NORMAN KARY
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About
Norman Kary is a Dallas based Artist living and working for over 40 years in the DFW metroplex. He primarily works with assemblage, collage and sculptural objects. His fascination with found objects goes back to his childhood where he scavenged fields around industrial parks in Los Angeles. His work has evolved to the point that he identifies with these discarded materials as souls - as a metaphor of his youth. His process provides a stage for these found objects and images to tell a story - In doing so, there's the potential to discover something about ourselves. 

b. 1951
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Education
1974 Virginia Commonwealth University, VA.
1978 Mountain View College, Dallas TX.
1979 University of Texas at Dallas.
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Selected Exhibitions
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2023
 TEXAS SCULPTURE SLTX, Art Museums TX, Sugerland TX.
 TRACES OF HISTORY, Untitled Gallery, Oklahoma City, OK.
 TRAES IN TIME, Untitled Gallery, Oklahoma City, OK.
 REFUGE, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.

2022
 GROUP SHOW, PLUSH Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 RITUALS/BODIES/VESSELS, Selected Group Show, PLUSH Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 PRACTICAL MAGIC, PLUSH Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 REFUSE, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
 TRACES, ARTS, Fort Worth, TX.

2021
 ON THE BAYOU, The Texas Sculpture Group, Redbud Gallery, Houston TX.
 CHAOS FIELDS, New Work, PLUSH Gallery, Dallas, TX. 
 TOGETHER, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
 NOW/CONTEMPORARY, ARTRoom, Fort Worth, TX.
 SCULPTURE TODAY, The Texas Sculpture Group, San Angelo Museums of Fine Arts,     San Angelo, TX.
2020
 THA NOOZ THA BLOOZ U CHOOZ UR CREWZ, PLUSH Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 MATTER MATTERS, Tamucc Oso Bay XXI, Texas A&M, Corpus Christi, TX. 
2019
 TINY ART OF TEXAS, 218 CoOp, San Marcos, TX.
 THE TEXAS SCULPTURE GROUP, Houston Baptist University Contemporary, Houston, TX
 ASSEMBLY, The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
 REPURPOSED, Arthaus Projects, Williamsport, PA.
 THE SKETCHBOOK PROJECT, Brooklyn Art Library, Brooklyn, NY.
2018
 FINDING YOUR VOICE, Kelwood Contemporary Art, Baton Rouge, LA.
 PLAYING WITH CHESS, Texas Tech Satellite, Lubbock, TX
 ART IN THE METROPLEX, Art7, Fort Worth, TX.
 EASL HEIST, Community Arts Center, Fort Worth, TX.
 OPEN SHOW, 500X, Dallas, TX.
2016
 ANNUAL, Craighead-Green, Dallas, TX.
 GROUP SHOW, Artisan's Collective, Dallas, TX.
2015           
 ANNUAL, Craighead-Green, Dallas, TX.
 COLLAGE, Capitol One Back, Plano, TX.  
2014
 TIME AND MEMORY, Craighead-Green, Dallas, TX.
 SMALL PLEASURES III, Austin College, Sherman, TX.
 HOT AND SWEATY III, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX.
2013
 EXPO, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 DELTA, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
2012
 PREDICTING THE FUTURE, Craighead-Green, Dallas, TX.
 REVISITING THE DISCARDED, North Lake College, Irving, TX.
 5 X 7, Tally Dunn Gallery, Dallas, TX.
2011           
 MELTDOWN, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
 INVITATION SHOW, RE Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 THIRD COAST NATIONAL, K Space Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
2010           
 30 YEARS OF ABILENE OUTDOOR SCULPTURE, 1980-2010, Grace Museum, Abilene, TX.
 HEIST, Emergency Artists' Support League (EASL), Dallas, TX.
 12TH ANNUAL POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE, CRG Gallery, New York City, NY.
2009
 DIRECTIONS FOR A NEW WORLD, Craighead-Green, Dallas, TX.
 STIMULATE, Craighead-Green, Dallas, TX.
 POST CARDS FROM THE EDGE, Metro Pictures, New York City, NY.
2008
 ART IN THE METROPLEX, Moody Gallery TCU, Fort Worth, TX.
 ALL INCLUSIVE, K Space Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
 FIVE X SEVEN, Arthouse at the Jones Center, Austin, TX.
2007
 POST CARDS FROM THE EDGE, James Cohan Gallery, New York City, NY.
 DREAMS OF BALANCING ON ONE FOOT, Craighead-Green, Dallas TX.
 ON THE ROAD, Conduit Gallery, Dallas TX.
 VALENSHINE, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX 
2006
 THIRD COAST NATIONAL, K Space Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
 BIG AS NIGHT, TOO, 419 Gallery, Oak Cliff, TX.
 REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, Rose-Marie Gallery, Fort Worth, TX.
 POST CARDS FROM THE EDGE, Sikkema Jenkins and Company, New York City, NY.
