Tom Orr
A dedicated artist working in Dallas while exhibiting internationally, Tom Orr has developed a body of sculpture work that utilizes formal traits to disrupt and create vibrant optical patterns. Experiential movement brings the nuances of the work to life.
Tom Orr received his BFA in Sculpture at Rhode Island School of Design in 1973. He has exhibited extensively during his career both in the United States and in Japan. His site-specific works have been installed in places ranging from John Michael Kohler Art Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to the 21st Exhibition of Contemporary Sculpture in Ube Japan. The many collections in which he is represented include the Foundation of Culture in Osaka, Japan, The El Paso Museum in Texas and the Utsukushi-Ga-Hara Open-Air Museum in Nagano, Japan. Among his public art projects are two large-scale wall installations in the international terminal at the Dallas Ft. Worth Airport, a station design for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit, and Intersected Passage, a large-scale sculpture at Love Field Airport. Orr and fellow artist and partner, Frances Bagley designed the sets and costumes for the Dallas Opera’s production of Verdi’s Nabucco, which celebrated the Opera’s 50th anniversary season. This project was followed by an invitation from The Dallas Museum of Art to create a museum installation based on the set designs from the opera for the exhibition Performance/Art.
In 2011 Orr was awarded a Pollack Krasner Foundation Grant.
He is represented by Barry Whistler gallery in Dallas.
Images of costumes and sets by Tom Orr and Frances Bagley can be found at The Dallas Arts Review Website.
Images of costumes and sets by Tom Orr and Frances Bagley can be found at The Dallas Arts Review Website.
Contact
To contact the artist, please send email to bagleyorr@sbcglobal.net
Representation
Tom Orr is represented by Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, Texas.
Tom Orr’s prints are featured at Manneken Press.
Resume
Currently lives and works in Dallas, TX
Education
1973 BFA Sculpture, Rhode Island School of Design
Solo Exhibitions
| 2019 | New Works on Paper, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX |
| 2015 | Tightrope, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX |
| 2012 | Delicious Poison, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX |
| 2011 | Tom Orr, Onagadori, Blue Star Contemporary Art, San Antonio, TX |
| 2010 | Ghost Stories, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX |
| Tom Orr, Recent Work, Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX | |
| 2008 | Maquettes, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX |
| 2006 | Identity , Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX |
| 1999 | H2O and Other Elements, Turner & Runyon Gallery, Dallas, TX |
| 1998 | Installation, Tulsa Artist Coalition, Tulsa, OK |
| 1994 | Installation, Amarillo Museum, Amarillo, TX Tom Orr – Recent Work, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX |
| 1993 | Tom Orr, One Person Exhibition, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX |
| 1991 | Tom Orr, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX New Constructions, Dallas Visual Art Center, Dallas,TX |
| 1979 | Tom Orr, Recent Work, 500 Exposition Gallery, Dallas, TX |
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
| 2019 | Monumental II, BarryWhistler Gallery, Dallas, TX | |
| 2018 | New Edition, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX | |
| It’s Only Black and White….ButI Like It, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| 2017 | Tangled Up in Blue, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas TX | |
| 2016 | 30 Years, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX | |
| 2015 | Texas Abstract, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX | |
| AMPlified ABStraction, El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso, TX | ||
| 2014 | Texas Abstract, Galveston Art Center, Galveston, TX | |
| Invitational, Addison/Ripley Fine Art, Washington, DC | ||
| Office Space, DB14 Dallas Biennial, Dallas, TX | ||
| SUM MER FALL, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| 2013 | Texas Biennial Invitational, Lawndale Art Center, Houston, TX | |
| Boom Town, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX | ||
| Flight Deck, University of Texas at Arlington, TX | ||
| 2012 | Showmen, Brand 10 Gallery, Ft. Worth, TX | |
| 2011 | Modern Ruin, Down and Dirty, Ft. Worth, TX | |
| Silver, 25thAnniversary Exhibition, University of Texas, Arlington, TX | ||
| Art in Container, Kobe Biennial, Kobe, Japan | ||
| Texas Biennial, Austin, TX | ||
| Collections, Cultures and Collaborations, University of North Texas, Denton, TX | ||
| Imprints, Three Generations at 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| 2010 | Transmissiosns, Ft. Worth Contemporary Arts, TCU, Ft. Worth, TX | |
| Modern Ruin, curated by Christina Rees and Thomas Feulmer, Modern Ruin, curated by Christina Rees and Thomas Feulmer, | ||
| Sustenance, Site-specific installation at a vacant factory, Dallas,TX | ||
| 2009 | Performance/Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas,TX | |
| Cedarhurst Biennial Sculpture Exhibition, Mitchell Musem, Mount Vernon, Illinois | ||
| 2008 | More Than This, Invitational Cadd Art Lab, Dallas, TX | |
| Prints 2008, International Print Center New York , NY | ||
| Group Hug, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| Triple Vision: Ted Kincaid, Tom Orr, Susie Rosmarin, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| Your Favorite Artist Was a Member: 30 Years at 500X, 500X, Dallas, TX | ||
| 2007 | Marty Walker Gallery @ Aqua Wynwood, Miami, FL | |
| Group Exhibition by Gallery Artists, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| Elemental , Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| Texas Biennial , Dougherty Arts Center, Austin, TX | ||
| 2006 | Inaugural Group Show, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX | |
| 2005 | 21st Exhibition of Contemporary Sculpture in Japan , Ube City Museum, Japan | |
| Space Invaders , Gene Binder Gallery, Marfa, TX and Univ. of TX at Dallas | ||
| Parings , Dallas Center for Contemporary Art, Dallas, TX | ||
| A Friend in Deed , Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| 2004 | 100 Drawings, Haggerty Gallery, The University of Dallas, TX | |
| 2004 | 2004 Mavens, Three Person Invitational, Haggerty Gallery,The University of Dallas, TX | |
| 2003 | Opposite Attraction, Untitled Gallery, Oklahoma City, OK Invitational, 500 X Gallery, Dallas, TX | |
| 2002 | Essential Space, Belo Sculpture Series, The McKinney Ave. Contemporary, Dallas, TX Drawn II, Barry Whistler Gallery , Dallas, Tx New American Talent, The Jones Center for Contemporary Art, Austin, TX Modalities of the Visible: A Survey of Contemporary Art in North Texas, Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX Percent for Art Dallas II, The Bath House Cultural Center, Dallas, TX | |
| 2001 | Hung, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Tx | |
| 2001 | Biennial Exhibition, McKinney Ave Contemporary, Dallas, TX Braille, Angstrom Gallery, Dallas, TX | |
| 2000 | Living and Working in Texas, Park Central, Dallas,TX Art-Man-Nature, Anniversary Invitational, Connemara Conservatory, Allen, TX | |
| Percent for Art, City of Dallas, Bathhouse Cultural Center, Dallas, TX 1998 20 x 500, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX | ||
| 9th International Osaka Triennial, Osaka Foundation of Culture, Osaka, Japan. Installation: Within the Floating World, Tom Orr and Frances Bagley, John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, WI. To Float: Tom Orr and Frances Bagley, Irving Art Center, Irving,TX | ||
| 1997 | Second Texas Annual, The Contemporary Art Center, Ft. Worth,TX Floating Mountain, Center for Research in Contemporary Art, University of Texas at Arlington,TX | |
| 1996 | Sun and Star Japan Festival, Two Person Exhibition with Yonekichi Tanaka at One Ferris Plaza and Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX. Relatively Speaking: Two Person Invitational, Galveston Art Center, Galveston, TX Two Person Invitational, Parchman Stremmel Gallery, San Antonio,TX. Establishment Exposed, Dallas Visual Art Center, Dallas, TX. Made in Texas, Parchman Stremmel Gallery, San Antonio, TX. Group Invitational, Mitchell Museum, Mt. Vernon, Illinois 6th International Osaka Triennial, Osaka Foundation of Culture, Osaka, Japan. (Bronze Prize) 2nd Fujisankei Biennale International Exhibition for Contemporary Sculpture, (Prize for Excellence) Utsukushi- Ga- Hara Open-Air Museum, Nagano, Japan | |
| 1995 | Simple Things, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX. Structure and Form, Two Person Invitational, City Art Center, Oklahoma City. | |
| 1994 | Abilene 13th Annual Sculpture Exhibition, Abilene, TX. Abstract Matters, Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX. Group Exhibition, Hakone Open Air Show Museum, Hakone, Japan | |
| 1993 | 500X at 15, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX. Texas Biennial, State Fair Grounds, Dallas, TX. | |
| 1992 | 1992 Forty Views, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX. Contact 92, Trammel Crow Center, Dallas, TX. Collectors Show, D- Art Visual Art Center, Dallas, TX. | |
| 1991 | New Constructions, D- Art Visual Art Center, Dallas, TX. Burn Invitational, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX. The Vessel, 501 2nd Ave, Dallas, TX. Woodworks, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX. 31st Annual Invitational, Longview Museum, Longview, TX. Three person Invitational, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX. | |
| 1989 | Two Person Exhibition, 3309 Studio, Dallas, Tx. The Constructed Image, Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas, TX. Installations, Connemara Sculpture Park, Allen, TX. Self Portrait Invitational, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX. | |
| 1988 | Autorama, Brookhaven College Invitational, Dallas,TX. Art in Architecture, Plano Cultural Arts Center, Plano, TX. 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX. X 500 X Invitational Two Person Invitational, East Texas State University Commerce, TX. City Place, Dallas, TX. City Fair, Commission Installation Plaza of the Americas, Dallas, TX. Excellence ’88 Trammel Crow Bld. Dallas, TX., Zoomorphism, Animals in Art | |
| 1987 | 500 X Gallery Dallas, TX. Invitational | |
| 1985 | Alternate Gallery Dallas, TX. Madonna Show Madonna Touring Exhibit | |
| 1984 | University of Texas At Dallas, Richardson, TX. Invitational Theater Gallery Dallas, TX. Three Person Invitational | |
| 1980 | 500 Exposition Gallery Dallas, TX. Project Room Installation | |
| 1979 | Room Show, D.W. Coop., Dallas, TX | |
| 1978 | New Spaces, Gallery Premier Group Exhibition, 500 Exposition Gallery Dallas,Tx | |
| 1976 | First Saturday Art, Group Exhibition, 842 1st Avenue, Dallas, TX | |
| 1975 | Group Exhibition, Allen St. Gallery, Dallas, TX First Saturday Art, Group Exhibition, 842 1st Avenue, Dallas, TX | |
| 1970 | Painting and Sculpture Annual, The Modern Museum, Ft. Worth, TX |
Collections (public)
| UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX | |
| Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX | |
| Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas, TX | |
| American Airlines Collection, Dallas, TX | |
| UT Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX. | |
| Frito Lay Collection, Regional Headquarters, Dallas, TX | |
| Nations Bank Corporate Headquarters, Charlotte, N.C. | |
| Utsukushi-Ga-Hara Open-Air Museum, Nagano, Japan | |
| Osaka Foundation of Culture, Osaka, Japan | |
| Belo Corporation, Dallas, TX | |
| Billingsley Company Collection, Dallas, TX | |
| El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso, TX | |
| W Hotel, Dallas, TX | |
| One Arts Plaza, Dallas, TX | |
| Conoco/Phillips, Houston, TX | |
| Corgan Associates, Dallas, TX |
Awards
| 2011 | Pollack Krasner Foundation Individual Artist’s Grant |
| Exhibition Prize, Kobe Biennale, Kobe, Japan | |
| 2008 | Bernard Kuntz Sculpture Award, Cedarhurst Art Center/Mitchell Museum, Mount Vernon Ill. |
| 2001 | Hanley Award, Best of Show, McKinney Ave Contemporary Biennial |
| 1999 | Visiting Artist Fellowship, Brandywine Press, Philadelphia, Pa. |
| 1995 | The Award for Excellence, Fujisankei Biennale, Nagano, Japan |
| 1995 | Bronze Prize, 6th International Osaka Triennial, Osaka, Japan |
| 1989 | The Assemblage Award for 3 Dimensional Art, Dallas, TX |
Public Art and Projects
| 2017-2019 | Forest of Light, permanent exterior installation, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX |
| 2016-2017 | Memory Mountains, exterior sculptures, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX |
| 2011-2013 | Love Field Airport, Entrance Installation, Dallas, TX |
| Battan Railway project, El Paso, TX | |
| Firestation #27, Ft. Worth, TX | |
| 2006 | Set and costume design of Dallas Opera’s 50 th Anniversary production of Nabucco, Dallas, TX |
| 2002 – 2005 | International Terminal, DFW Airport, Dallas, TX |
