biography
Made using text, cut paper, gestural brush strokes, and sanded grounds, Ward’s pieces find inspiration in the world of Terry Winters, Cy Twombly, and Anselm Keifer. Ward enjoys the hard, tactile quality and glossy sheen that the medium lends to the work, stating that it adds an element of uncertainty, which he enjoys. Through the abstraction of form and incorporated text, a private space is presented, offering provoking thought fields of past and present experience. The paintings offer a journey that is richly rewarding for those willing to look.
The work has drawn attention from many in the art world—finding its way into the collections of Eric Fischl and Ivan Karp, among others. As an illustrator, Ward’s work has appeared in such periodicals as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Suddeusche Zetung, The Washington Post and Le Figaro; The New Yorker, and Newsweek. Ward has exhibited widely in the Bay Area, as well as Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, and Shanghai. Ward is represented by Jack Fisher Gallery in San Francisco.
CV:
Biography | Curriculum Vitae
Solo Exhibitions:
Priapus and Rain Fall, Jack Fischer Gallery, SF CA, Apr-May 2017
Demi-Urge; Schema Projects; Brooklyn, NY; Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
Probe; Zeitgeist Gallery; Nashville, TN; Mar-Apr 2016
Dogon Kayak; Jack Fischer Gallery; San Francisco, CA; Sep-Oct 2015
Do | Undo; Sanchez Art Center; Pacifica, CA; Feb-Mar 2015
Years of Pretty; Jack Fischer Gallery; San Francisco, CA; Sep-Oct 2013
Summon Me!; Dominican University; San Rafael, CA; June thru Aug 2013
Dumb Boxes; George Lawson Gallery; Los Angeles, CA; Nov 2012
New Work, New York; O K Harris Gallery; New York, NY Nov 2012
Geography Lesson; Zeitgeist Gallery; Nashville, TN; Nov-Dec 2011
Identity Papers; O K Harris Gallery; New York, NY; Oct-Nov 2011
Composers; Skinner Howard Art; Sacramento, CA; June-July 2011
Composers; George Lawson Gallery; San Francisco, CA; Feb-Mar 2011
Misspells + Cross-outs; Stir Gallery; Shanghai, China; Sept-Oct 2010
Fashion + Logic; George Lawson Gallery; San Francisco, CA; Feb 2010
Nina Zurier Photographs + Ward Schumaker Paintings; Hilliard Architects Gallery, San Francisco, CA; Aug-Nov 2009
Saved!; Townsend Center, UC Berkeley; Berkeley, CA; March-May 2008
Books and Drawings; Meridian Gallery; San Francisco, CA; Feb-March 2008
I Am Big Heaven; Stir Gallery; Shanghai, China; June 2007
Grace; Zeitgeist Gallery; Nashville, TN; Jan-Feb 2005
Pretty; Seam; San Francisco, CA; July-Aug 2004
Gertrude Stein’s Paris France; Moe’s Books; Berkeley, CA; June 2000
Talks:
Antipode: Colophon Club, Berkeley, CA; February 2017
Painted Text: Reva and David Logan Symposium on the Artist's Book, Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; San Francisco; October 2017
Group Exhibitions:
Text and Image: Inspired Alphabets, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, SF CA, Mar-July 2017
Overloaded; NIAD Art Center; Richmond, CA; Nov 2016
Black and White Project; Transmitter Gallery; Brooklyn, NY; Aug 2016
Le Dessin S'Engage; Biblioteque d'Art de Miramas; Miramas, France; Apr-May 2016
Look! Book Arts; Healdsburg Center for the Arts; Healdsburg, CA; Apr-May 2016
Paper Paris; Schema Projects (Brooklyn); in Drawing Now; Paris, France; Mar 2016
Embossed; Gallery Molly Krom; New York, NY; Jul-Aug 2015
Embossed; Gallery Look&Listen; Saint Chamas, France; May-Jun 2015
SFArtMrkt; Jack Fischer Gallery; San Francisco, CA; May 2015
Art on Paper; Jack Fischer Gallery; New York, NY; Mar 2015
Codex Book Fair; Jack Fischer Gallery; Richmond, CA; Jan 2015
Miami Project; Jack Fischer Gallery; Miami Art Basel; Miami, FL; Dec 2014
SFArtMrkt; Jack Fischer Gallery; San Francisco, CA; May 2014
Miami Project; Jack Fischer Gallery; Miami Art Basel; Miami, FL; Dec 2013
Aqua Art Fair; George Lawson Gallery; Miami Art Basel; Miami, FL; Dec 2012
The Art of Living; Museum of Nebraska Art; Kearney, NE; Sept 2012–Jan 2013
GuangHwaMun International; Seoul, Korea; Apr-May; 2012
The Collage Show; Jack Fischer Gallery; San Francisco, CA; December 2011
Sight and Identity; Stanford-in-Washington; Washington, DC; Oct 2011–Jan 2012