2005
 LAST WINTER I DREAMED..., Bath House Cultural Center, Dallas, TX.
 SHINE! MOON GLOW, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX. 
 WHAT'S YOUR SIGN, McKinney Ave. Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
2004
 TEXAS & SWITZERLAND - The Barrett Collection, Meadows Museum SMU, Dallas, TX.
 SMALL PLEASURES II, Austin College, Sherman, TX.
 POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE, Galerie LeLong, New York, NY.
2003
 BLUE YULE, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
 BAKERS DOZEN, Art Collé, Sengines, France
 DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, Bathhouse Cultural Center, Dallas, TX.
2002
 1026 TRANQUILLA, Dallas Arts Revue Invitational, Dallas, TX.
 5 X 7: DALLAS, Dunn and Brown Contemporary, Dallas TX.
 HOME SWEET HOME, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX.
2001
 HABEAS CORPUS, Haggerty Gallery, University of Dallas, Dallas, TX.
 CELEBRATION, Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, TX
2000 
 FIGURATIVE EXHIBITION, Haggerty Gallery, University of Dallas, TX.
 MIGRATION, Handley-Hicks Gallery, Fort Worth, TX.
 A COOL SUMMER GARDEN, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, TX.
1999          
 MASQUERADE, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 ART SOUNDS, Handley-Hicks Gallery, Fort Worth, TX.
 SURREALISM, Long Beach Art Gallery, Long Beach, CA.
 THE OPEN SHOW, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX.
1998
 PORTRAIT SHOW, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 SUSPENDED, Alliance Gallery, Lubbock, TX.
 ART FOR THE GOOD TIMES, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX.
 MADNESS AT THE MAC, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
1997          
 RELIQUARIES, Irving Arts Center, Irving, TX.
 TEXAS ART, Assistance League of Houston, Houston, TX.
1996
 HOPE, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 OPEN SHOW, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 INVITATIONAL, Gray Matters Gallery, Dallas, TX.
1995
 SMALL WORLDS, Galveston Arts Center, Galveston, TX. 
 BASKET/CASE, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, TX. 
 HOME, Luther College Art Gallery, Decorah, IA 
 HOUSE AND GARDEN, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, TX. 
1994
 LOOKING WEST/GLANCING EAST, Amarillo Art Museum, Amarillo, TX. 
 ISSUES OF VIOLENCE, Orange County Center of Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA.
 A SHOW OF HANDS, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas TX.
1993
 SIX WAYS OF LOOKING, Gallery 2526, Dallas, TX. 
 NATURE OF ELEMENTS/ELEMENTS OF NATURE, Edith Baker Gallery, Dallas, TX. 
 TIE ONE ON, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX. 
 FAIRY TALES AND OTHER FANTASIES, University of Wisconsin, Waukesha, WI.
 CROSSING BORDERS, Irving Fine Arts Center, Irving, CA. 
1992
 FOUND OBJECTS AS ART, Long Beach Arts, Long Beach, CA.
 MEMORIES, Pacifica Art Guild, Pacifica, CA.
 JE SUIS UN ARTISTE-H'ELAS JE SUIS, Gallery de Melizan, Dallas, TX. 
1991
 PERFECT WORLD, San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, TX.
 GROUP SHOW, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York City, NY.
 CONSUMER SPENDING/CONSUMER WASTE, Wilder Gallery, Los Gatos, CA.
 ACCUMULATIONS, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA.
1990
 CONFISCATED IMAGES, Modern Dallas Art Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 EXPRESSION/OPPRESSION, Academy of Arts, San Francisco, CA.
1989
 CONSTRUCTED IMAGE/CONSTRUCTED FORM, The Gallery, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX. 
 DRAWINGS, Modern Dallas Art Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 KINETIC ART: IMAGINATION, MOTION, AND TIME, The Gallery, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX.
1988
 NEW CONSTRUCTIVISM, Modern Dallas Art Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 ANCESTRAL GLYPH, Dallas Visual Aet Center, Dallas, TX.
 EXCELLENCE, Plaza of the Americas, Dallas, TX.
1987
 FORESHADOWING, Record Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 GROUP EXHIBITION, Douning Gallery, Fort Worth, TX.
1986
 TEXAS NEIGHBORS ART COMPETITION, Texas Arts Complex, Irving, TX.
 CITATION, Texas Fine Arts Association, Dallas, TX.
1985
 ACTION/REACTION, 4228 Main Street Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 THE BUSINESS SHOW, D-Art Visual Arts Center, Dallas, TX.
 MADONNA SHOW, Still Light Gallery, Dallas, TX.
1984-82
 BIG BROTHER SHOW, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX.
 THE LAST HURRAH, Dallas Museum of Fine Art, Dallas, TX.
 MOUNTAIN VIEW STUDENT ART SHOW, Mountain View Collage, Dallas, TX.

Press 
 Art News DFW, Artwalk Reception, February 20, 2016.
 La Prensasa, The Magic of 'Found Objects' in the Words of Texas Artist, Adda Montalvo, December 31, 2016.
 SMU Hunter and Stephanie Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity Lyle School of Engineer, ReFrame, April 11, 2015.
 Dallas Arts Revue, Art Here Lately No. 13, J.R. Compton, January 11, 2012.
 Dallas Morning News, Guide Live: Openings and Evenings. Michael Granberry, January 2012.
 Dallas Arts Revue, Art Here Lately No. 9, J.R. Compton, August 21, 2010.
 Dallas Morning News, Guide Live: Three Artist Show, Michael Grandberry, July 16, 2010.
 The Art Chronicle, The Art Chronicle, Connie Connally, 2009.
 Art and Seek, Wednesday Morning Roundup, Stephen Becker, June 17, 2009.
 Dallas Arts Revue, Changing Art Direction: The Iffy Progress of Altering Style, Art Here No. #5, J.R. Compton, July 2009.
 Modern Dallas Luxury, Constructing Norman Kary, Steve Carter, page 58, March 2008.
 Cecil Touchon Site, Collage and Assemblage in the American West, October 15, 2008.
 Pegasus News, The Dallas Contemporary Opens its Doors to the Open Doors Collective, Laura Seewoester, November 14, 2007.
 Dallas Arts Revue, Interviewing Artists, J.R. Compton, 2007.
 Martin Delabano, Texas Tree of Art, 2006.
 Dallas Observer, Hope Chests, Annabelle Massey Helber, December 4, 2003. 

Publication
 Robert Craig Bunch, The Art of Found Objects: Interviews with Texas Artists, 2016, 89-92.
 Edmund P. Pillsbury. Texas Vision: TheBarrett Collection, 2004, 59.
 Yves Gerem, A Marmac Guide to Dallas, 1999, 438. 
 Jim Edwards, The Perfect World in Contemporary Texas Art 1991. 5, 15, 63, 138, 151.

Selected Collections 
​ Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas.
​ Ellen Noel Art Museum, Odessa, Texas. 
 Austin Museum of Art. Austin, Texas. 
 The Meadows Collection, Dallas, Texas.
 The Vernon Faulkner Collection, Dallas, Texas.
 The Barrett Collection, Dallas, Texas.
 Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas. 
 Arte College, Sergines, France.
 Exxon Corporation, Dallas, Texas.
 Sonny Burt and Bob Butler, Tally Dunn Gallery, Dallas, Texas. 


Community
 Present-2012: E.A.S.L (Emergency Artist Support League), Board Member. 
 Present-1990: The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Member.
 1995-1985: Texas Sculpture Association, Member.
 1993-1987: Texas Visual Arts Association, Member.
 1991: Arlington Museum of Art, Member.
 1987-1985: D-Art Board, Member. 
 1982: D-Art Center of Dallas, Volunteer. 
​

​© NORMAN KARY 
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