joshua camozzi milligan: (503) 231 - 0812
email: thejosh@swirlybits.com
portfolio: http://www.swirlybits.com/portfolio
entire website: http://www.swirlybits.com

Artist Statement:

Let me begin by clarifying things.....Since i was "knee high to a grasshopper,” i've been swirling the colors and lines around like nobody's business.....tapping my tendrils in every direction they could muster. Painting, drawing, sculpture, music, theater, performance, alchemy, herbcraft, cooking, fashion, and on and on......Every aspect of life is a form of art, and nothing is truly mundane.
Of recent times, i have been completely immersed in the thick, rich, radiant, fume ridden realms of oil paint on canvas, wood, and masonite. i have dabbled a bit in pen and ink, but not as much as prior years. My prior work's vocabulary was over powered by pure cadmium hues, insanely bright yellows and reds, kept in balance with rich purples, blues, and greens. Recently i have been mixing my reds and yellows with purple to create a much more muted palette and using different oxide reds and browns....much like autumn's colors. i feel that this new color palette is more accessible and soothing, and plan on exploring these avenues further. i have been working with an improvisational/ automatic style of painting for some time, stemming from experiences the universe has thrown my way. All the vocabulary used in my work relates to my reality and events of both mammoth and miniscule proportion that have somehow influenced me along the way. For me recent body of work (www.swirlybits.com/visualbits/2005bits.html), i have incorporated a new vocabulary of projected and planned direction and narrative. The narrative of this particular body of work is a reflection of delving deeper into physical and mental strain, for the sake of answers or new questions. In a time where people may be feeling confused or lost while trying to figure it all out, this body of work is an homage to those driven to the point of no return. The point where self induced or natural occurring delusions and hallucinations pave the path to vigilance and gallantry. i tend to lean towards salon style in my presentation and this body of work has turn of the century spanish surrealist overtones. My inspirations include early Picasso, Dali, Mucha, Goldsworthy, 60s/70s “Fillmore” poster art, Barker, Steadman, Munch, Kandinsky, and Klimt. The way i execute my paintings and drawings are completely different. My paintings stem from pure emotion and release. A violent dance of color distribution and texture accumulation begins far before any subject matter can emerge. While with the pen, i am overwhelmed with detail and delicate symmetry. Every form of expression is a separate form of release, while every form of release is a birthing of some sort of communication.

Education:

studied abroad: spent the summer of 1989 studying art, art history, and Italian in Rome, Italy through the Italian Study Tours program.

junior college: spent 1994-1996 studying the basics, music, and art at De Anza college - Cupertino, California.

college: spent 1996-1997 at CCAC (California College of Arts and Crafts) Oakland, California.

college: 3 years at PNCA (Pacific Northwest College of Art) Portland, Oregon - graduated in 2001 with a BFA in fine arts.

Professional Experience:

1993-1994 - Tharp Did IT - employed as graphic design studio intern - Los Gatos, California.

February 2002 thru May 2002 - Wattles Boys and Girls Club
volunteering through the 2 gyrlz performative arts nonprofit as a mentor for children...specifically within an Intel funded computer lab, aiding children in digital audio, video, and still imaging - Portland, OR

Selected Solo Exhibitions:


1998 - Mojo's Coffee Den (pen, ink, and coffee drawings) - Portland, OR.

December 2001 - Realm 8 (paintings/drawings/dreamachine) - Portland, OR.

April 2002 - Itisness Studio - Alpha wave experiment (mass dreamachine chamber) - Portland, OR.

November 2002 - Hollywood Theater - enteractive Language Festival (dreamachines) - Portland, OR.

July 2003 - Hi-ih - last thursday showing (oil paintings) - Portland, OR.

November 2003 - Itisness Studio - Alpha wave experiment (mass dreamachine chamber) - Portland, OR.

Selected Group Exhibitions:

1999 - Feldman Gallery - Swirling Bits - visual work and installation by: Ian Jarvis and Joshua Camozzi Milligan - (paintings/drawings/altar/fountain/plaster work/more) - Portland. OR.

December 2000 - the Medicine Hat - Medios Espectaculo III - visual work by: Jesse Pepe'r, Alyssa Volpe, Faith Jennings, Pamela Boyd, Ben Pink, Lisa Newman, Joshua Camozzi milligan - (paintings/drawings) - Portland, OR.

March 2002 - Polyp and Fury Gallery - Perpetuating Response I - visual work by: Rachel Allen, Michele Ranier, Lisa Newman, TOI, Joshua Camozzi Milligan - (paintings/drawings/live painting) - Portland, OR.

May 2002 - Northstar Ballroom - Medios Espectaculo IV - installations from: the 20ft Man, Pamela Boyd, John Arnold, X MACHINA, Faith Jennings...visual work by: Alyssa Volpe, John Mullin, MSNGR, TOI, Brian Rohr, Joshua Camozzi Milligan (paintings/drawings/dreamachine chamber) - Portland, OR.

June 2003 - Gallery 500 - first thursday showing/Perpetuating Response #500 - visual work by: Ren Sakurai, Dan Sweeney, TOI, Joshua Camozzi Milligan - (oil paintings) - Portland, OR.

