Vance Kirkland
Born Ohio 1904
Died Colorado 1981

Vance Hall Kirkland received his Bachelor of Education in Art Degree from the Cleveland Insitute of Art in 1928. From there he went on to attend Western Reserve University and the Cleveland School of Education. In 1929, Kirkland was certified by the Department of Education from the state of Ohio. Following this accomplishment, he moved to Denver where he became the Founding Director of the School of Art at the University of Denver. He left the school in 1932 when the University ceased giving art courses recognition toward a degree, which disputed their original agreement. Kirklands students protested that he should continue to teach, thus inspiring him to open the Kirkland School of Art. He held classes there from 1933-46, and they were accredited by the University of Colorado. He married Anne Fox Oliphant Olson in 1941.

From 1942-1965, Kirkland served at the Denver Art Museum as the Curator of American and European Art. He was named Professor of Art Emeritus for the University of Denver in 1969. When he left the University, there were over 400 art majors in the School of Art, which was the largest undergraduate school at the time. Kirkland stayed and painted in Denver for 53 years prior to his death in 1981. During that time, he had five painting periods including: Designed Realism; Surrealism; Abstractions from Nature; Abstract Expressionism; and The Dot Paintings. Today, he is considered one of Colorado's most important painters.

Awards: State of Colorado Arts and Humanities Award, 1971; Received the first solo exhibition at the Denver Art Museum; Honored posthumously by Historic Denver as part of the Colorado 100.

Education: Cleveland Schools of Art (B.E.A.); Western Reserve University with Henry Keller; Frank Wilcox, William Joseph Eastman & Albert Olson; also studied in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Commissions: Ceiling in drawing room, commissioned by Mrs. Gerald Hughes, Denver, 1936; History of Costume (five murals), Neusteter's, Denver, 1937; mural room and ranch bar, Albany Hotel, Denver, 1937; WPA mural, Cattle Round-up, US Treasury Department, Eureka, Kansas, 1938; Land Rush, Treasury Department, Sayre, OK, 1940.

Exhibited: International Watercolors, Art Institute of Chicago, 1930-49; Contemporary American Painting, University of Illinois, 1952; Artists West of the Mississippi, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 1965; 73rd Western Ann., Denver Art Museum, 1971; Color Exp. Space Retrospective, 1972.

Works Held: Denver Art Museum, Colorado; Art Institute of Chicago; Nelson Gallery Art, Kansas City, MO; Columbus Gallery Fine Arts, OH; Norton Gallery Fine Arts, West Palm Beach, FL.

Biography courtesy of David Cook Galleries, www.antiquesandfineart.com/davidcook