Tad Savinar

Tad Savinar has worked as a visual artist, urban planner, playwright, and director. Born in Portland, OR, Savinar has been an active member of the state’s cultural community for the past 40 years. For his studio work, he has been the recipient of many fellowships and awards including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Oregon Governor’s Arts Award and has exhibited in museums and galleries all across the country. Works are included in a number of public and private collections including The Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian Institute of American Art, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, The Portland Art Museum, the Chase Manhattan Bank, Phillip Morris Corporation, The Jordan Schnitzer Collection and others. Recently his contributions in the field of urban design have been acknowledged by awards from the American Institute of Architects, American Society of Landscape Architects and other national organizations.

His works in various media focus on the relationship between the individual and notions of officialdom, be they governmental, religious, or parental. In Man, 2006, an internal and likely unspoken set of feelings about home life, work, and driving are therapeutically announced. Graphic works including Champ, 1983, and Characteristics of a Third World Country, 2008, offer lessons in national pride, economics, and civics. For Savinar, language often functions best as image, where it can slip from spoken to seen, toying with the senses and complicating the everyday. His work has featured in dozens of one person and group exhibitions over the years and is included in numerous public and private collections.

TAD SAVINAR
BORN
1950, Portland, OR

1973
Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado

SELECTED SITE INSTALLATIONS AND SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017
youniverse—past, present, future, Ronna and Eric Hoffman Gallery, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR

2013
I wonder, PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, OR

2008
Not Just Another Pretty Picture, PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, OR

2006
City in a Box, PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, OR

2004
Savage, Portland, OR

2001
Savage, Portland, OR

1999
The Art Gym, Marylhurst University, Portland, OR

1998
The Art Gym, Marylhurst University, Portland, OR

1997
S.K. Josefsberg Gallery, Portland, OR

1994
Savage Fine Art, Portland, OR

1992
The Fabric Workshop, Philadelphia, PA
Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR

1991
Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR

1989
Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR

1988
Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR

1985
The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY

1984
Reed College, Portland, OR
Center on Contemporary Art (COCA), Seattle, WA

1983
Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
Pennsylvania State University, College Station, Pennsylvania, PA
The Art Gym, Marylhurst College, Portland, OR

1982
Artist's Space, New York, NY
Portland Center for the Visual Arts (PCVA), Portland, OR

1980
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR

1979
Eastern Washington University, Cheny, WA

1978
And/Or, Seattle, WA

1977
Blue Sky Photography Gallery, Portland, OR, artist’s book

1976
Polly Friedlander Gallery, Seattle, WA
Wentz Gallery, Museum Art School, Portland, OR
Northwest Artist's Workshop, Portland, OR

SELECTED TWO PERSON AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2016
A Stand of Pine in a Tilled Field: 21 Years at PDX, PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, OR

2013
Nice to Meet You, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA

2011
oomph, PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, OR

2007
Drawing(s): 40+ artists/200works- A 25th Anniversary Exhibition, The Art Gym, Marylhurst University, Portland, OR

2004 – 2005
Keys to the Koop: Humor and Satire in Contemporary Printmaking, west coast museums

2001 – 2004
Pressure Points, touring print show, west coast museums, cat.

1999
Meyerson Nowinski, Seattle, WA

1998
Meyerson Nowinski, Seattle, WA

1997
Meyerson Nowinski, Seattle, WA
International Print Exhibition, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Object to Image, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Oregon Biennial, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Prints from the Jordan D. Schnitzer Collection, The Art Gym, Marylhurst University, Portland, OR

1996
Meyerson and Nowinski, Seattle, WA
Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, WA
The Art Gym, Marylhurst University, Portland, OR

1995
Savage Fine Art, Portland, OR
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Chapman College, Los Angeles, CA
University of Oregon Art Museum, Eugene, OR

1994
Art Gym, Marylhurst University, Portland, OR

1993
Savage Fine Art, Portland, OR
Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR

1991
Art Gym, Marylhurst College, Portland, OR
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR

1987
Baskerville-Watson Gallery, New York, NY

1986
CEPA, (Collins-Milazzo curators) Buffalo, New York, NY

1985
New Langton Arts, San Francisco, CA
Whatcom Museum of Art, Bellingham, WA
MO David Gallery, New York, NY
Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, WA

1984
Chapman College, Los Angeles, CA
Artist's Space, New York, NY

1980
Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, OR
Marylhurst College, Portland, OR

