b. 1993
Hector Acuna is an artist and educator living in Grafton, Wisconsin. He studied at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he earned his BFA in 2015 before completing an MFA from Michigan State University in 2020. Hector has taught art classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, and color/design for group workshops and at the university level.
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Hector's art practice functions symbiotically between his studio and en plein air. He has found a unique balance between each setting and continues to explore themes of place, identity, and the human body. Organic encounters with the public and public locations inspire how he chooses to document his experiences in the field. At his studio easel, Hector's images drift towards the surreal and imaginary. These works are threaded by an uncanny, humorous, and mysterious depiction of being human. As he continues to develop and explore these ideas, Hector looks forward to the ways in which paint as an object offers a sense of time, place, and character.
Hector has had small group and solo exhibitions at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Scarabocchio Art Museum, Saugatuck Center for the Arts, and Noel Fine Arts Center. His work has also been juried into exhibition spaces including the Wisconsin Museum of Art, Site:Brooklyn Gallery, Trout Museum of Art, Baton Rouge Gallery, South Haven Center for the Arts, and Wheaton College. Hector has received various awards including the Hipstamatic Entrepreneurship Award. In 2018, he was an Artist in Residence at the Vermont Studio Center and in 2020 was a Teaching Artist in Residence at the Saugatuck Center of the Arts. In 2022, Hector was a finalist for the Pfister Hotel Artist in Residence program. Hector has been an active participant in various art organizations, currently he's a member of the Cedarburg Artists Guild. In 2021, Hector began competing in plein air painting events where his work has received recognition and been purchased for public and private collections. Most recently, Hector was invited to the Door County Plein Air Festival in 2022 where his painting "Cracked A Few Good Eggs" was awarded Best of Show. In the October/November issue of Plein Air Magazine Hector was nominated as one of three "Artists to Watch" with a feature on his work. At the 2023 Plein Air Convention & Expo Hector was named the M. Stephen Doherty Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Hector's plein air paintings are represented by Pink Llama Gallery in Cedarburg, WI and his studio paintings at Levee Contemporary in Princeton, WI.
Select CV
Education
2020 Master of Fine Arts, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
2015 Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2D Emphasis, Psychology Minor, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
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Professional Employment
2022-2023 Lecturer/Assistant Professor, ArtS 3310 (remotely), University of Minnesota Morris, Three Semesters
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Professional Activities and Community Involvement
2023 Instructor, Drawing Workshop, Ampersand Supply & Co, November, Sheboygan, WI
Instructor, Open Water Plein Air Workshop, September, Stevens Point, WI
Instructor, Plein Air Workshop, Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek, WI
Invited Artist, Plein Air Demo, July, Rahr-West Art Museum, Manitowoc, WI
Invited Artist, Emerging Artist Program, Midsummer Festival of the Arts, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI
Judge, Paint Cedarburg Plein Air Event, Cedarburg Cultural Center, June, Cedarburg, WI
Judge Coordinator, Paint Cedarburg Committee, Cedarburg Artists Guild
Instructor, Casein Mini Painting Workshop, Richeson Gallery & School of Art, Kimberly, WI
Judge, Small Works Exhibition, Richeson Gallery & School of Art , Kimberly, WI
Instructor, Drawing Workshop, Cedarburg Cutural Center, February, Cedarburg, WI
2022 Instructor, Mastering the Value Scale Workshop, Cedarburg, Cultural Center, 6 Hour Lesson
2021 Co Chair, Paint Cedarburg Plein Air Festival Committee, Cedarburg Artist Guild
2020 Instructor, Adult Portrait Painting Workshop, Saugatuck Center for the Arts, MI, 3 Hour Lesson
Lecturer and Visiting Artist, Self-Portrait Puppet Project, Fennville Middle and High School,
Holland Middle School, Paw Paw High School, Black River Middle School, 300+ students, organized through
Saugatuck Center for the Arts, MI
2019 Lecturer, Artistic Practice and Teaching, STA 893 MFA Professional Seminar, MSU
Lecturer, HA 254 Latin American Art, Professor Laura Smith, MSU
Lecturer, TE 430 Teacher Education, Professor Karenanna Creps, MSU
Graduate Representative, Critical Race Studies Artist-In-Residence Search Committee, MSU
2018 Juror, 2019-2020 Open Call, Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
Awards and Fellowships
2023 M. Stephen Doherty Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Plein Air Magazine, Presented at PACE23
Honorable Mention, Door County Plein Air Festival, Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek, WI, Judge Lori Putnam
First Place, Main Event Category, Paint the Point, Mineral Point, Judges Marc Anderson, Christopher Reno, Richard Moninski
First Place, Nocturne Category, Paint the Point, Mineral Point, Judges same as main event
Second Place, Postcard Category, Paint the Point, Mineral Point, Judges same as main event
Honorable Mention, Quick Paint Category, Paint the Point, Mineral Point, Judges same as main event
2022 Best of Show, Door County Plein Air Festival, Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek WI, Judge Don Demers
First Place "Outside of the Box", Bluff Strokes Paint Out, Dubuque, IA Judge Lorin Willey
Best Render the Vendor Award, Walworth County Fair Plein Air Event, Elkhorn, WI
First Place, Quick Paint, Paint the Point, Mineral Point, WI
First Place, Postcard Event, Paint the Point, Mineral Point, WI
Grand Champion, WI State Fair Quick Paint, Plein Air Festival State Fair, West Allis, WI
2nd Place, Main Event Jefferson Plein Air Festival, Judges Lori Beringer, Bethann Moran-Handzlik
First Place, Quick Paint Jefferson Plein Air Festival, Jefferson, WI, Judges same as main event
Best of Show Cedarburg Art Museum Purchase Award, Paint Cedarburg Plein Air Event, Judges Tom Kubala, Andy Fletcher, James Hempel
2021 Sunshine Award, Paint the Towns En Plein Air, Plymouth, WI, Judge James P. Neilson
First Place, Paint the Town Barrington Plein Air Festival, Barrington, IL, Judge Nancie King Mertz
Award of Excellence, Between the Bluffs Plein Air Festival, La Crosse, WI, Judge Ben Bauer
Third Place, Between the Bluffs Plein Air Quick Paint, La Crosse, WI, Judge Jon Erickson
Grand Champion, WI State Fair Plein Air Festival, West Allis, WI
Grand Champion, WI State Fair Quick Paint, Plein Air Festival State Fair, West Allis, WI
Best of Show, Port Wing Plein Air Festival, Port Wing, WI
Honorable Mention, Paint Cedarburg, Cedarburg, WI, Judge Lori Beringer, Antwan Ramar, Paul Bergquist
2020 2nd Place, Best Use of Medium, November Self Portrait Challenge, New Masters Academy
2019 Dissertation Completion Fellowship, College of Arts and Letters, MSU
Research/Professional Development Fellowship, Department of Art, Art History, and Design, MSU
2018 Summer Support Fellowship, Department of Art, Art History, and Design, MSU
2nd Place, Teenage Merit, Michigan Collegiate Art Exhibition, Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
Research/Professional Development Fellowship, Department of Art, Art History, and Design, MSU
2016 Excellence Award, Marshfield Art Fair, New Visions Gallery
2015 2D BFA Arts Bash Scholarship, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
Hipstamatic Entrepreneurship Award, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
First Place, Portrait of the Poet: Emmitt James, Gamblin Torrit Grey Competition
2014 Best of Show, Self Portrait, UWSP Student Juried Show
James R. Hill Award, Model With Hoop, UWSP Student Juried Show
Chancellor’s Citation for Artistic Achievement, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
Juror's Choice, The Passing of Greed, Visions XVI Juried Art Show
Honorable Mention, Restoration 1A, Visions XVI Juried Art Show
Best of Show, The Passing of Greed, CGSAC Student Juried Show at UWSP
COFAC Dedication Scholarship, UWSP
Solo and Small Group Exhibitions
2022 Indiana Green Invitational, Levee Contemporary, Princeton, WI Curators Frank Juarez and Samantha Timm
2021 Shoulder to Shoulder, Solo Exhibition, Richeson Gallery, Kimberly, WI
2020 The Barn, Master of Fine Arts Thesis Group Exhibition, Eli and Edyth Broad Art Museum, East Lansing, MI
Alien Nation, Solo Exhibition, Corridor Gallery, Saugatuck Center for the Arts, Saugatuck, MI
2018 Súper Duper, Solo Exhibition, Kresge Art Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Hector Acuna, Solo Exhibition, Re:Vision Gallery, Kenosha, WI
2017 The Desert and the Farm, Solo Exhibition, University of Wisconsin Marshfield/Wood County, Marshfield, WI
2014 A Portrait Of Place-Stevens Point, WI, Scarabocchio Art Museum, Stevens Point, WI
Group Exhibitions
2023 TMA Contemporary, Juried Exhibition, Trout Museum of Art, Appleton, WI, Jurors Frank Juarez, Riley Niemack, Christina Turner
Art of Water VII, Juried Exhibition, James May Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