Physical Graffiti; James Oliver Gallery; Philadelphia, PA; Sept-Oct 2011
Rebound: A Survey of Contemporary Artist’s Books; Sonoma Valley Museum of Art; Sonoma, CA; Jun-Aug 2011
Seeing Gertrude Stein; Contemp. Jewish Museum; San Francisco, CA; May-Sep 2011
Rebound: Book Art; Bedford Gallery; Walnut Creek, CA; Jul-Sep 2010
Kaboom!; La Luz de Jesus Gallery; Los Angeles, CA; July 2010
California Summer; George Lawson Gallery; San Francisco, CA; July 2010
Appropriations; Rebekah Jacob Gallery; Charleston, SC; March 2010
Selected of the Selected; Korean Cultural Center; Los Angeles, CA; Feb-Mar 2010
Texto-&-Figura; Nat.Gallery of Costa Rica+San Francisco+Cascais, Portugal; 2010-11
Art Miami Basel-Aqua Art; George Lawson Gallery; Miami, FL; Dec 2009
Gallery Artists Group Exhibition; Stir Gallery; Shanghai, China; Sept 2009
2009 Lawson Gallery Artists; Shasta College; Redding, CA; Aug-Sept 2009
Selected Drawings; George Lawson Gallery; San Francisco, CA; Aug 2009
Who Cares?; Stir Gallery; Shanghai, China; May 2009
Being; Stir Gallery; Shanghai, China; September-October 2008
Works on Paper; Zeitgeist Gallery; Nashville, TN: Aug-Sept 2008
Salon; Exploding Head; Sacramento, CA; Sept 2006
X Libris; San Francisco Center for the Book; San Francisco, CA; July 2006
23rd Annual; Berkeley Art Center; Berkeley, CA; July 2006
Surface Tension; Korean Cultural Center; Los Angeles, CA; April 2006
Picture Mechanics; Zeitgeist Gallery; Nashville, TN; March -April 2006
The Shape of Words; Exploding Head Gallery; Sacramento, CA; July 2005
Picture Mechanics; Exploding Head Gallery; Sacramento, CA; Sept 2004
Dialogue; Pete & Susan Barrett Gallery; Santa Monica, CA; Feb-Mar 2004
Detail; Zeitgeist Gallery; Nashville, TN; Jan-Feb 2004
Switchyard; Zeitgeist Gallery; Nashville, TN; July-Aug-Sept 2003
Picture Mechanics; Zeitgeist Gallery; Nashville, TN; March -April 2003
Picture Mechanics; 69A Gallery; San Francisco, CA; March 2002
Four Artists; Montalvo Center for the Arts; Saratoga, CA; 1983
Related Professional Appearances:
Collections:
Drawings, hand-painted books and paintings in public collections:
Achenbach Foundation, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE
Letterform Archive; San Francisco, CA
Margulies Collection at the Warehouse, Miami Beach, FL
MONA, Kearney, NE
Sonoma State University Art Collection, Rohnert Park, CA
Zimmerli Museum, Rutgers Museum, New Brunswick, NJ
Limited-edition letterpress books in public collections (the artist has illustrated two titles for The Yolla Bolly Press: Paris France by Gertrude Stein; and Two Kitchens in Provence by M F K Fischer):
Boston Public Library
California Poly State University
California State Library
California State University, Hayward
California State University, Chico
Claremont College
Indiana University
Kansas State University
Los Angeles Public Library
Miami University Library (OH)
New York Public Library
Occidental College
University of Alberta (Canada)
University of Buffalo
University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Library
University of California, Irving
University of California, Los Angeles Library
University of California, Riverside
University of California, San Diego
University of Iowa
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
University of Missouri, Kansas City
University of North Carolina
University of San Francisco, Gleeson Library
University of Southern California
University of Utah
San Jose State University Library
Scripps College, Denison Library
Stanford University
Swarthmore College
Wake Forest University
Exhibition Design: Unlimited by Design; wall-sized images for exhibit; Cooper Hewitt, The National Design Museum, Smithsonian, New York, New York
As an illustrator, Mr. Schumaker's work has appeared world-wide, working for The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Süddeutsche Zeitung, The Washington Post and Le Figaro; The New Yorker, Poetry, Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart, Enjeux Les Echoes, and Newsweek. He has created images for Hermès, United Airlines, Herman Miller, American Express and many other corporations.