RICH TOMASELL0
EDUCATION
2006 MA in Art Education, Buffalo State University
2000 BFA, University at Buffalo, Concentration in Illustration
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 University of the Fraser Valley, School of Creative Arts, British Columbia, Canada, Theater Rhinoceros
2021 Buffalo Art Movement, Buffalo, NY, Run. Hide. Fight: New Work by Rich Tomasello
2015 Tompkins County Public Library in conjunction with Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, Rhino Toys
2014 Uncle Sam's Army Navy Headquarters, New York, NY, RHINO TOYS Holiday Special
Canisius College, Buffalo, NY, Learn
Glow Gallery, Buffalo, NY, RHINO TOYS: New Work by Rich Tomasello
Campos Gallery/ iPrintfromHome, Buffalo, NY, Rich Tomasello: Transition
2013 Daemen University, Amherst, NY, Innocence Lost: New Work by Rich Tomasello
2012 464 Gallery, Buffalo, NY, BREED
2011 464 and Blink Galleries, Buffalo, NY, RHINOCEROS
JURIED AND INVITATIONAL GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY, Art in Craft Media 2023, juried group show
Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY, Made in NY 2023, juried group show
Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY, 68th Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition, juried group show
2022 Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, NY Amid/ In Western New York, group show with Madeline Bartley, Kevin Burzynski, Markenzy Cesar, Maximiliam Goldfarb, Robert Harris, Erin Kearney, Shanel Kerekes, MJ Myers, and Phyllis Thompson
Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY, Different Perspectives: a Museum Studies Exhibition, invitational group show with Edreys Wajed, Julia Bottoms, Michael Basinski, Ian de Beer, and Jay Carrier
2021 Resource:Art, Buffalo, NY, Play/Ground, Current Affairs, juried group show, funding provided by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; administered by Arts Services Inc.
2020 Sculptors Alliance, New York, NY, FLUX: Vita Mutata, juried group show
ArtsWestchester Gallery, White Plains, NY, Give Us The Vote 2020, invitational group show
Resource:Art, Buffalo, NY, Play/Ground, site-specific installation, juried group show
Buffalo Art Movement, Buffalo, NY, Art as a Political Weapon, from the collection of Francisco Hernandez
2019 Resource:Art, Medina, NY, Play/Ground, site-specific installation, juried group show
2018 Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY, Enough Killing!, invitational group show with Robert Longo
Into Action, Los Angeles, CA, invitational group show with Swoon, Shepard Fairey, Hank Willis Thomas, Zoe Buckman, and Michael Murphy
2017 ArtsWestchester Gallery, White Plains, NY, Give Us The Vote, invitational group exhibition sponsored by the
New York State Council on the Arts and Westchester Medical Center
Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, NY, Members Exhibition, awarded Best Topical Piece
2016 Truth To Power, Philadelphia, PA, sponsored by Rock The Vote, invitational group show with Banksy, Keith Haring,
Shepard Fairey, Ron English, Michael Murphy, Yolanda Gutierrez, Peregrine Honig, Jeff Soto, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh
Politicon: The Art of Politics, Pasadena, CA, juried group show with Shepard Fairey, SABO, Robert Russell, Tony Pro, Robbie Conal, Aaron Axelrod
2015 Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY, 65th Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition, juried group show
Erie Art Museum, Erie, PA, 92nd Spring Show, juried group show, received Juror's Award
Castellani Art Museum, Niagara Falls, NY, Bring To Light, juried group show
Buffalo Niagara International Film Festival, Buffalo, NY, Rhino Toys Commercials
2014 BoxHeart Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, Art Inter/National, international juried exhibition
Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY, Displacement: Barge Prototype, juried group show
Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY, 74th Annual Regional Exhibition, juried group show
Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, NY, Artists & Models Affair 25: True Defective, life-size action
figure photo booth installation with photographer Marcus L. Wise
Big Orbit Gallery, Buffalo, NY, 23rd Annual Members’ Exhibition, received Juror’s Award
Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY, 118th Buffalo Society of Artists Spring Show, received 2nd Place honor
2013 University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, Fight Club: Politics, Law, and Art, juried group show with Guerrilla Girls, Pussy
Riot, Kurt Treeby, Carol Leigh, Annie Sprinkle & Beth Stephens
Erie Art Museum, Erie, PA, 90th Annual Spring Show, juried group show
Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY, 64th Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition, juried group show
2012 Silo City, Buffalo, NY, City of Night, site-specific installation in the Marine A grain elevator
2011 Buffalo Central Terminal, Buffalo, NY, echo: Art Fair, international juried exhibition
464 Gallery, Buffalo, NY, Inkorporated: Power, People, and The City, Two-Man Show with Mickey Harmon
Press
“New Art Exhibit Explores Effects of Gun Culture On Children“ Spectrum News, 8-24-21
Play/Ground 2021 Brings 20 Local Artists to Buffalo” WKBW Buffalo, 8-9-21 (feature interview on my Current Affairs installation)
“New Sculpture by Rich Tomasello at BAM!” Buffalo Spree Magazine, 7-1-21
“Teacher.” The Public, Buffalo, NY, front cover, 3-7-18
“Buffalo Artists Take Over an Abandoned Department Store in Honor of David Lynch.” The Buffalo News, 1-19-18
“Arts and Music Festival Focuses on Social Justice.” The Hub, Los Angeles, CA, 1-11-18
“Artists Tackle Topic of Voting Rights in America.” Hudson Valley News Network, 9-26-17
"If This Art Could Vote" The Huffington Post, featuring my pieces Breathe, I Can't, Teacher, and Student, 7-9-16
"Regional Range and Reach", Rochester City Newspaper, Breathe, I Can't review for the Memorial Art Gallery Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition, 8-5-15
"MAG Exhibit Celebrates Regional Artists", Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Breathe, I Can't and artist interview for the Memorial Art Gallery Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition, , 7-26-15
"Erie Art Museum 92nd Spring Show" Erie Reader, Erie, PA, 5-13-15
"A closer look: Rich Tomasello's 'Rhino Toys'" The Buffalo News, Rhino Toys Interview, 8-6-14
"Toying With The Darkness: Art of Rich Tomasello", Buffalo Spree Magazine, Rhino Toys Preview, 7-22-14
“Big Orbit Members’ Show.” Artvoice, Buffalo, NY, PIPE BOMB! review, 2-27-14
“Beautiful Gas Mask”, Artvoice, Buffalo, NY, Innocence Lost Review, 11-14-13
“Artist Rich Tomasello Makes Slick Packages for Dark Ideas.” The Buffalo News, 10-24-13
“Members’ Show at Big Orbit.” Artvoice, Buffalo, NY, review of gun control piece Teacher/ Student, 2-14-13
“BREED.” Artvoice, Buffalo, NY, show review, 3-15-12
“A View of Violence.” The Buffalo News, BREED Preview, 3-9-12
“echo: Art Fair.” Buffalo Rising Online, 7-5-11
“On His Own.” The Buffalo News, Rhinoceros Preview, 3-25-11
Collections
Burchfield Penney Art Center, Permanent Collection, Buffalo NY
University at Buffalo, Bio Behavioral Department, Buffalo NY
Damon Morey Law Firm, Buffalo NY
Gerald C. Mead, Jr., Buffalo NY
Francisco Hernandez, Buffalo NY
Wade Stevenson, Buffalo NY
Elizabeth Licata and Alan Bigelow, Buffalo NY
Awards and Honors
2021 New York State Council on the Arts DEC Grant (Decentralization Individual Artist)
2018 Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, NY, Wow Award
2017 Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo, NY, Best Topical Piece
2015 Manifest Justice, Los Angeles, CA, Runner Up, (Juried by Shepard Fairey, Russell Simmons, Carol Wells)
Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY, Finger Lakes Lecture Series, artist lecture
Erie Art Museum, Erie PA, Juror's Award
2014 Big Orbit Gallery, Buffalo NY, Juror’s Award
Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY, 118th Buffalo Society of Artists Spring Show, 2nd Place
2012 Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, Niagara Falls, NY, Beyond the Barrel, 2nd Place
Art Dialogue Gallery, Buffalo, NY, Modern Member Show, 2nd Place
2011 Carnegie Art Center, North Tonawanda, NY, Member’s Exhibition, 2nd Place
1st Annual Main Street Music and Art Festival, Niagara Falls NY, Best In Show
The Kenan Center, Lockport, NY, Buffalo Niagara Art Association Spring Exhibit, Merit Award
2003 Buffalo State College, Buffalo, NY, Art Education Juried Art Show, 1st Annual Dean’s Award
(Juried by Gerald Mead)
1998 Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, Buffalo, NY, Squeaky Wheel Video Festival, First Place Comedy