January 2004 - Gallery CO7 - “Light Therapy” - photography by: Ernesto Aguilar and Kim Lovelace, bees wax sculpture by: Jo Grishman, ceramic sculpture by: Kadi Cook, installation by: Justin Oswald - Opening Reception with dreamachines by: Joshua Camozzi Milligan, light therapy space by: maCk mCfarland, oxygen bar by: Jeremy Dieter, video projection by: Ryan Jeffery, tea bar by: Ryan Jeffery - Portland, OR.

September 2004- Works Gallery - san jose, CA - Pacific Art Collective "PAC Session" featuring live painting and installation by joshua camozzi milligan & damon belanger, dance by tiffany glenn, live music by corpus callosum, day one symphony, slow motion reigh. hosted by goodwill san jose.

April 2005 - Pause Gallery & Studio - first thursday showing/The Disintegrating Process - new bodies of work by joshua camozzi milligan and eric sloan.
Selected Collections:

Paul Stout - Boulder Creek, CA.; Craig Falchi - San Francisco, CA.; Brookes Reeder - LA, CA.; Marcus Ionis - LA, CA.; Todd Reeder - Campbell, CA.; Steve Colen - Gilroy, CA.; Carol Milligan - Los Gatos, CA.; Ian Jarvis - Philadelphia, PA.; Tiffany Lee Brown - Portland, OR.; Justin Norton - Portland, OR.; Tamara Yeskel - Portland, OR.; Florina Camozzi - San Francisco, CA.

Commissions:

1994 - Nimbus Salon - Christmas window paintings - Los Gatos, CA.

1996 - Brookes Reeder - ink design on surfboard - private - L.A., CA

1998-2002 - Jenny *** - mural painting on/in house and business/commissioned paintings - private - Portland, OR.

1999 - Laura *** - tattoo design - private - Portland, OR.

2001 - Maytag - Clinton/Division St Fair - face paintings - Portland, OR.

2003 - Justin Norton - oil painting - private - Portland, OR.

Occupational History:


September 1993 thru August 1994
Tharp Did It...408•354•6726... 50 University Ave. suite #21 - Los Gatos, California 95030
graphic design...employed as an intern.

November 29, 1994 thru December of 1994
Nimbus salon...408•354•7717... 65 West Main Street - Los Gatos, California 95030
employed to paint large holiday window display.

October 30, 1995 thru September of 1996
Cafe Leviticus...no longer in business... 1445 The Alameda - San Jose, California 95126 employed as a barista.

March of 1997 thru July of 1997
Gaylord’s Cafe... 4150 Piedmont Ave. - Oakland, California 94611 ... employed as a barista.

August 1997 thru August 1998
Mojo’s Cafe...changed locations and owners... 2853 SE Stark Street - Portland, Oregon 97214
employed as barista/management.

August 1998 thru 2002
Jenny ...503•236•6471 - Portland, Oregon
commissioned to paint murals inside and out of home/private business.

1999 thru 2000
PNCA(Pacific Northwest College of Art)... 503•821•8920...1241 NW Johnson - Portland, Oregon 97209
worked as an advisor for student orientation and as the treasurer of student council....both under the supervision of Michael Hall.


2001 thru present
self employed... selling greeting cards, paintings, drawings, installations, and performing music.

July 2001
Maytag - worked at the Clinton/Division St. fair - face painting - Portland, Oregon

April 14, 2002 - Itisness Studio, Portland, Oregon...coordinated and put on a group "happening"- called the Alpha Wave Acquiescence... including: dreamachines, herbal elixirs, and seven musical projects.

February 2002 thru May 2002
Wattles Boys and Girls Club...503•775•1549 - working under Brian Cutler
9330 SE Harold Street - Portland, Oregon 97266
volunteering as a mentor for children...specifically within an Intel funded computer lab, aiding children in digital audio, video, and still imaging.

August 2003 thru present
freelance security
Portland, Oregon

November 16, 2003 - Itisness studio, Portland, Oregon...coordinated and put on a group "happening", much like above...for the 2 Gyrlz Performative Arts "Enteractive Language festival" as "The Language of Slumber"...including: dreamachines, herbal elixirs, five musical projects, and live video manipulation

February of 2004
Beaumont Health Care Clinic...503•249•7752... 4445 NE Freemont - Portland, Oregon 97213 ... employed as sign painter.

November 2004 - OMSI (oregon museum of science and industry) planetarium.... coordinated and put on a "happening"...The Language of Alpha Waves.... 3 hour sonic piece delving into alpha wave frequencies both sonically and visually, including: dreamachines, lazer light show, elixirs, and sellect musicians brought together to play this 3 hour piece.

Spring through to winter 2004 - complete resurfacing of appartment building, Portland, OR... general contract work

References:

Lisa Newman - 503-318-6860
Michael Hall - 503-821-8920
Jeffrey Kowlwitz - 503-788-2333
Holly Joe Lutz - 503-872-8984
Justin Norton - 503-449-1197
Lori Von Der Heydt, N.D. (Beaumont Health Care Clinic) - 503-249-7752