Fine Art Paintings & Prints
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SAMUEL J. KNECHT
Professor of Art, Department of Art
Hillsdale College
born 1949, Lansing, Michigan
EDUCATION
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1976
Post-graduate coursework in painting
The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 1973-1976
Master of Fine Arts degree, cum laude, concentration: painting
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 1967-1971
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, magna cum laude, concentration: painting
TEACHING
Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan 1978-present
Professor of Art,
Duties: Courses in oil painting, watercolor, figure drawing
Basic drawing, History of Italian Renaissance Art,
History of American Art, managed art exhibit series
Seminar courses in egg tempera painting, woodcut
Art Department Chair (1978-2013)
University of Michigan School of Art, Ann Arbor, Michigan 2002-2003
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Art
University of Michigan, Program in Florence, Italy 1985
Guest Associate Professor of Art
Initiated first studio art course (drawing) in program curriculum
Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI 1972-3
Instructor: Foundation Program
EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS (selected)
Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio 2016
80th Mid-year National Juried Competition
Honorable Mention
Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition 2013
Honorable Mention: Non-commissioned portrait
Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition 2012
Honorable Mentions: Non-commissioned portrait and Landscape
Sage Center for the Arts, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan 2012
“Sightings” solo exhibition
Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition 2011
Honorable Mention: Self-portrait
Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition 2009
First Place: Watercolor
Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition 2008
Honorable Mention: Children’s Portrait
Sage Center for the Arts, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan 2008
“Light Watchman: Recent Paintings by Sam Knecht”
Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History, Jackson, Michigan 2008
Solo exhibition
20 North Gallery, Toledo, Ohio 2007
Solo exhibition
Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH 2006
70th Mid-year National Juried Competition
Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art, Chicago, IL 2006
“Sam Knecht: Realist Painter”
Indiana University at South Bend 2005
“Three Realists: Sam Knecht, Carl J. Samson, Jeff Gandert”
Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI 2004
“America Seen: Character in the American People and Landscape”
(national invitational exhibit produced and curated by Knecht)
American Society of Portrait Artists Foundation 2001
International Portrait Competition, Art Students League
Award of Special Recognition
American Society of Portrait Artists Foundation 2000
International Portrait Competition, National Academy of Design
Honorable Mention Award
The Legacy Lives, LeverHouse Gallery, New York City 1996
Chairman of selection jury/participating artist
Michigan Water Color Society, statewide juried annual 1992
Michigan Arts Foundation Award for Best of Show
Grand Central Galleries, New York City 1992
Romantic Realism: Visions of Values
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS (selected)
The Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional
Studies and Citizenship, Washington, D.C.
(5 x 10’ oil mural depicting the Signing of the American Constitution)
Michigan Supreme Court, Lansing, Michigan
(portrait of Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas G. Kavanagh)
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
(portrait of President Emeritus Peter McPherson)
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, Michigan
(four past academic deans of the law school)
Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio
(portrait of President Emeritus Thomas Courtice)
U. S. Federal District Court for the Northwest Ohio District, Toledo, OH
(portrait of Justice David Katz)
The Hylant Group (wealth management firm), Toledo, Ohio
(portrait of Pat Hylant, Jr. CEO)
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Portrait Society of America, patron member
Michigan Water Color Society
PUBLICATIONS:
Journal of the Portrait Society of America: Issue no. 71 2016
“Still Lovely after All These Years” article reports re-emergence
to public view of “Ernesta” and “Ernesta’s Shoes” by Cecilia Beaux.
American Artist Studios 20 magazine September, 2010
6-page article on Knecht’s home art studio
authored by editor Steve Doherty
International Artist magazine spring issue, 2010
Reproduction of Knecht’s painting, “The Woodcutter”
awarded First Place Watercolor: 2009 Portrait Society
of America Members Only Competition
“The Paintings and Drawings of Anthony Ryder” 2006
Exhibit Catalogue Essay. Hillsdale College Press
“America Seen: Character in the American People and Landscape” 2004
Catalogue for national invitational exhibit of oil paintings
curated by Knecht for Hillsdale College. Hillsdale College Press
Ann Arbor Observer magazine: Cover illustrations, full color/full page.
June, 2000, April 2001, March 2002
“The Practice of Egg Tempera Painting” Art Ideas magazine, 1999
The journal of American Renaissance for the Twenty-first
Century Foundation, New York City, Vol. Six- 2&3,
“Portraits and Propaganda”, 16 page illustrated article in 1990
“Reflections on the French Revolution: A Hillsdale Symposium”
Regnery Gateway
“Painting with Egg Tempera” American Artist magazine November, 1981
Watson-Guptill