CV
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
Serena Cole Selected, Saint Joseph’s Art Society, San Francisco, CA
2020
Keep It to Yourself, Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, NV
2019
All This Useless Beauty, Stephanie Chefas Projects, Portland, OR
Demoiselles, WAL Public Market Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2018
What It Feels Like For a Girl, Artworks Downtown, San Rafael, CA
2016
Let Me Look at You, Gallery 16, San Francisco, CA
2012
Through a Glass, Darkly, Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN
2010
The Rapture, Alice + Olivia, Southampton, NY
2009
I Wanna Be Adored, Triple Base Gallery, San Francisco, CA
TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2008
Golden: Serena Cole & Tahiti Pehrson, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco
2007
Grant Barnhart and Serena Cole, Bucheon Gallery, San Francisco
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
Visions and Voices, Taube Museum of Art, Minot, ND
2022
Representational Abstraction, Woodland, CA
2021
Painting the Figure Now, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau, WI
Slice, Pence Gallery, Davis, CA
2020
Secret Santa, Guerrero Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2019
Skill Tree, Honey Ramka Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018
Quest: A Collection, NIAD Art Center, Richmond, CA
Spectre Spectrum, Saint Joseph’s Cultural Center, Grass Valley, CA
2017
TAKEOVER, Alter Space Gallery, San Francisco
Manifesto, Nook Gallery, Oakland
2016
Geo Necro, ADA Gallery, Richmond, VA
100 Years, 100 Artists, Kondos Gallery, Sacramento City College, Sacramento
2015
Alchemy, Inner State Gallery, Detroit, MI
Jug Life, Park Life, San Francisco
Painting Expelled, California College of the Arts, San Francisco
2014
More Than One Way, Southern Exposure, San Francisco
2013
Collect Call: Exploring Art Patronage, Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN
Tear It Out I, Issues, Oakland
Tear It Out II, California College of the Arts, San Francisco
2012
Watercolors, Phillips de Pury, New York, NY
Twisted Sisters, Dodge Gallery, New York, NY
Against the Grain, Mark Moore Gallery, Culver City, CA
2011
MFA Thesis Exhibition, California College of the Arts, San Francisco
Fabrications, Marx and Zavattero Gallery, San Francisco
SHOP: Like You Mean It, Underline Gallery, New York, NY
Natural Beauty, Oxenrose, San Francisco
2009
A New Breed of Watercolor, Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN
Threadbare, The Lab, San Francisco
The Icon and the Iconic, Manresa Gallery, San Francisco
2008
Artists’ Ball, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
Universal Grammar, Gallery Homeland, Portland, OR
The Thin Ice Collective, Anne Bonny, Seattle, WA
Optical Illusion, Southern Exposure, San Francisco
Drawing Under the Influence, MANIAC Gallery, Oakland
2007
Bliss, Roberts and Tilton Gallery at Domestic, Los Angeles
There is No Light Without Darkness, Mina Dresden Gallery, San Francisco
There is No Light Without Darkness, Hinterconti, Hamburg, Germany
Mirabile Visu, MM Gallery, San Francisco
2006
Oakland East Side Story, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
The Thin Ice Collective, Bucheon Gallery, San Francisco
Bay Area Currents 2006, Oakland Art Gallery, Oakland
Untitled 5, Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN
AICAD Exhibition, State Capital, Sacramento, CA
Ripples, Oakland Art Gallery, Oakland
EDUCATION
2011
MFA, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA
2006
BFA with High Distinction, Painting and Drawing, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Taylor, Mark. “Things to See in June”, SF Arts, online, June 2022
Stein, Maya. The Poser. Toad Hall Editions, 2021.
Shoka. “Interview with Serena Cole”, Comstock’s Magazine, online, March 2020
Smith, Andy. “Serena Cole’s Stirring Mixed-Media Portraits, Hi-Fructose, online, August 2018
Scott, Gabe. “Serena Cole: An Alluring Analysis”, Juxtapoz Magazine, June, 2018
Larson, Vicki. “Portraits of anxiety”, Marin Independent Journal, March, 2018
Samaniego, Daniel. “The File: Serena Cole”, Settlers and Nomads, online, October, 2017
One Hundred Years, One Hundred Artists, catalog, May, 2017, Kondos Gallery, Sacramento City College
Yeapanis, Stacia. “OtherPeoplesPixels Interviews Serena Cole”, OtherPeoplesPixels, online, May, 2014
Simoneau, Nicolas. “Iconical”, KALTBLUT Magazine, November, 2012
Muniz, Kristy. “Obsession Issue: Serena Cole”, Working Class Magazine, November, 2012
Regan, Sheila. “Serena Cole's 'Through a Glass, Darkly' features unsettling transformations, portraits”, Minneapolis City Pages, September, 2012
Abbey, Mary. “Seeworthy: Through a Glass Darkly: New Work Serena Cole”, Minneapolis Star Tribune, September, 2012
Grattan, Nikki; McKenna, Klea. “Serena Cole”, In the Make, online, May, 2012
Murasaki, Alaisk. “Interview with Serena Cole”, Anormal Magazine, online, November, 2011
Beautiful Decay Staff, “Serena Cole’s Fashionable Portraits”, Beautiful Decay, online, June, 2011
Huffington Post Staff Report, “Exhibition Spotlight: Fabrications at Marx and Zavattero”, Huffington Post, online, February, 2011
Bowers, Keith. “The Horror, the Humor”, SF Weekly, January 2011
Farr, Kristin; Hapsis, Emmanuel. “Studio Invasion: Serena Cole”, KQED Arts, online, January, 2011
The Block Staff, “Interview with Serena Cole”, The Block, online, May, 2010
Miller, Randall. “I Wanna Be Adored”, Art Practical, online, November, 2009
Umbigo Staff, “Bello y Monstro”, Umbigo Magazine, April, 2008
AWARDS AND HONORS
2021 Artist Relief Grant, Nevada County Arts Council, Nevada City, CA
2016 Tosa Studio Award Nominee, Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco, CA
2011 Finalist: Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA
All College Honors, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA
2004-05 Merit Scholarship, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA
2003 Foundation Scholarship, Sacramento City College, Sacramento, CA
SELECTED LECTURES
2021 California College of the Arts, Fine Arts, San Francisco
2020 Sierra Nevada University Artist Lecture Series, Incline Village, NV
2019 Art Department, Chico State University, Professional Practices, Chico, CA
2018 Artworks Downtown, San Rafael, CA
2017 San Francisco Art Institute, Professional Practices, San Francisco
2016 Sonoma State Visiting Artist Lecture Series, Sonoma, CA
Mills College, Graduate Fine Art Department, Oakland
The Painters’ Salon with Libby Black, Gallery 16, San Francisco
2013 Notes From the Studio Series, California College of the Arts, San Francisco
2012 San Francisco State University, Art Department, San Francisco
California College of the Arts, Art and Life Tactics, San Francisco
2010 California College of the Arts, Alumni Success Panel, San Francisco
2009 Triple Base Dinner Lecture Series, San Francisco
2006 Bay Area Currents, Oakland Art Gallery, Oakland
CURATORIAL and RELATED PROJECTS
2017 Founder of TAKEOVER Magazine, featuring artwork and writing from female and genderqueer national and international artists
TAKEOVER, Alter Space Gallery, San Francisco
2015 Lost and Unloved, California College of the Arts, San Francisco
2013 Painting Expanded Symposium Exhibition, California College of the Arts, San Francisco
Tear It Out I, Issues, Oakland
2010 Natural Beauty, Oxenrose, San Francisco
2005-07 Co-Founder of the Thin Ice Artist Collective
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2022-Present Adjunct Faculty, American River College, Sacramento, CA
2019-Present Adjunct Faculty, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA
2011-2017 Instructor, Berkeley Art Studio, University of California, Berkeley
2011-2013 Visiting Faculty, Special Programs, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA