EDUCATION:

1989

The International School of Art, Italy, Painting and Drawing Program

1989

School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, B.F.A.

1982

Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX

SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS:

2007

Chicago Landmarks Award for Preservation Excellence by The City of

Chicago, Richard M. Daley

2004

Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Illinois by the Small Business Association (SBA), Chicago, IL

2002

Mayor Richard M. Daley, City of Chicago, recognition award for mural preservation project throughout the Chicago Public Schools and as author of the book Art for the People, Chicago

1995

The Open Studio Press, Winner of the Midwest Competition

Number IV, Needham, MA

1990

Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, International Grant, Canada

1985-89

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Merit Scholarship, Chicago, IL

1985

National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, National Finalist, Grant, Miami, FL

Goldkey Foundation, National Finalist Award, Houston, TX

Musicfest Foundation, Scholarship, Houston, TX

1981-84

Goldkey Foundation, National Competition Awards, Houston, TX

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2018

Art Miami, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

2018

EXPO CHICAGO 2018, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2017

Art Miami, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

2017

EXPO CHICAGO 2017, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2016

Art Miami, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

2016

EXPO CHICAGO 2016, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2015

Art Miami, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

2015

EXPO CHICAGO 2015, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2014

Art Miami, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

EXPO CHICAGO 2014, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2013

Art Miami, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

EXPO CHICAGO 2013, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2012

Printworks Gallery, “Drawing Exhibition: Hidden Faces”, Chicago, IL

2011

Art Miami, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

Art Chicago 2011, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2010

Art Miami 2010, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

Art Chicago 2010, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2009

Art Chicago 2009, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

“Small Works”, Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, IL

2008

Art Chicago 2008, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2007

Art Chicago 2007, Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

Art Miami, exhibiting with Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Miami, FL

2006

Zolla Lieberman "Looking: to Be Looked At",  Chicago, IL

Gallery Group Exhibition, Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, IL.

2002        

Art Chicago 2002 International Exhibition, Navy  Pier, Chicago, IL

ARTPALMBEACH 2002, West Palm Beach, FL

2001

Art Chicago 2001  Festival Hall, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

The Art Show, Seventh Regiment Armory, New York, NY

Art Miami 2001,  Miami Beach, FL

2000         

The Art Show, Art Dealers Association of America, The Armory, New York, NY

Figuratively Speaking, Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO

1999         

Art San Francisco 1999 International Exposition, San Francisco, CA

Rockford Art Museum, Millennium Exhibit, Rockford, IL

Belloc Lowndes Fine Art, The Chicago Art Scene, 68 Chicago Artists, Chicago, IL

1998

Art Chicago 1998 International Exhibition, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

"Who?" Figurative Group Exhibit, Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO

1997         

The Figure, Riverside Arts Center, Sponsored in part by the Illinois Arts

Council, Curated by Victor Cassidy, Riverside, IL

Figure Eight, Rockford Art Museum, Partially sponsored by the  Illinois Arts

Council, Rockford, IL

Art Chicago 1997 International Exposition, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

Seattle Art Fair 1997, Seattle, WA

By Women Only, Robert De Caprio Jr. Gallery, Moraine Valley

Community College, Palos Hills, IL

1996        

Narrative Paintings, Lyons-Wier Gallery, Chicago, IL

1995

Two Illinois Center, Curated by the Chicago Arts Dealers Association,

Chicago, IL

New Art Examiner 1995 Benefit Auction, Chicago, IL

Two Illinois Center, Curated by the Chicago Arts Dealers Assoc., Chicago

Self-Portraits: Group Exhibition, Lyons-Wier Gallery, Chicago (traveling

exhibition) Hinsdale Art Center, Hinsdale, IL

International School of Art 1995 Benefit Exhibition, Naples, FL

1994

Small Works, Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO

Courage, University of Akron, Juror: Donna Webb., Akron, OH

52nd Juried Exhibition, Sioux City Art Center, Juror: Terry Suhre, Sioux

City, IA

1994 Benefit Exhibition, International School of Art in Umbria, Italy-

Naples, FL

1993        

Deluge: Invitational Exhibition of Works on Paper, Lyons-Wier Gallery,

Chicago, IL

A Re-Invention of Classicism, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL

New Chicago, Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO

Art Chicago 1993, The New Pier Show, Chicago, IL

A Re-Invention of Classicism, Gwenda Jay Gallery, Chicago, IL

Art Expo 1993, Lake Forest Association, Lake Forest, IL

1992

Chicago International Art Exposition, Donnelley Hall, Chicago, IL

Group Exhibition, International School of Art Gallery, Umbria, Italy

The Peace Museum Anniversary Exhibition, Northern Illinois University

Gallery, Chicago, IL

People Pictures, R.H. Love Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL

1991

Annual Alice & Arthur Baer Art Exhibition, Beverly Art Center,

Chicago, IL (Juror: Alan Artner, Art Critic Chicago Tribune)