| 2001 | Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Plano Station Design. Plano, Tx |
| 2001 | Water Theater, collaborative work with Frances Bagley, White Rock Lake Bathhouse, Dallas, TX. |
| 1996 | Sun and Star Japan Festival, Installations at One Ferris Plaza, Dallas, TX. |
| 1993 | Prairie Basin, public art work winning design for Plano Texas Municipal Center |
| 1991 | Collaborative public elevator design with Green Architects, Dallas, TX. |
| 1989 | Wave, Connemara Conservatory, Public Art Park, Allen, TX. |
Publications
| 2011 | Brinkley, Rob and Coulter, Nan, “He Sculpts She Sculpts”, Paper City, October 2011. Pp. 34-37. |
| Bourdaniotis, George, “Kobe Biennale 2011”, Kansai Scene, Kobe Japan, September 12, 2011, p. 2. | |
| 2010 | Anspon, Catherine D., TEXAS ARTISTS TODAY, Marquand Books, Inc., pp 184-187. |
| Terranova, Charissa, “Tom Orr” Arts and Culture, November 2010 | |
| Carter, Rebecca, “Ghost Stories”, Front Row, D-Magazine, October, 2010 | |
| Starr, Erin, “Sustenance”, Art Lies, September 2010, p 8. | |
| Jagers, Chris, “Pics from Modern Ruin”, Glass Tire, February, 2010 | |
| Zimblist, Noah, “Modern Ruin”, Front Row, D-Magazine, Feburary, 2010 | |
| 2008 | Carter, Steve, “The Radar Art”, Modern Luxury Dallas, June 2008 |
| Mitchell, Charles, Dee, “Gallery Gourmet”, Dallas Morning News, March 11, 2008 | |
| 2007 | O’Brien, Titus. “Five artist, and Mother Nature, pull together nicely”, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Sunday January 14, 2007 |
| 2006 | Hurt, Cindy. “Tom Orr: Identity,” Art Lies, Fall 2006, p. 93 |
| Cantrell, Scott. “Stage Craft”, The Dallas Morning News, Thursday, November 9, 2006, p. 1G (photo). | |
| Babcock, Mark. “New and Interesting in Dallas”, July 2006 | |
| Rush, Kate. “Marty Walker’s Inner Artists”, Paper City, March 2006 | |
| Kutner, Janet, “A Gallery of Talent”, The Dallas Morning News, February 22, 2006. p. 1G. | |
| Phelps, Paige. “Party of the Week: Marty Walker Gallery Opening,” Preston Hollow People, March 10, 2006, pg. 2A (photo). | |
| 2004 | Heinkel-Wolfe, Peggy. “Mavens: Haggerty Gallery at the University of Dallas,” Art Lies, Spring 2004. |
| 2002 | Sime, Tom, “Gathering Places”, The Dallas Morning News, Wednesday, January 9, 2002, p12C. |
| Langford, Terri. “Committee chooses airport artists,” Dallas Morning News, Saturday May 18, 2002, p. 40A. | |
| Lee, Jody. “George Smith, Tom Orr, Cameron Shoepp: McKinney Avenue Contemporary,” | |
| Art Lies, Summer 2002, p. 82-83. | |
| Kutner, Janet. “Texas sculptures flood the senses on a grand scale at the MAC,” Dallas Morning News, Wednesday, May 29, 2002, pg. 12C. | |
| 1999 | Mccabe, Bret. ”Water Music,” The Met, September 1999 |
| 1998 | Shuford, Tom. “Sculptors Come Up with Big Ideas for Commissioned Works at Gallery,” The Dallas Morning News, Sunday, Nov 8, 1998, pp 8, 9R. |
| Daniel, Mike. “Hope Floats, Icebergs Soar in Uplifting Show,” The Dallas Morning News, Oct 8, 1998, p 55. | |
| Sime, Tom. “Wishing is an Art Form at Irving Exhibit,” The Dallas Morning News, Friday, Oct 23, 1998, p 2C. | |
| 1997 | Hicks, Don. “Frances Bagley and Tom Orr, Center for Research in Contemporary Art, Sculpture Magazine, October, pp 64-66. |
| Hicks, Don. “Frances Bagley and Tom Orr.” Art Lies, Spring 1997, pp 48-49. | |
| 1996 | Goddard, Dan. “Clean lines and coils,” San Antonio Express-News, Friday, November, 8, 1996, pg 1G. |
| Blankenstein, Amy. “Tom Orr: Boat,” Sculpture Magazine, March 1996, p. 13. | |
| Kutner, Janet. “The illusionists’ art,” Dallas Morning News, Monday, September, 30, 1996, p. 1C. | |
| 1995 | Mitchell, Dee. “Three views of art outside New York,” Dallas Morning News, Saturday, April, 22, 1995, p. 1C. |
| Kutner, Janet. “Sculptor wins prize in competition,” Dallas Morning News, Monday, October, 9, 1995. | |
| Kutner, Janet. “White Rock couple make a strong case for giving up their day jobs,” Dallas Morning News, Sunday, July 16, 1995, p. 1C. | |
| 1994 | Kutner, Janet. “Dream Boat,” Dallas Morning News, Sunday, May 29, 1999 |
| 1993 | Mitchell, Dee. “Exhibits build on simple ideas,” Dallas Morning News, Saturday, October 30, 1993, p. 1C. |
| Kutner, Janet. “Daringly different show,” Dallas Morning News, Friday, November, 26, 1993, p. 1C. | |
| 1990 | Kutner, Janet. “A New Spark for the City’s Modern Art.” The Dallas Morning News, May 20, 1990, pp 6C-8C. |