Born
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
1956
Education
Yale University, BA Art, 1978.
With Honors and Distinction in the Major.
Places
Lancaster, 1978-1981
New York City, 1981-1989
Los Angeles, 1989-2008
Austin, 2008 – present
Exhibitions
2025
TIAA Collection (opening and events) / TIAA, The Star, Frisco, TX.
2024
John Swanger | Then Again / Jordan Michael Design, Austin, TX.
Group Show / Washington Carver Museum, Austin, TX.
Collage & Assemblage / Site Brooklyn, curated by Regine Basha, Brooklyn, NY.
John Swanger | Drop Time, Green Blue Day / Groton School, Groton, MA.
2023
Shape Form Structure / Site Brooklyn, curated by Elizabeth Rooklidge, Brooklyn, NY.
John Swanger, New Paintings / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX.
Group Show / Washington Carver Museum, Austin, TX.
2022
John Swanger, 2022 Paintings / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX.
Group Show / Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Austin, TX.
2021
John Swanger, Silver Paintings / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX.
Group Show / Big Medium Gallery, Austin, TX.
2020
Studio Life, Current Paintings / Dove Springs, Austin, TX
2019
New Paintings / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX.
John Swanger, 14 Paintings / StartUp Art Fair, Houston, TX.
In Spring / Studio, 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX.
2018
Untitled (house), The Browne Goodwin Collection / Illinois State Museum, Lockport Gallery, Lockport, IL.
Group Show / Springdale General, Austin, TX.
John Swanger New Paintings / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX
2017
Elizabeth Chiles | John Swanger, Lumens and Currents / Grayduck Gallery, Austin, TX
New Work, Public and Private Spaces / 701 Tillery St., Austin, TX
Due East / Big Medium, Austin, TX
John Swanger / 797 Springdale, Austin, TX
2016
Due East / Big Medium, Austin, TX
John Swanger, Selected Paintings / 701 Tillery St, Austin, TX
Hunting Prize / Finalists exhibition / Houston, TX
2015
John Swanger / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX
Selected Finalist, David Bown Projects, Curated by Claire Carter, Scottsdale MoCA, Carmen Hermo, Guggenheim Museum, and Anna Stothart, San Antonio Museum of .Art
Group Show / Big Medium, Austin, TX
John Swanger Paintings 2009-2014 / Hellmann Stribling, Austin, TX
Due West / Big Medium, Austin, TX
5 × 7 / The Contemporary Austin / Annual benefit, Austin, TX
2014
John Swanger, Recent Paintings / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX
New American Painting 114 (publication), Curated by Nora Burnett Abrams, Associate Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, CO
Distilled Essence: Selected Work from the Kiyo Higashi Gallery / Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion, Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA
Group Show / Big Medium, Austin, TX
Selected Small Works / French & Michigan Gallery, San Antonio, TX
5 × 7 / The Contemporary Austin / Annual benefit, Austin, TX
2013
First Show : Gallery Artists / French & Michigan Gallery, San Antonio, TX
John Swanger, Paintings + Constructions / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX
Due East / Big Medium at Canopy, Austin, TX
5 × 7 / The Contemporary Austin / Annual benefit, Austin, TX
2012
John Swanger, Paintings / 2305 Newfield, Austin, TX
John Swanger, Arrangements / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX
Charles Demuth Museum / Benefit exhibition and auction, Lancaster, PA
5 × 7 / Arthouse / Annual benefit, Austin, TX
2011
Group Show / Big Medium at Springdale, Austin, TX
John Swanger, Black Lacquer & Other Paintings / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX
5 × 7 / Arthouse / Annual benefit, Austin, TX
2010
John Swanger, Large Circles / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX
Wish / Dallas Contemporary / Benefit exhibition and auction, Dallas, TX
5 × 7 / Arthouse, Austin / Annual benefit, Austin, TX
2009
Texas Biennial / Multiple exhibition spaces, curated by Michael Duncan, Austin, TX
John Swanger, Reliefs & Tracings + Silver Flowers & Landscapes / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX
Group Show / Austin City Hall, curated by Michael Ray Charles, Candace Briceno, Sydney Yeager, Austin, TX
Summer Show / Craighead Green Gallery, curated by Charissa Terranova, Dallas, TX
2008
John Swanger, New Work / 701 Tillery, Austin, TX
2000 – 2007
Studio Exhibitions and Installations / South Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, CA
1999
Larry Bell, Michael Rouillard, John Swanger, Carolee Toon / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1998
John Swanger, Lead Paintings / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
MOCA, Museum of Contemporary Art / Benefit exhibition and auction, Los Angeles, CA
1997
John Swanger, Epiphyllum Paintings / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Drawings / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
LACE, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions / Benefit exhibition and auction, Los Angeles, CA
1996
Group Show / Catherine Lee, Donald Lipski, Elizabeth Newman, John Swanger, Mitja Tusek, Dario Urzay / Galerie Lelong, New York, NY
John Swanger, Drawing Project / Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA
MOCA, Museum of Contemporary Art / Benefit exhibition and auction, Los Angeles, CA
1995
Color and Structure / Robert Mangold, Walter DeMaria, Sean Scully, John Swanger, Fredric Matys Thursz, Mitja Tusek, Richard Tuttle / Galerie Lelong, New York, NY
John Swanger, Siteworks / Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA
Material Dreams / Han Feng, Ava Gerber, Jim Hodges, Beverly Semmes, John Swanger / The Gallery at Takashimaya, curated by Lynn Gumpert. Catalogue. New York, NY
LACE, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions / Benefit exhibition and auction, Los Angeles, CA
1994
John Swanger, Project Room / John Weber Gallery, New York, NY
A Perhaps Hand / Thomas Solomon’s Garage, Los Angeles, CA
LA Mail / Jose Freire Fine Arts, New York, NY
1993
Salad Days / Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Richard Lodwig, Joe Mancuso, John Swanger / Kiyo Higashi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
The White Show / Susan Landau Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
One Nail / Susan Landau Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1992
Mark Lere, Robert Levine, John Swanger / Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Boomerang / Thomas Solomon’s Garage, Los Angeles, CA
1991
Five Days / Thomas Solomon’s Garage, Los Angeles, CA
Group Show / Richard Green Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1990
Six Painters / Matthew Scott Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
1989
Sculpture / Vaughan & Vaughan, Minneapolis, MN
14 Solo Exhibitions / Dennis Anderson Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1988
John Swanger, Annunciation / One Main, Dumbo, Brooklyn, NY
Group Show / Vaughan & Vaughan Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Vital Signs / 10 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY
1987
Jumbo Dumbo / 10 Jay Street, curated by Bill Arning, Brooklyn, NY
Art, Bridges, Space / Ammo Gallery, New York, NY
1986
Endangered Species / Puck Building, curated by Lori Ledis, New York, NY
On the Edge / 10 Jay Street, curated by Valerie Smith, Brooklyn, NY
Decisions, Divisions / Federal Courthouses, curated by Deborah Masters, Brooklyn & New York, NY
1985
Selected Artists / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA
Drawings / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA
1984
John Swanger (with Scott Stenhouse) / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA
1983
Selected Artists / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA
1981
John Swanger (with Gregory Costello) / Marion Art, Lancaster, PA
Ellen Groff, Jerome Hershey, John Swanger / Community Gallery (now Lancaster Museum of Art), Lancaster, PA
Paint on Paper / Art Gallery, Millersville University, Millersville, PA
Annual Invitational / Capitol Building, Harrisburg, PA
1980
Small Works / Grey Art Gallery, New York University, curated by Patterson Sims, New York, NY
Annual Exhibition / Art Gallery, University of Delaware, Dover, DE
Echo Valley Invitational / Community Gallery (now Lancaster Museum of Art), Lancaster, PA
1979
Annual Juried Exhibition, Allentown Museum of Art, Allentown, PA
1978
John Swanger, Senior Project Exhibition / Ezra Stiles College, Yale University, New Haven, CT
1977
John Swanger, Independent Project Exhibition / Gallery, Art and Architecture Building, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Other Projects
2017
Artist talk for exhibition, Grayduck Gallery, Austin, Texas.
2016
“Spaces” (set design, projected paintings) / Jennifer Hart & Performa Dance, Ballet Austin Theatre, Austin, Texas.
2014
Blanton Museum Group / curators Veronica Roberts and Evan Garza / Studio visit and talk, Austin, Texas.
2009
Flatbed Press Collectors Forum / Studio visit and artist talk, Austin, Texas.
2000 – 1994
Collaboration, design, fabrication of artwork elements with numerous artists / including Barbara Bloom, Joseph Kosuth, Jannis Kounellis, Sol LeWitt, Maria Nordman, Stephen Prina / New York and Los Angeles.
1998
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Collectors Group, curator Howard Fox / Gallery exhibition visit and artist talk, Los Angeles, California.
1996
Artist in Residence / Production of work, exhibition and artist talks / Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California.
1995
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Acquisition Committee, curator Howard Fox / Studio vist and artist talk, Los Angeles, California.
Artist in Residence / Site specific installations (in landscape and buildings) and artist talks / Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California.
1984
“Anatomy of a Triangle” (set design and interactive elements) / Victoria Marks and Company, Dance Theatre Workshop, New York City.
1983
“Small Revolutions” (set design and interactive elements) / Victoria Marks and Company, Ethnic Folk Arts Center, New York City.
1982
“Detail” (set design and interactive elements) / Victoria Marks, Alma Project, Ethnic Folk Arts Center, New York City.
1980
“Light Plot” (site specific light sculpture), Mount Hope, Pennsylvania.
1979
"Light with Movement and Time Lapse", performances and documentation, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.