Tenth Anniversary Show and Auction, The Peace Museum, Chicago, IL

1990

Illinois Figurative Artists, Galesberg Civic Art Center, Galesberg, IL

Recent Work by Gallery Artists, Gwenda Jay Gallery, Chicago, IL

1989

Introductions; 1989, Gwenda Jay Gallery, Chicago, IL

Fellowship Exhibition, Art Institute of Chicago – Betty Reimer Gallery,

Chicago, IL

1986        

Works by Students, Faculty, and Alumni, Art Institute of Chicago Gallery,

Chicago, IL

Painters Pick Painters, Art Institute of Chicago Gallery, Chicago, IL

1985

National Finalist Exhibition, National Foundation for Advancement in the

Arts, Miami, FL

National Finalist Exhibition, The Goldkey Foundation, New York, NY

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2012

Elmhurst Art Museum, “Hidden Faces” Elmhurst, IL

2009        

Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Chicago, IL

2006

Atrium Gallery, St Louis, MO

2001

Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO

2000        

Worthington Gallery, Chicago, IL

1999         

Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO

Malton Gallery, Cincinnati, OH

1998         

Lyons-Wier Gallery, Chicago, IL

1997         

Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO

Malton Gallery, Cincinnati, OH

1996        

Lyons-Wier Gallery, Chicago, IL

Quaker Tower Building, Gardner-Carton-Douglas, Chicago, IL

Southwestern Michigan College, Dowagiac, MI

1995         

Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO

Union League Club, Chicago, IL

1994        

Gwenda Jay Gallery, Chicago, IL

1993         

Two Illinois Center, Curated by Chicago Art Dealers Assoc., Chicago, IL

1992         

Gwenda Jay Gallery, Chicago, IL

1991         

Gwenda Jay Gallery, Chicago, IL

1990         

The Gallery, The University Club, Chicago, IL

1989         

Gwenda Jay Gallery, Chicago, IL

COLLECTIONS:

Marshall Field V, Chicago, IL

Diane Swonk, Chicago, IL

Buzz Ruttenberg, Chicago, IL

Banque Paribas, Ullrich Schubert, Paris, France.

Clifford Law Offices, Chicago, IL

Hunt Collection, Chicago, IL

Mark Twain Bank Shares, St. Louis, MO

Meier Metal Servicecenters, Hazel Park, MI

Pritzker Collection, Chicago, IL

Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL

Suzanne Lovell Inc., Chicago, IL

AUTHOR:

2002

Becker, Heather. Art for the People: The Rediscovery and Preservation of Progressive and WPA Era Murals in the Chicago Public Schools. Chronicle Books, CA

2001

"The Definition of a Mural" by Heather Becker, Dictionary of American History, 3rd Edition, Charles Scribners & Sons, New York, NY

PUBLICATIONS:

2012

Claudine Ise, Tribune, The Adventurous Atypical Elmhurst Art Museum, August 8

Sandy Illian Bosch, Sun Times, Summer Art to Intrigue Everyone, June 19

2009

Joel Henning of the Wall Street Journal, Essay on New Works by Heather Becker at Zolla Lieberman

Gallery

Margaret Hawkins, New Works by Heather Becker at Zolla Lieberman Gallery

2007

Rachel Clayton, Today’s Chicago Woman Magazine, Heather Becker: Entrepreneur, Author, Artist

2006

The Last Word: Zolla Lieberman Exhibition, Looking to be Looked At, Zolla Lieberman Gallery

Art Letter, July 14.

2002

Alan G. Artner, Chicago Tribune,  Luscious Too, August 30.

Margaret Hawkins, Chicago Sun-Times, The Real Thing: Sex Becomes Art and It’s Luscious Too, August 18.

2000

River North News, Becker at Worthington, March 11.

1999

Smith, Brian, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Show at the Atrium has an odd pairing.

Sundell, Ivy, The Chicago Art Scene Book, 68 Chicago Artists, Crow Woods.

1998

Publishing, January Daniel, Jeff, St. Louis Dispatch, Group Exhibit Explores Figurative Pieces Dealing with Identity & Mood, August 7.

Partner, Andrew, Chicago Tribune, The Art World, May 8.

Kaplan, Kathy, Chicago Tribune Magazine, Moving Pictures, April 5.

1997

Hawes, Shelley, Where Chicago Magazine August Exhibitions that Sizzle with Determination and Raw Beauty, August.

1996

Houghtton, Jim, South Bend Tribune, Figure Studies Display Diverse Approaches, Intermission Section, January 28.

1995

Burba Trulsson, Nora, Palm Springs Life Magazine, Coming in From the Cold, Featured Artist, pp. 40-45, November Issue.

Young-Bruehl, Elizabeth, Harvard University Press¸ The Anatomy of Prejudices, Cover Image 1995.

The Open Studios Press, New American Paintings, Juror: Clare Bell, Associate Curator, Guggenheim

Museum, Featured Artist, Summer Edition.

Blejski, Shelley, Where Chicago Magazine, Opening of the Gallery Season, Featured Artist, September Issue.

Hillman, Penelope, The Third World, Artist Profile, March Issue.

1994

Deal, Janice, Where Chicago Magazine, Chicago Artists, November Issue.

Lazere, Lewis, Chicago Reader, Artists on Loan, Cover page, Section two, December 3.

1993

Near North News, Heather Becker shows in A Re-Invention of Classicism, cover image, October 9.

C.F.S., St. Louis Post-Dispatch, New Chicago – Atrium Gallery, September.

Blackman, Thomas, Art Chicago 1993 The New Pier Show, exhibition catalogue, pp. 120-121, May.

Jones Richard, DePaul University, Poetry East, Praises, Volume Number Thirty-four, pp. 104-107, March.

1992

Hawkins, Margaret, Chicago Sun-Times.  It’s an Eclectic Season Debut in River North Gallery Ave.

September 25.

1991

Findsen, Owen, Cincinnati Enquirer, National Acclaim for Local Women-Going Baroque, May.

Cunniff, Joseph, Inside Lincoln Park. Art March 6.

1985

Linthicum, Leslie, The Houston Post. Heather Becker’s Artistic Talent Draws in Scholarships and Awards, June 2.