2022 Annual Juried Exhibition, Cedarburg Artist Guild, Cedarburg Cultural Center, Jurors Debra Brehmer, Richard Hartman
TMA Contemporary, Juried Exhibition, Trout Museum of Art, Appleton, WI, Jurors Samantha Timm, Mutòpe Johnson, Christina Turner
Art of Water VI, Online Juried Exhibition, James May Gallery
Wisconsin Artist Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI Jurors Dan Gun, Phyllis McGibbon, John Salminen
Artlink Regional Juried Exhibition, Artlink Contemporary Art, Fort Wayne, IN, Juror Kim Rae Taylor
The Uncanny, Online Juried Exhibition, The Chateau Gallery, Louisville, KY
2021 Faces and Places, Online Juried Exhibition, Dodomu Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Flat Rate Contemporary 11, Artist-Juried Flat File Exhibition
Annual Winter Juried Show, Anderson Art Center, Kenosha, WI Juror William Doug Singsen
Teeny, Tiny, BOLD, Rountree Gallery, Platteville, WI Juror Frank Juarez Artdose Magazine
Artdose Magazine Exhibition, Honey and Ace, Sheboygan, WI, Juror Frank Juarez Artdose Magazine
Richeson75 Figure & Portrait, Richeson Gallery, Kimberly, WI, Group Jury
The Skin I’m In, South Haven Center for the Arts, South Haven, MI, Juror Donna Jackson
One Square Mile, Cedarburg Art Museum, Cedarburg, WI, Juror Evelyn Patricia Terry
2020 Surreal Salon 12, Baton Rouge Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA, Juror Dan Quintana
Drawing, Site:Brooklyn Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, Juror Olga Valle Tetkowski
2019 15th Annual Small Works Show, 440 Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, Juror John Gagné
Brush Coat Cover, 2019 Wheaton Biennial, Wheaton College, Norton, MA, Juror Cade Tompkins
2017 New Works For A Live Audience, Group Exhibition, Eli and Edyth Broad Art Museum, East Lansing, MI
2016 Phantom Gallery Party, Group Invitational Exhibition, Create Portage County, Stevens Point, WI
The Art of Landscape, Invitational Show, Smith Scarabocchio Art Museum, Stevens Point, WI
2014 Visions XVI, Juried Art Exhibition, Riverfront Arts Center, Juror Susan Morrison
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Residencies
2022 Cedarburg Cultural Center, Artist in Residence, Cedarburg, WI February
2020 Growing Young Artists Program, Saugatuck MI, Teaching Artist in Residence, July
Saugatuck Center for the Arts, Saugatuck MI, Low Residency January - February
2018 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson VT, August Session
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Public Collections
Cedarburg Art Museum, Cedarburg, WI
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Public Art
2021 Life in Lansing, Mural, Lansing Art Path, Juried by Lansing Art Gallery
2019 Collaborative Mural, MLK and Pasadena St, Flint Public Art Project, Flint, MI
Robin, Mural, Lansing Art Path, Juried by Lansing Art Gallery,
(Sponsored by Dan and Bonnie Warmels, located under Cedar St and Elm St. Lansing, Michigan
Life is a Groovy Opportunity, Collaborative Mural, East Lansing, MI
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Podcasts
2022 Reasonably Fine Art Talk with Charlie Hunter, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKelVxDcvJ8&t=1151s
Press/Features
2022
Artists to Watch feature, Plein Air Magazine, October/November issue 2022
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Cover Artist and "View from the Studio" Feature, Artdose Magazine, Vol 32, Winter 2022 https://artdosemagazine.com/
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2021
Artists ‘Paint the Town’ of Barrington in open air art competition, Pioneer Press Staff, October 2021
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Hector Acuna Leaves Mark on City with Mural - Lansing ArtPath Profiles, June 4th 2021, Sophia Saliby,
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2020
SCA Live Community Conversation with Hector Acuna, Podcast Interview, Saugatuck Center
for the Arts, https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=309123813775350
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EXAMINING A SENSE OF BELONGING BETWEEN THE FIGURE AND GROUND, Pikchur Magazine
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Oh, the Humanity, Marla R. Miller, Revue Magazine, January 28, 2020.
https://revuewm.com/arts/visual-arts/item/4715-oh-the-humanity
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2019
Lean In and Stand Back, Lawrence Cosentino, City Pulse, March 7, 2019.
http://lansingcitypulse.com/stories/lean-in-and-stand-back,59
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2018
Artist Hector Acuna displaying works at Re:Vision Gallery Kenosha, Kenosha News, June 7, 2018.
https://www.kenoshanews.com/get_out/arts/artist-hector-acuna-displaying-works-at-re-vision-galler