In my artistic practice, I investigate the conflict between order and chaos, always willing to accept errors or fortunate byproducts to find a solution. This entails constant experimentation with the physical characteristics of different materials, where I'm dedicated to looking for creative and original answers to the problems I set for myself.
The Portal series has been incubating in my mind for quite some time now. Initially, I was focused on the concept of a "nest," but soon the idea evolved into something much broader in scope. My creative process involves unconventional techniques such as burning, melting, smashing, and using rust and oxidation. The diverse materials I have employed include ripe fruit, metal shavings, charred wood, sawdust, acorn shells, tar, and soot, which I incorporate into my Portal/Circle theme.
Stuart Lehrman began his career on the West Coast. Received MFA, Mills College, Oakland, California. Started showing his work at galleries in San Francisco, Portland, Los Angeles, and Dallas. His early work focused on richly colored ceramics and painted wooden and found object sculptures. He relocated to upstate New York in the 1990s and worked as art director for the New York State Health Department. Twelve years ago, he moved to Philadelphia to teach design courses at Jefferson University (now retired). He lives with his wife and works in his home/studio in Cherry Hill, NJ.
His work is included in several public and private collections:
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
California State University-East Bay, Hayward, CA
Long Beach Museum, Long Beach, CA
Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
Dellen Publishing Company, San Francisco, CA
Heathman Hotel, Portland, OR
Leanin Tree Publication, Denver, CO
Park’n Fly Service Corporation, St. Louis, MO
Peerless Electric Company, Berkeley, CA
Oracle Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
Southland Corporation, Dallas, TX
The National Old City Apartments, Philadelphia, PA
Triple S. Investment Company, Portland, OR
Walden Venture Capital Investment Inc., San Francisco, CA
Connected Strategy Group, Danville, PA
Mills College, Oakland, CA
MFA
2018
4th Annual Colorful Abstractions, Fusion Arts-Artsy Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
2017
Perkins Center for Arts, Photographic Award
Show scheduled in March 2018, Collingwood, NJ
Microgrant Project Award, InLiquid & dickblick.com
Philadelphia, PA
2013
Drexel University Purchases Award, "Road Rage #31"
Philadelphia, PA
1977
Full Merit Scholarship for graduate study, Mills College
Oakland, CA
2017
Heithaus, Harriet "National Photo Show Emphasizes Drama", The Naples Daily News, June 14, 2017
2014
Haupt, Chuck “The Photography Spot-Editor’s Choice”, Ragazine.cc, September 2014
Bloom, Robin "'RSVP' at LGTripp Gallery", WHYY Newsworks, August 2014
1991
Roland, Carolyn “Found Objects”, Art Matters, November 1991
Crohn, Jennifer “Art as a Civic Virture”, The East Bay Guardian, November 1991
Mullinax, Gary “Junk Debunks Presentation of Modern Art” The News Journal, September 12, 1991
Littlefield, Kinnery “Added Dimension shoulders the Load”, Press-Telegram, July 29, 1991
1987
Van Proyen, Mark “Craft and Abstraction”, Artweek, January 31, 1987
1985
Barker, Kenneth “Two Local Artist with Colorful Ideas”, San Francisco Chronicle, July 1, 1985
Bell, Michael “Sculpture Music”, Artweek, January 31, 1985
Boettger, Suzaan “Stuart Lehrman”, Artforum, December, 1985
1984
Jan, Alfred “Shape and Sources”, Fine Arts, January 5, 1984
1983
Liss, Andrea “Bay Area Geometric Abstraction”, Artweek, January 31, 1983
1982
Workman, Andree “Redolent Surface”, Artweek, January 31, 1982
2023
Abington Art Center, Philadelphia, PA
2021
Philadelphia International Airport Exhibitions Program, Philadelphia, PA
2019
Stockton University Museum, Atlantic City, NJ
Cosmopolitan Club Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
1991
Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA
1990
Acme Art, San Francisco, CA
1989
Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
1988
Acme Art, San Francisco, CA
1987
Acme Art, San Francisco, CA
1985
Acme Art, San Francisco, CA
1982
Foster Goldstrom Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2019
InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1992
Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA
1989
Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA
1986
Acme Art, San Francisco, CA
1984
Stella Polaris, Los Angeles, CA
1984
Foster Goldstrom Gallery, Dallas, TX
1983
