle WA

2012 Featured Artists, INScape Arts, Seattle WA

2012 Winter Works, BiLinear Art Group, Seattle Design Center, Seattle WA

2011 Small Works, Costello Childs Contemporary Fine Art, Scottsdale AZ

2010 Red Dot Art Fair Los Angeles, Bryant Street Gallery, Los Angeles CA

2010 Re-Purposed, Emily Amy Gallery, Atlanta GA

2010 THREE, ArtObject Gallery, San Jose CA

2010 Summer Extravaganza, Jules Place, Boston MA

2009 Annual Artist Closet, ArtObject Gallery, San Jose CA

2009 beginnings, Jules Place, Boston MA

2009 SWAN Day Benefit Exhibition, Alameda Artworks Gallery, San Jose CA

2009 Holiday!, Dawson Cole Fine Art, Beverley Hills CA

2008 Biennial Invitational Auction, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco CA

2008 Monterey House, Sunset Magazine & Joseph Hittinger Designs, Monterey CA

2008 100/100 Benefit Exhibition, BackWater Arts Gallery, San Jose CA

2008 Two Worlds, Atelier Deux Mondes, Metz, France

2008 Monotype Marathon XIII, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2008 If These Walls Could Talk, Reaves Gallery, San Francisco CA

2008 Red Dot Fair New York, via Bryant Street Gallery, New York City NY

2007 Essence of Asia: Eastern Influence in Western Art, Asian Fusion Gallery of the Asian Cultural Center, New York City NY

2007 Fall Affordable Art Fair New York, via Bryant Street Gallery, New York City NY

2007 Arts of Silicon Valley, Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara CA

2007 27th Annual Fall Auction, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2007 Monotype Marathon XII, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2006 SJSU Recent MFA Graduates, ArtArk Gallery, San Jose CA

2006 Fall Community at the Citadel, Citadel Gallery, San Jose CA

2006 26th Annual Fall Auction, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2006 Monotype Marathon XI, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2006 Lift Off! 2006 San Jose State University MFA Group Show, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2006 Flux, WORKS Gallery, San Jose CA

2005 Fresh Strokes, Heritage Bank, San Jose CA

2005 WORKS Annual Auction, WORKS Gallery, San Jose CA

2005 paper cuts (again): Bay Area MFA on Paper, Fetterly Gallery, Vallejo CA

2005 25th Annual Fall Auction, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2005 Monotype Marathon X, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2005 Advancement to Candidacy, San Jose State University, San Jose CA

2004 24th Annual Fall Auction, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose CA

2004 American Values, Gallery 3, San Jose State University, San Jose CA

2004 Drawings from Six Painters, Gallery 3, San Jose State University, San Jose CA

2003 Peninsula Preview Exhibition, Herbst International Exhibition Hall, The Presidio, San Francisco CA

1998 Introductions, The Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara CA

1998 Annual Invitational Exhibition, Euphrat Gallery, De Anza College, Cupertino CA

 

AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS

Member – Mensa International

2007 2nd Place in Best of Show, Essence of Asia: eastern influence in western art, Asian Fusion Gallery of the Asian Cultural Center, New York City, NY. 

2004 - 2006 Annual MFA Graduate Scholarships, San Jose State University Department of Art & Design​

2000 - 2003 Annual BFA / Undergraduate Art Scholarships, San Jose State University Department of Art & Design

2002 Cum Laude, BFA in Spatial Arts, minor in Art History, San Jose State University

2001 President’s Scholar, San Jose State University

1999 - 2002 Dean’s Scholar, San Jose State University

 

CURATED / CO-CURATED PROJECTS

2020-2023  RESILIENCE, co-curator of collaborative community arts project, exhibition, and publication with Rosanna Alvarez

2016 womanKIND: An Exhibition Uniting Women, Creativity & Community , co-curator with Susan Drews-Watkins,  The Citadel Gallery, COLE/DREWS WATKINS in support of YWCA Silicon Valley: Linda Haskill Empowerment Center, , San Jose, CA

2015 Cyclone! Inaugural Event & Exhibition, Cyclone Arts Center, Santa Clara CA

2014 Sacred Heart Community Service Benefit, Alameda Artworks, San Jose CA

2014 Featured Artists, INScape Arts, Seattle WA

2010 THREE, ArtObject Gallery, San Jose CA

2008 100/100 Benefit Exhibition, BackWater Arts Gallery, San Jose CA

2008 Delineated, BackWater Arts Gallery, San Jose CA

2008 Self Referential, BackWater Arts Gallery, San Jose CA

2006 SJSU Recent MFA Graduates, ArtArk Gallery, San Jose CA

2006 Fall Community at the Citadel, Citadel Gallery, San Jose CA

2004 American Values, Gallery 3, San Jose State University, San Jose CA

2004 Drawings from Six Painters, Gallery 3, San Jose State University, San Jose CA

 

PUBLICATIONS

2020 BLOOM: a coloring book for cultivating a calm mind, author & publisher, SVC Studio Press

2020 Andalucia : Eugene Rodriguez, art director & graphic designer,  SVC Studio Press

2017 Red Wheelbarrow : Student Edition, De Anza College Creative Writing Department, Three published poetry/prose/creative nonfiction works 

2017 Connecticut Homes, Artist Feature

2016 Human Ecology, author & publisher, SVC Studio Press

2014 Insights Into the Artist's Soul: Inspirational Words by Famous Visual Artists, Margaret J Cole & Sara V Cole, SVC Studio Press

2014 Human Rights Activists: words by, for, and about social change, Margaret J Cole & Sara V Cole, SVC Studio Press

2012 Atlanta Homes Magazine, Artist Feature 

2008 Biennial Invitational Auction Catalog, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco CA, Catalog 

2008 Sunset Magazine, Monterey House Art Feature,  Joseph Hittinger Designs, Monterey CA

2007 San Jose Mercury News, Artist Feature within article  on the opening of Kalied Gallery 

2007 Metro Silicon Valley, If The Cockroaches Could Talk, Art Feature on local artists in San Jose 

 

RELATED PROJECTS

2023 Social Media Manager, Visual Philosophy, San Jose CA

2018 - 2021, Social Media Manager, The Alameda Artworks, San Jose CA

2016 - 2017 Property Manager, Citadel Art Studios & Gallery, San Jose CA

2006 - 2008 Graduate Assistant, Upper Division Undergraduate Art History Exam Grader, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

2006 - 2008 Property Manager & Gallery Manage, BackWater Arts Studios & Gallery, San Jose CA

2005 -2006 Gallery Assistant, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Arts, San Jose CA

2005 - 2006 Graduate Assistant, Nathalie & James Thompson Gallery, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

2002 - 2004 General Office Assistant, Arts Council Silicon Valley (now called SVCreates), San Jose CA

1996 - 1997 Mural Project Team CoLeader, De Anza College, Cupertino CA