1979
Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, OR

1978
Portland State University, Portland, OR
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
PCVA, Portland, OR
San Diego Art Museum, San Diego, CA
John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1976
Cheny Cowles Art Museum, Spokane, WA

1975
John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Polly Friedlander Gallery, Seattle, WA
Fountain Gallery, Portland, OR

1974
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO
Coos Bay Art Museum, Coos Bay, OR
Corvallis Art Museum, Corvallis, OR
John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, OR
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Fountain Gallery, Portland, OR
Polly Friedlander Gallery, Seattle, WA

1973
Fountain Gallery, Portland, OR

FELLOWSHIPS/GRANTS/AWARDS
1998
A.S.A.P. residency, Northeast Harbor, Maine
Governor's Arts Award, Oregon

1997
Ucross Foundation, residency, Wyoming

1995
National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowship, Painting

1991
Portland Metropolitan Arts Commission Travel Grant

1991
Fabric Workshop, residency, Philadelphia

1987
Portland Metropolitan Arts Commission Project Grant

1986
Portland Metropolitan Arts Commission Project Grant

1984
Portland Metropolitan Arts Commission Project Grant

1984
National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowship, Sculpture

1984
National Endowment for the Arts Inter-Arts Project Grant, performance

1983
Oregon Arts Commission Individual Fellowship, Sculpture
Museum Collections
Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
Smithsonian Institute, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Norton Museum, Miami Beach, FL
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
University of California Art Museum, Santa Barbara, CA
The Fabric Workshop Archives, Philadelphia, PA

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Chase Manhattan Bank, New York
Phillip Morris Corporation, New York
J. Berggruen, San Francisco, California
James Winkler Company, Portland
Aratex, Burbank, California
Oregon Health Science Center, Portland
Tonkin, Torp, Galen, Portland
G. Stroemple, Portland
A. Schnitzer, Portland
S. French, New York
J. Schnitzer, Portland
T. Hopkins, Portland

PUBLIC ART PROJECTS
City Hall Renovation Commission, Portland, 1995-98
Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, 1992-98
San Jose Fire Station No. 1, San Jose, 1998-1999
University of Texas at San Antonio, 1995-96
Temple Beth Israel, Portland, Oregon, 1994
Mentor Graphics Headquarters, Portland, Oregon, 1990
U.S. Customs Office, Sumas, Washington, 1990
State Lands Building, Salem, Oregon, 1990
City of Seattle, 1985, suite of prints
City of Portland, 1980, suite of prints
City of Eugene, 1980, installation work

DESIGN TEAMS PROJECTS
Columbine High School Memorial Design Team, 1999 – 2005
NJ State WW II Memorial Conceptual Design Team, 2001
Seattle Light Rail, 1999 – 2008
Phoenix Light Rail 1999 – 2008
Portland Mall Light Rail 2004 - 2009
River District Right of Way Design Team, Portland, 1995-96
Forest Park Light Rail Station Area Plan, St. Louis, 1998
Street Scape Standards Design Project, Anchorage, 1998
Eagle River Downtown Circulation Master Plan, Eagle River Alaska, 1998
Community Building Design, Montalvo Center for the Arts, Saratoga CA, 1998
Multi Modal Transit Station, Everett WA, 1998-
Tri Met Light Rail Design Team, Portland, 1992-98
Harborside Light Rail Station, Jersey City, 1997-99
Lincoln Street Bridge Design Team, Spokane Washington, 1997-,
Pacific Avenue Overpass Design Team, Everett, Washington, 1999
Commercial Park Blocks Re-design, Portland, 1996 - 98Volunteer.
Stockyards Building, Portland, 1997
PED to MAX Station Area Design Team, Gresham, Oregon, 1996-97
Main Street Re-Design, Salt Lake City, 1996-97
Oregon Holocaust Memorial Design Team, Portland, 1996-
Oregon Garden Project, Silverton, Oregon 1996-
Transit Center Design Team, Eugene Oregon, 1995-96
LINK Public Transit Design Team, Chelan and Douglas Counties, Washington, 1996
Plaza Design Team, Eugene Oregon, 1995
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose, 1996

PLANNING PROJECTS
Light Rail Public Art Master Plan, Salt Lake City, 1996-97
Dome Area Master Plan, Tacoma, Washington, 1998
Southwest Community Plan Task Force, Portland, 1995-97
405 Lid Study, Portland, 1998
Downtown Plan, Portland, 1998
San Francisco Presidio Re-development Project, 1995
Rio Salado Public Art Master Plan, Tempe, Arizona, 1992-94
Future Focus, Portland, 1991-92
Arts Plan 2000 Plus, Portland, 1992-93

THEATER WORKS
1994
Wrote COVER SHOT. Produced by Portland Repertory Theater.