Foster Goldstrom Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2021
Incubation, Scott Mills Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
International Juried Exhibition 2021, The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ
2020
The TRANSFORMATIONS Exhibition, Pennsylvania Center for Photography, Philadelphia, PA
2019
Art and Earth Exhibition, Berkeley Arts Council, Martinsburg, WVCurator: Jay Pastore, Roberto Clemente Museum, in Pittsburgh, PA
Compatible Contrast, SALUS University, Elkins Park, PA
Monochrome, Site: Brooklyn Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018
2018 SOHO Photo Gallery National Competition, SOHO Photo Gallery, New York, NY
26th International Art Exhibition, Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, Brownsville, TX
4th Annual Colorful Abstractions, Fusion Arts-Artsy Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
PHOTO 36 Award Exhibition, Perkins Center for the Art,s Collingswood, NJ
2017
Camera USA® 2017: National Photography Exhibition and Award, The von Liebig Art Center, Naples, FL
Curator: Robin O'Dell, Curator of Photographic Collections, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL
Fresh Hues, Media Arts Council & Gallery, Media, PA
Curator: Alice Beamesderfer, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Annual Open Media Juried Exhibition, Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown, NJ
Curator: Robert Blackson, Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Photography 36, Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown, NJ
Curator: Sarah Stolfa, Executive & Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center, Philadelphia, PA
Fragmented Identities, ArtSceneToday, Queens, NY
Contemporary Abstraction, Core New Art Space, Denver, CO
2016
Fragmented Identities, Venice Art House Gallery, Santa Croce, Venezia, Italy
Movement, Linus Art Galleries, Long Beach, CA
Small Works, ROY G BIV Gallery, Columbus, OH
Raw Materials, Reinboth & Company, Lambertville, NJ
2015
Postcard Invitational, SPACEWOMb Gallery, New York, NY
Open Lens, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
The Earth Speaks, ArtSpace Gallery, Stroudsburg, PA
2014
RSVP 4, LGTripp Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Invitational
Curators Choice, Metropolitan Gallery, Austin, TX
1998
Rough Material, Foster Goldstrom Gallery, Manhattan-New York City, NY
1994
Lost & Found, ArtLink Contemporary Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN
Movement in Space, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
1993
Recycler, Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles, CA
The Sculpture Tour, University of Tennessee, Nashville, TN
1992
Fragile Earth, Lower Columbia College, Longview, WA
Found Objects as Art, Long Beach Arts, Long Beach, CA
Real Space, Works Gallery, Costa Masa, CA
Residue Immortalized, Security Pacific Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1991
Emeryville Fifth Annual, Park Avenue Wharehouse, Emeryville, CA
Curator: Phil Linhares, Head Curator of the Oakland Museum
Lost and Found, Finegood Art Gallery, West Hills, CA
Found Objects, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Art, Wilmington, DE
Art Trends, Clary-Miner Gallery Buffalo, NY
Curator: Barbara Haskell of the Whitney Museum
66th Annual Crocker-Kingsley Exhibition, Crocker-Kingsley Museum Sacramento, CA
Curator: Karen Tsujiumoto of the Oakland Museum
The North American Sculpture Exhibition, The Foothill Art Center, Golden, CO
Earth, Brandstater Gallery, Loma Linda University, Riverside CA
Curator: Josine Starrels of the Long Beach Museum
1990
Miniatures & Small Works, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
New Direction, Barrett House, Poughkeepsie, NY
Curator: Charlotta Kotik of the Brooklyn Museum
Metal Now Exhibition, Downey Museum, Downey, CA
1986
Bay Area Abstraction, Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA
1985
Sculptural Painting, St. Mary’s College, Oakland CA
1984
Las Vegas Small Sculpture National, Las Vegas Art Museum, Las Vegas, NV
1983
Shapes and Sources, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
Painted, Route 66 Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Planar Dimension: Geometric Abstraction by Bay Area Artists, Walnut Creek Civic Center, Walnut Creek, CA
1980
55th Annual Crocker-Kingsley Exhibition, Crocker-Kingsley Museum, Sacramento, CA
1979
Young Artist-New Directions, Diablo Valley College, Concord, CA
Clay from Molds: Multiples, Altered Castings, Combinations, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI