Bio
Kristan Marvell is an established Los Angeles, CA based sculptor, painter and photographer. Born in Corvallis, OR, and inspired by the cathedrals of the natural world, the mountains, giant trees and astonishing rock formations, he explores sculptural techniques that are both considered and spontaneous, composing non-repeatable gestures much in the same way the world is sculpted by wind, time and water.
He also incorporates projected and programmable colored lights to reveal the subtleties in his sculptures and offer new perspectives in his landscape night photography. This innovative approach creates dynamic works that change with light and viewing angle, bringing new dimensions to both his sculptural and photographic practice.
Marvell has a B.S. degree in Biology, and a minor in Political Science, from the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, and an M.F.A. degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. His unique background in biological sciences informs his artistic understanding of natural forms and processes.
He has exhibited his work at such venues as Shoshona Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, Denis Ochi Fine Arts, Ketchum, ID, and Richard Gray Gallery, Chicago, IL. Marvell's large-scale bronzes are included in public spaces such as City of Hope, Duarte, CA, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens, Claremont, CA and Vibrato Grill and Jazz Club, Beverly Hills, CA.
Work
PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, selected
2014 City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2011 Conversation in the Tulip Garden, Century 21 Plaza, Woodland Hills, CA
2011 Quizzical, Century 21 Plaza, Woodland Hills, CA
2009 Vibrato Grill Jazz Restaurant
2006 Commission at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Bronze sculpture, Silent Sentinel
COLLABORATIVE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, selected
2014 Herb Alpert Lincoln Center, NY
2013 Herb Alpert Sculpture Installation, 26th and Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA
Herb Alpert Sculpture Installation, New Road High School, Santa Monica, CA
2012 Herb Alpert Sculpture Installation, Malibu, CA
2007 Abby Jane Baron, Living Together, Euclid Park, Santa Monica
ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS, selected
2024 Doom Bloom, two artist exhibition, SEIS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2022 TWO, two artist exhibition, Shatto Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2021 MARS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2020 MARS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
LA Artcore, a two artist exhibition, Los Angeles, California
2017 MARS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2012 Kristan Marvell, Century 21 Plaza, Woodland Hills, CA
2007 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
2004 Ochi Fine Arts, Sun Valley, Idaho
2002 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
2000 Brand Library Gallery, Glendale, California
1999 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
Ochi Fine Art, Sun Valley, Idaho
1996 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
1994 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
1992 Shapiro Jameson Gallery, San Francisco, California
1990 Confrontation with Minimalism, LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
1988 Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, California
1985 Ethical Society, St. Louis, Missouri
GROUP EXHIBITIONS, selected
2023 American Exhibition- Contemporary Expressions, Seiriki Art Museum, Okawa, Japan
American Artists Exhibition Expression with Diverse Materials, Osaka, Japan
2021 NOMAD (Narrative Odyssey Manifesting Artistic Dreams), Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, CA
2017 Art from Los Angeles, 3331 Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (Traveling Exhibit to Kyoto & Osaka, Japan)
Pluto Projects, Los Angeles, CA
Big Bang! Bang!, Latino Art Museum, Pomona, CA
2016 Carved Out, Alhambra City Hall, Alhambra, CA
Mass, AndLab, Los Angeles, CA
Gravatis, Brand Library Art Center, Glendale, CA
‘Skyline’, Curated by Ben Zask, South Bay Contemporary, San Pedro, CA