1990
Commissioned by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival to write an original work.

1988
Wrote and designed THE FOUR MICKIES. Produced by Artist's Repertory Theater, Portland, OR

1986
Wrote, directed, produced, and designed AUTOFLEX at PCVA and the Portland Civic Theater
Wrote RE-WIRED. Commissioned and produced by the Portland Civic Theater.
Wrote, designed, and directed BRUSHFIRES. Produced by P. C.T.

1982-87
Conceived, designed, and co-created TALK RADIO (performance work) in collaboration with Eric Bogosian, which premiered at Portland Center for the Visual Arts in 1985; Produced in 1987 by Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival and placed in the Archive of Theater on Film. Feature film version directed by Oliver Stone and released by Universal Pictures, 1989.

FUNDING PANEL PARTICIPATION
1998
Ucross Residency Program Selection Panel

1997
National Endowment for the Arts Museum Planning and Stabilization Panel

1995
National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Arts Organizations

1993-94
Portland Metropolitan Arts Commission, Artists Projects

1993
Oregon Arts Commission, Artists Projects
Warhol Foundation/Rockefeller Foundation Regional Initiative Funding

1991
Panel Member, Artists Projects, Oregon Arts Commission

1990
Chair, National Endowment for the Arts Visual Arts Organization Panel
Funding Consultant, Meyer Memorial Trust, Portland

1989
Panel Member, NEA/Visual Arts Organization Panel

1987
Panel Member, NEA/Rockefeller Foundation Inter-Arts Grants

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2016
“Pictures that Talk.” Ronna and Eric Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art, Lewis & Clark College. 2016.

2013
Lampe, Lilly. “A Revealing Pairing: Nice to Meet You at the Contemporary.” Burnaway, Feb. 14, 2013.

2008
DuRoche, Tim. “Civilizing Space.” Oregon Humanities. Fall/Winter 2008.
Row, D.K. “On view: Sean Healy, Tad Savinar and Fontanelle Gallery. OregonLive.com.
September 3, 2008.

2006
Row, D.K. “Savinar: left turns and reorientation.” The Oregonian. September 15, 2006.

2004
Henderson, Harvest. “A Tinkling or a Tintinabulation?” The Oregonian. November, 2004.
Gragg, Randy. “Contemplating the Memorial.” The Oregonian. September 5, 2004.
Gragg, Randy. “Vision in the desert; Phoenix asks Tad Savinar. The Oregonian. 2004.

2003
Gragg, Randy. “Designs on mourning.” The Oregonian. April 9, 2003.

1998
Hicks, Bob. “Adding luster to the arts.” The Oregonian. October 15, 1998.
Hackett, Regina. “Drawing invitational reveals personal taste. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. July 22, 1998.

1997
Updike, Robin. “Artists add human touch.” The Seattle Times. August 31, 1997.
Farr, Sheila. “Drawing on inspiration.” Seattle Weekly. July 16, 1997.
Hackett, Regina. “Ephemeral themes dominate ambitious ‘Drawings’ exhibit.” The Seattle Post-
Intelligencer. July 11, 1997.
Allan, Lois. “Tad Savinar at S.F. Josefsburg Studio.” Artweek, 1997.

1995
Allan, Lois. Contemporary Art in the Northwest. Fine Art Publishing. October 1995.

1994
Moshofsky, Barbara. “Cover Shot.” Willamette Week. April 13 – 19, 1994.

1992
“Tad Savinar at Elizabeth Leach Gallery.” REFLEX. November/December 1992.

1991
Gragg, Randy. “Irony Coast: Two Northwest artists color wry works with sarcasm.” The Oregonian. November 29, 1991.

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
1992
Autumn Harvest AIDS/Hospice Event, Co-Chair, Portland, Oregon

1979-86
Instructor of Art, Marylhurst College, Portland Oregon

1979-80
PCVA Exhibition Committee Chair, Portland, Oregon

1978
Set Designer, So & So & So & So Dance Company

1977-82
PCVA Board Member, Portland Oregon

1975-86
Free-lance Preparator