RESUME

Rita Maas is a visual artist working in drawing, printmaking and photography to playfully construct conceptual based imagery. Working within predetermined systems she embraces elements of chance and disorder, often adapting reductive forms. How information is received, filtered and processed are persistant themes of her practice, examining the spaces where slippage and illegibility occur.

Born in New York, Maas received her BFA in Photographic Studies from the School of Visual Arts. She later earned her MFA in Visual Arts at Lesley University College of Art and Design. 

Rita Maas is a 2023 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellow in Printmaking/ Drawing / Book Arts. She recently served as the 2022 Frances Niederer Artist-in-Residence at Hollins University in Roanoke, VA that coincided with a solo exhibition at the Eleanor D Wilson Museum. 

Maas was named a Finalist in The Print Center's 95th Annual by David Campany and Larissa Goldston in 2020 and was included in the exhibit “Fit to Print” at The Print Center curated by Dr. Ksenia Nouril and Lisa Blas. Her work was Finalist in the Rhonda Wilson Award and shown in the Annual FRESH 2019 exhibition at KlompChing Gallery, Brooklyn, NY. In 2017, she was awarded an Honorable Mention from the INFOCUS Sidney Zuber Photography Award and was named “One of the Ten Most Exciting Photographers I Learned about Last Year” by curator Dr. Rebecca Senf.

Her work is included in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston TX, The Center for Creative Photography in Tucson AZ, The Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester MA, The Eleanor D Wilson Museum at Hollins University, Roanoke VA and Archive 92.

Maas currently lives and works in Somers, NY.

Education

2013         MFA in Visual Arts, Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA 

1981         BFA in Photographic Studies, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY 

1978         Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, Hartford, CT

Awards & Acknowledgements 

2023 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship, Printmaking/ Drawing/ Book Arts

2020 The Print Center 95th Annual, Finalist

2019 Rhonda Wilson Award, Finalist

2017 INFOCUS Sidney Zuber Photography Award, Honorable Mention

2015 Filter Space, Abstract, Honorable Mention

2015 Barrett Art Center, Photography 15 National Photography Exhibition, First Place

2010 The Ten Most Exciting Photographers I Learned About Last Year, Rebecca Senf

2010 Critical Mass, Finalist

Select Solo and Two Person Exhibitions

2022         Eleanor D Wilson Museum at Hollins University, Roanoke, VA, Rita Maas: 2022 Frances Niederer Artist- 

                   in-Residence

2017      Spot Gallery, Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY, Residual Ink Drawings

2013       Thorndike Hall, Myers Media Art Studio, Columbia University, New York, NY, Tidal Volumes

2012       Gallery 1401, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, Reality TV

2011       Griffin Museum of   Photography, Winchester, MA, At Home 

2010       Gallerie BMG, Woodstock, NY, Skylight Views

2009       Lishui International Photographic Cultural Festival, Lishui, China, Reality TV

2007       Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA, New Works Gallery

Select Group Exhibitions

2024    Hammond Museum and Japanese Garden, North Salem, NY, A Plethora of Plants   

            Silvermine Galleries, New Canaan, CT, Every Picture Tells a Story     

            Yellow Studio, Cross River, NY, Facets

2023   Silvermine Galleries, New Canaan, CT, New Members 2023

            Yellow Studio, Cross River, NY Life Perceived 

            MAPSpace, Port Chester, NY, A Complexity of Joys, curated by Patricia Miranda and Francine Weiss

            Bethany Arts Community, Ossining, NY, Rhythm, Rhyme, Harmony

            VanDemoot Gallery, Cambridge, MA, REWIRE, Lesley Art + Design Alumni Show

             Silvermine Galleries, New Canaan, CT, Guild Summer Salon

             Hammond Museum and Japanese Garden, North Salem, NY Drawn to Abstraction

2022     Float Magazine, Photo Not a Photo, curated by Jennifer Marion & Andre Ramos-Woodward

             Silver Mine Galleries, New Canaan, CT, Guild Summer Salon

             Chroma Fine Art Gallery, Katonah, NY, Azure

             Silvermine Galleries, New Canaan, CT, Holiday Salon

             Chroma Fine Art Galery, Katonah, NY, Sigillaria

2021     The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA Finalist of 95th ANNUAL International

             The Print Center, Philadelphia, PA, Fit to Print, curated by Ksenia Nouril & Lisa Blas

             Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY, Cladogram, juried by Yassmeen Siddiqui

2020     Center for Creative Photography, Tucson AZ, Qualities of Light, curated by Rebecca Senf

             Filter Space, Chicago, IL, we like small things v.3, juried by Roula Seikaly

             Parallel Vienna, Vienna Austria, Anzenberger Gallery, Hand Made VI

2019     KlompChing Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, FRESH

             Filter Space, Chicago, IL, Imprints & Abstractions 

             Site:Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY, Art on Paper, juried by Rebecca Lax

             Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX, Center Annual, juried by Shane Lavalette

2018     San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA, Connect & Collect, curated by Cathy Kimball

             Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna Beach, FL, Hard Edge, curated by Bethany Bennett Behr

             Anzenberger Gallery, Vienna, Austria, Hand Made IV

             Umbrella Arts, New York, NY, I Surrender, Dear, curated by Frances Jakubek

            Friends Without a Border, New York, NY Invitational Benefit Auction  

             New Art Center, Newton, MA, Dialogues: Medium and Materiality

2017    Norton Gallery, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix AZ,INFOCUS PhotoBid, curated by Rebecca Senf

            Filter Space/Filter Photo Festival, Chicago IL, we like small things, juried by Jennifer Keat

            Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX, 35thAnnual Juried Member Exhibition

            Commons Gallery, University Hall, LUCAD/AIB, Cambridge, MA, Group 6 WIP  

            Fine Art Gallery at Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY, A Crack in Everything

2016     Circuit Gallery @ Prefix ICA, Toronto, Canada, Trace, Copy, Render

              Anzenberger Gallery, Vienna, Austria, Hand Made

              Bevier Gallery, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. Faculty Exhibition

              Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, NY Annual Member Exhibition

2015      International Photography Festival GuatePhoto 2015, Guatemala City, Guatemala

             Norton Gallery,Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix AZ, InFocus PhotoBid, curated by Rebecca Senf

             Filter Space/Filter Photo Festival, Chicago IL, Abstract, juried by Debra Klomp Ching

              Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY, Photography 15 National Photography Exhibition

              Leslie University College of Art and Design, Cambridge MA, Alumni Biennial / Reclassified 

2014      Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY, Hot Off the Press

              Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MAWinter Solstice Show

2013      Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, MFA Exhibition, Tidal Volum

              Caloundra Regional Gallery, Tasmania, Touring Exhibition Missing Presumed Dead 

              Hammond Museum, North Salem, NY, Elements, juried by Jennifer McGregor

               MoMA, New York, NY, PopRally: Abstract Currents: An Interactive Video Event

              Friends Without a Border, New York, NY, Invitational Benefit Auction

2012      Central Square Theater, Cambridge MA, This That Show

2011      Contemporary Arts Spaces Tasmania (CAST) Missing Presumed Dead

              Chelsea Art Museum, New York, NY, The Collector’s Guide to New Art Photography

2010      Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX, Photo Forum 

              Friends Without a Border, New York, NY, Invitational Benefit Auction

              Methodist Hospital, Dunn Tower Gallery, Houston, TX, Life’s Intentional Details

2009      Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY, Contemporary Confrontations 

             Rayko Gallery, San Francisco, CA, It’s Still Life

2008     Miranda Fine Arts, Port Chester, NY, Multi-Media Exhibition

              Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA, Benefit Auction

              Photographic Center Northwest, Seattle, WA, Photo Vision Awards and Auction         

2006      Dream Box Foto Gallery, Chicago, IL, Women Photographers Competition, Best in Show, 

2005      Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA, Photo National, juried by Kate Ware

              Fraser Gallery, Bethesda, MD, Summer Group Show

              The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO, Intimate Flora

              Fraser Gallery, Bethesda, MD, 2005 Bethesda International Competition, Third Prize, 

2004     Pen and Brush, New York, NY, Open Juried Photography Exhibition

Awards and Acknowledgements

2017     INFOCUS Sidney Zuber Photography Award, Honorable Mention

2015     Filter Space, Abstract, Honorable Mention 

             Barrett Art Center, Photography 15 National Photography Exhibition, First Place

2010     The Ten Most Exciting Photographers I Learned About Last Year, Rebecca Senf

Lectures/Talks/Teaching

2022    Hollins University, Roanoke, VA, Artist-inResidence

2021     Hollins University, Roanoke, VA

2021     Katonah Museum of Art Artist’s Association, Panel Discussion, Alternate Processes in Photography

2020     College of Staten Island, CUNY, Staten Island, NY

2019     Filter Space, Chicago, IL

2017     Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, Visiting Professor

2017     Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY

2015      College of Staten Island, CUNY, Staten Island, NY, Visiting Artist Adjunct Professor

2015      University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

2013      Art Institute of Boston, Boston MA

2011      Griffin Museum, Winchester, MA

2010      College of Staten Island, CUNY, Staten Island, NY

2007     Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA

Collections            

Museum of Fine Art, Houston, TX

Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA

Photography Museum of Lishui, China

Creative Center of Photography, Tuscon AZ                                                                                                     

Archive 192, a non-profit research archive of women working in abstract photography  

Corporate and Private Collections

Professional

2022                 Visiting Artist/Artist in Residence, Hollins University, Roanoke, VA                                                  

2016-2017         Visiting Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

2015                 Adjunct Professor/ Visiting Artist, College of Staten Island, CUNY, Staten Island NY

2013-2015        Teaching Assistant, International Center of Photography, New York, NY

1987-2014        President and owner of Rita Maas Studio, Inc., an award winning commercial studio,  

                           specializing in still life, food and beverages for editorial and advertising clients

Selected Bibliography

2023            A Complexity of Joys, MAPSpace Crit Lab publication

2022           Silvermine New Artist 2023 Catalog

2021            Musee Magazine, Issue 25, Fit to Print, Lana Nauphal

2021            Under the Bridge, Printmaking, Winter 2021, Leia Genis

2019            Fresh 2019, The Annual Summer Exhibit at KlompChing Gallery, Debra Klomp and Darren Ching

2016             Diffusion Annual Volume VIII, Abstract Invitational, Blue Mitchel

2014             Rita Maas-20thCentury Plastics, Photo Eye Blog, Lucas Shaffer

2013             Big, Red and Shiny, Thesis Show Round up, Shawn Hill

2011             Light and Lens: Photography in the Digital Age, Robert Hirsh

                     Missing Presumed Dead (the loss of the referent?)Exhibition catalog

                     The Boston Globe, Exhibition Review, Mark Feeney

2010             The Collector’s Guide to New Art Photography Vol.2, Humble Arts Foundation

                     Portfolio Showcase Volume 4, Katherine Ware, The Center for Fine Art Photography

                     Unless You Will Issue 3, Cover Image, Heidi Romano