2015 Ties to Modernism: Michael Todd, Nicholette Kominos, Kristan Marvell, Zask Contemporary, San Pedro, CA
2012 GwangHwaMun International Art Festival, Seoul, Korea
2010 2000 – 2010, ANDLAB. ANDLAB Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Sculptures in the Garden/Art Zone, Offramp Gallery, Pasadena, California
2009 Small Works, Offramp Gallery, Pasadena, California
Four: Group Show, LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
2008 Winterowd Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2007 To Occupy. Two person exhibit. Artcore Brewery Annex, Los Angeles, California
2006 California State University at Bakersfield, Group Show, Bakersfield, California
2005 Sediment, Two person show, ANDLAB, Los Angeles, California
2003 BGH Gallery, Group Show, Santa Monica, California
Ochi Fine Arts, Group Show, Sun Valley, Idaho
2001 Target Hollywood, LA Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California
2000 Big Sculpture, Palos Verde Art Center, Palos Verde, California
1998 Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto, Japan
1994 Artist and Architecture, Artspace Gallery, Woodland Hills, California
1992 Energy, Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, California
1991 Fairbanks Gallery, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, Oregon
1989 Art Liminium, Alcan Corp, Montreal, Canada
Show-Tokyo, Traveling Exhibit, Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, Japan
1988 Molten Metal, Security Pacific Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Recent Work, Richard Gray Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
Professor's Choice 3, Montgomery Gallery, Pomona College, Claremont, California
1985 The Molten Image: Cast at Carbondale, Knoxville, Tennessee
Loyola University Gallery, Group Show, Chicago, Illinois
COLLECTIONS, selected
Public Art Archive, WESTAF
Howard S. Wright
Seiriki Art Museum
Gwynn Murrill
Florence and Art Cohen
Jack Smith
Lee Lenz
Michael Grossman
Steve Chase
Paul Kowal
LECTURES/SEMINARS
1989 Current Art in Los Angeles, UCLA Extension class, Los Angeles, California
1988 Visiting Artist Program, California State University Sonoma, Sonoma, California
1987 Visiting Artist Program Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
1986 Visiting Artist Program, Sonoma State University. Rohnert Park, California
Numerous tours of my Foundry process for Art Center College of Design, Otis College of Art & Design students
BIBLIOGRAPHY, selected
Brayton, Tim, “Open Vessel: Kristan Marvell,” Garden Variety, Vol. 31, pg 6 Summer 2016
Alger, George, Sculptor of Power, Motion, Time and Nature, Our Ventura TV, May 2014
Kominos, Nicholette, The Art of Kristan Marvell, The Art Chronicle, Feb 2011
Artscene Recommended Exhibitions 2005 artscenecal.com
Chattopadhyay, Collette, Kristan Marvell, LA Artcore Registry, October 16, 2004
Torribio-Bond, Sarah, Standing Guard, Claremont Courier, April 14, 2004
Woodard, Joseph, Dual Exhibition, Los Angeles Times, February 18, 2000
Byer, Robert, Sculptural Transmutations, Artweek, 6/25/88, pp.5-6
Schiettekat, Victoria and Simonds, Janice, Kristan Marvell, VISIONS, Vol.6 No.2, Spring 1993, pp 54-55
Bio
Kristan Marvell is an established Los Angeles, CA based sculptor, painter and photographer. Born in Corvallis, OR, and inspired by the cathedrals of the natural world, the mountains, giant trees and astonishing rock formations, he explores sculptural techniques that are both considered and spontaneous, composing non-repeatable gestures much in the same way the world is sculpted by wind, time and water.
He also incorporates projected and programmable colored lights to reveal the subtleties in his sculptures and offer new perspectives in his landscape night photography. Marvell has a B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Oregon and an M.F.A. from Southern Illinois University.
His work has been exhibited at venues such as Shoshona Wayne Gallery, Denis Ochi Fine Arts, and Richard Gray Gallery. Recent shows include Brand Library and Cultural Center, MaRS Gallery, 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Tokyo, and Latino Art Museum, Pomona.
Exhibitions
PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, selected
2014 City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2011 Conversation in the Tulip Garden, Century 21 Plaza, Woodland Hills, CA
2011 Quizzical, Century 21 Plaza, Woodland Hills, CA
2009 Vibrato Grill Jazz Restaurant
2006 Commission at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Bronze sculpture, Silent Sentinel
COLLABORATIVE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, selected
2014 Herb Alpert Lincoln Center, NY
2013 Herb Alpert Sculpture Installation, 26th and Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA
Herb Alpert Sculpture Installation, New Road High School, Santa Monica, CA
2012 Herb Alpert Sculpture Installation, Malibu, CA
2007 Abby Jane Baron, Living Together, Euclid Park, Santa Monica
ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS, selected
2024 Doom Bloom, two artist exhibition, SEIS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2022 TWO, two artist exhibition, Shatto Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2021 MARS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2020 MARS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
LA Artcore, a two artist exhibition, Los Angeles, California
2017 MARS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2012 Kristan Marvell, Century 21 Plaza, Woodland Hills, CA
2007 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
2004 Ochi Fine Arts, Sun Valley, Idaho
2002 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
2000 Brand Library Gallery, Glendale, California
1999 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
Ochi Fine Art, Sun Valley, Idaho
1996 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
1994 LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
1992 Shapiro Jameson Gallery, San Francisco, California
1990 Confrontation with Minimalism, LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
1988 Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, California
1985 Ethical Society, St. Louis, Missouri
GROUP EXHIBITIONS, selected
2023 American Exhibition- Contemporary Expressions, Seiriki Art Museum, Okawa, Japan
American Artists Exhibition Expression with Diverse Materials, Osaka, Japan
2021 NOMAD (Narrative Odyssey Manifesting Artistic Dreams), Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, CA
2017 Art from Los Angeles, 3331 Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (Traveling Exhibit to Kyoto & Osaka, Japan)
Pluto Projects, Los Angeles, CA
Big Bang! Bang!, Latino Art Museum, Pomona, CA
2016 Carved Out, Alhambra City Hall, Alhambra, CA
Mass, AndLab, Los Angeles, CA
Gravatis, Brand Library Art Center, Glendale, CA
'Skyline', Curated by Ben Zask, South Bay Contemporary, San Pedro, CA
2015 Ties to Modernism: Michael Todd, Nicholette Kominos, Kristan Marvell, Zask Contemporary, San Pedro, CA
2012 GwangHwaMun International Art Festival, Seoul, Korea
2010 2000 – 2010, ANDLAB. ANDLAB Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Sculptures in the Garden/Art Zone, Offramp Gallery, Pasadena, California
2009 Small Works, Offramp Gallery, Pasadena, California
Four: Group Show, LA Artcore, Los Angeles, California
2008 Winterowd Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2007 To Occupy. Two person exhibit. Artcore Brewery Annex, Los Angeles, California
2006 California State University at Bakersfield, Group Show, Bakersfield, California
2005 Sediment, Two person show, ANDLAB, Los Angeles, California
2003 BGH Gallery, Group Show, Santa Monica, California
Ochi Fine Arts, Group Show, Sun Valley, Idaho
2001 Target Hollywood, LA Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California
2000 Big Sculpture, Palos Verde Art Center, Palos Verde, California
1998 Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto, Japan
1994 Artist and Architecture, Artspace Gallery, Woodland Hills, California
1992 Energy, Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, California
1991 Fairbanks Gallery, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, Oregon
1989 Art Liminium, Alcan Corp, Montreal, Canada
Show-Tokyo, Traveling Exhibit, Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, Japan
1988 Molten Metal, Security Pacific Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Recent Work, Richard Gray Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
Professor's Choice 3, Montgomery Gallery, Pomona College, Claremont, California
1985 The Molten Image: Cast at Carbondale, Knoxville, Tennessee
Loyola University Gallery, Group Show, Chicago, Illinois
COLLECTIONS, selected
Public Art Archive, WESTAF
Howard S. Wright
Seiriki Art Museum
Gwynn Murrill
Florence and Art Cohen
Jack Smith
Lee Lenz
Michael Grossman
Steve Chase
Paul Kowal
LECTURES/SEMINARS
1989 Current Art in Los Angeles, UCLA Extension class, Los Angeles, California
1988 Visiting Artist Program, California State University Sonoma, Sonoma, California
1987 Visiting Artist Program Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
1986 Visiting Artist Program, Sonoma State University. Rohnert Park, California
Numerous tours of my Foundry process for Art Center College of Design, Otis College of Art & Design students
BIBLIOGRAPHY, selected
Brayton, Tim, "Open Vessel: Kristan Marvell," Garden Variety, Vol. 31, pg 6 Summer 2016
Alger, George, Sculptor of Power, Motion, Time and Nature, Our Ventura TV, May 2014
Kominos, Nicholette, The Art of Kristan Marvell, The Art Chronicle, Feb 2011
Artscene Recommended Exhibitions 2005 artscenecal.com
Chattopadhyay, Collette, Kristan Marvell, LA Artcore Registry, October 16, 2004
Torribio-Bond, Sarah, Standing Guard, Claremont Courier, April 14, 2004
Woodard, Joseph, Dual Exhibition, Los Angeles Times, February 18, 2000
Byer, Robert, Sculptural Transmutations, Artweek, 6/25/88, pp.5-6
Schiettekat, Victoria and Simonds, Janice, Kristan Marvell, VISIONS, Vol.6 No.2, Spring 1993, pp 54-55