Bill McCarroll

Bill McCarroll’s paintings and prints show his interest in the procedural based art of post-minimalism – paint applied layer by layer on canvas to build textured surfaces, sometimes employing corrugated cardboard, in an attempt to maintain perfect control, leaving as few physical traces of the artist’s hand as possible.  The artist also has an orientation with Pop Art’s appropriation or referencing as seen in his editioned, hand colored silkscreen and lithographic prints – the attempt to bridge the gap that otherwise separates high art from mass culture. Born in California, McCarroll’s work bears the imprint of his admiration for the mechanisms and inclinations of the art sprung out of the sixties.  However, his imagery and presentation maintains an exploration in contemporary life and its constructs.

Video Interviews

Artist Information

Billy McCarroll played competitively in the sport of golf during his youth in Santa Barbara, California. Receiving a golf scholarship to the California State University, McCarroll changed his direction and left with an MA in Visual Art in 1969.The multi media artist has spent that last 30 years as an instructor, artist and jazz musician at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta Canada. In 1983, McCarroll came upon the 1953 Dell paperback edition of Sam Snead’s Natural Golf, a how to book of instructions from the famous golfer which became an ongoing influence in the artistic course of McCarroll’s art. Through the artist’s forays into eccentric abstraction and structural-procedural geometric abstraction, McCarroll’s appropriations of the rough graphics and text from the book allows the artist to preserve his reverence of the game of golf while balancing it with a subtle sense of humor, giving his work namely a unique visual presentation.

BILLY J. MCCARROLL

Born: 1937 Santa Barbara, California USA

1971-1995 Professor of Art University of Lethbridge

2000- Present Professor Emeritus University of Lethbridge

Residence: Lethbridge, Alberta Canada

Education

 

B.A. California State University, San Francisco 1967

M.A. California State University, Humboldt 1969

Solo Exhibitions

2023     Recent Works, CASA Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

2022     The Golf Lesson Continues, Edge Gallery, Canmore, Alberta

2022     Fiolds/Cover Up Series, Trianon Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

2022     RAG/Cover Up Series, Norberg Hall Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2019     Aftermath, Jarvis Hall Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2017     Return/nruteR, Trianon Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

2016     Notations, Jarvis Hall Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2013     Pablo’s Grid/Dropcloth, Jarvis Hall Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

2012      Billy J. McCarroll Survey 1974-2011, Jarvis Hall Fine Art, Calgary, Alberta

2011      How To Play a Winning Game Your Way: A Survey 1971-2011, Southern Alberta Art Gallery,    Lethbridge, AB

2005     Bill McCarroll, Golf Lesson, Jennifer Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia

2002     Several works are featured at the Angus Glen Golf Club, Markham, Ontario, site of the 2002 Canadian Open.

2002     Fore, Jennifer Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver, BC

2002     New Works, Paul Kuhn Gallery, Calgary, AB

2002     The Golf Lesson, Appleton Museum, Ocala, Florida

2000     Forewarning, Trianon Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB

1993     How to Play a Winning Game Your Natural Way: A Continuing Metaphor,

1983-1993, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College Art Gallery, Memorial University, Corner Brook, Newfoundland

1991     Sam: The Portraits, Trianon Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB

1990     Curtains, Installation, Stride Gallery, + 15, Calgary

On the Green, touring exhibition, Alberta Art Foundation Extension Exhibition Program, Southern Alberta Art Gallery and Edmonton Art Gallery

1988     New Drawings/ Paintings, Canadian Art Galleries

1987     How to Play a Winning Game Your Natural Way: Part III, Kelowna Art Gallery,

Kelowna, British Columbia

1986     How to Play a Winning Game Your Natural Way: The Metaphor Continues, Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan

1984     How to Play a Winning Game Your Natural Way: a Continuous Metaphor, Off-Centre Centre, Calgary

1983     Recent Work, Torbolton Oaks Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario

1981     New Paintings, Southern Alberta Art Gallery

1978     Recent Paintings and Works on Paper, Red Deer College Art Gallery, Alberta

1977     Geotape Compositions, University of Calgary Art Gallery

1974     Bill McCarroll/ Jeff Olsen, Glenbow-Alberta Art Gallery

1973     Bill McCarroll/ Jeff Olsen, The University of Lethbridge Art Gallery

1969     M.A. Graduate Exhibition, California State University Art Gallery, Arcata, California

 

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

2022     25th Anniversary Exhibition, Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver, BC

2011     Bill McCarroll: A Survey 1971-2011, Jeffrey Spalding, Peter White

2011     Bring the Noise, Jarvis Hall Fine Art, Calgary, AB

2010     On Your Marks, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, collaboration with Denton Fredrickson and Glenn

McKinnon, Lethbridge, AB

2006     The McIntyre Ranch Project, Illingworth Kerr Gallery, Alberta College of Art and Design,Calgary AB

2005     The McIntyre Ranch Project, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

2004     Break Away, Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna, BC

2004       Bill McCarroll, Barry Lorne and Robert Clifton, Trianon Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

2004     Toronto International Art Fair (represented by Michael Gibson Art Gallery, London ON)

2003     “Untitled”, Trianon Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB

2002     Variety Pack: Pop Art’s Legacy in Canada, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, AB

2002     Several works are featured at the Angus Glen Golf Club, Markham, Ontario, site of the

Canadian Open

2001     Zippity Zip, Jennifer Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.

2001     Exhibitions, Acquisitions and Commissions 1981-2001, University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

2001     Gardens, Paul Kuhn Art Gallery, Calgary, AB

2001     Avantgardening, Trianon Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

2000     Fresh, Jennifer Kostuik Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia

2000     ABC’s of Pop Art, Appleton Museum, Ocala, Florida

1999-    present  represented by Paul Kuhn Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

1999     Stumble, Trianon Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

1998     25th Anniversary Alberta Art Foundation, Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta

1995-99 Represented Canadian Art Gallery, Calgary- Various Group Exhibitions

Gallery Artists, Canadian Art Galleries

1994     Contemporary Canadian Abstraction: A Selection, Kenderdine Gallery, University of

Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

                        Adrian Cooke, Bill McCarroll, Jeffrey Spalding, Canadian Art Galleries

Seattle International Art Fair, represented by Canadian Art Galleries

1993     Artist Proof, Canadian Art Galleries

1992     Alberta Survey: New Landscape, Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, AB

From Soup to Nuts: Pop Art, It’s Legacy and the Culture of Consumption, organized

by the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, WORKS Visual Arts

Festival, Edmonton; Visual Art Week, Calgary

Gallery Artists, Barret Post Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver

The McIntyre Ranch Project, Southern Alberta Art Gallery

1991     The Oldman River Exhibition, Southern Alberta Art Gallery

Selections from the Alberta Art Foundation, University Art Gallery,

University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB

1990     Los Angeles International Art Fair, represented by Canadian Art

Galleries

Gallery Artists, Canadian Art Galleries, Calgary

1989     Gallery Artists, Canadian Art Galleries, Calgary, AB

bridge, organized by The University of Lethbridge Art Gallery

and presented in Lethbridge

1988     Survey Alberta 88, Alberta College of Art, Calgary, AB

Five Artists from the Stride Gallery, THE WORKS Visual Arts Festival, Edmonton, AB

Visions of Alberta, Muttart Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

1987     Aspects of Contemporary Alberta Painting, Glenbow Museum

Transference, Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff, Alberta; Charles H. Scott

Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia

Focus ’87, Southern Alberta Art Gallery

John Clark, Bill McCarroll, Jeffrey Spalding, Stride Gallery, Calgary, AB

1985     Southern Exposure, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta

1983     Recent Acquisitions, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta

1977     Alberta Works, Alberta College of Art Gallery, Calgary, AB

New Abstract Art, Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, AB

1976     Alberta Artists, Canada House, London, England; Brussels, Belgium; Paris, France; and New York, N.Y.

1973     Contemporary Alberta Artists, Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, AB

1971     West ’71, Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta

1970     Design IIX, Pasadena Art Museum, Pasadena, California

1969     Sculpture ’69, Ester Bear Gallery, Santa Barbara, California

1969     Sculpture ’69, Ester Bear Gallery, Santa Barbara, California

1966     Crafstman ’66, Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles, California

1962    Young Americans ’62, New York Contemporary Craft Gallery, N.Y.

Collections

Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton

Government of Alberta, Edmonton

Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta

Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa

Dunlop Art Gallery

Energy Resource Conservation Board, Calgary

Glenbow Museum

J.S. Charles, Santa Monica, California

Kenderdine Gallery, University of Saskatchewan

Lethbridge Regional Hospital

Morrison Petroleums Limited

Nickle Art Museum, University of Calgary

Norcen Energy Resouces Limited

RAPPORT, Toronto

Sir Wilfred Grenfell College Art Gallery

Sun Life of Canada, Toronto

The Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec

The Collections of The University of Lethbridge

Angus Glen Golf Club

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

Private Collections

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

2002     Ferdie De Vega, “Master strokes: Golfer, artist, Billy McCarroll combines his passions in new exhibit”, Star-Banner, Ocala Florida, March 17.

2002     Mary-Beth Laviolette, “Golf the subject of artist’s passion”, Calgary Herald, May 25.

1991     The Oldman River Exhibition, catalogue, Southern Alberta Art Gallery

1991     On the Green, catalogue, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta;

Alberta Art Foundation Extension Exhibition Program

1991     Mary-Beth Laviolette, ‘Oldman River Expedition,’ review, Artichoke, Vol. 2, No.3 (Fall/ Winter) 32-4.

1991     Nancy Tousley, ‘Window Projects,’ review, Calgary Herald, January 25

1988     Elizabeth Beauchamp, ‘Sam in Orange: Hole in One,’ review, The Edmonton Journal, July 3

1988     Nancy Tousley, ‘New Drawings/Paintings: Canadian Art Galleries’ review, Calgary Herald, May 26

1987     Nancy Tousley, ‘Alberta Artists Turn Mass Culture Back On Itself,’ review, Calgary Herald, January 13

1987     Nancy Tousley, ‘John Clark, Bill MCCarroll, Jeffrey Spalding,’ review, Calgary Herald, November 19

1986     Meta Perry, ‘How to Play a Winning Game Your Natural Way: The Metaphor Continues,’ review, Regina Leader Post, May 1

1986     ‘Mr. Tee,’ Canadian Art, Vol.3, No.3 (Fall) 23-4.

1986     Grant Arnold, ‘Billy J. McCarroll,’ review, Vanguard, Vol.15, No.4 (September) 42.

1984     Nancy Tousley, ‘How to Play a Winning Game Your Natural Way: a Continuing Metaphor,‘ review, Calgary Herald, November 20

1988     Survey Alberta 88, catalogue, Alberta College of Art Gallery, Calgary

1987     Vince Varga, Aspects of Contemporary Alberta Painting, catalogue, Glenbow Museum, Calgary

1987     Daina Augaitis, Transference, catalogue, Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff, Alberta

1986     Peter White, How to Play a Winning Game Your Natural Way: The Metaphor Continues, catalogue, Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan

1974     Bruce Ferguson, Bill McCarroll/Jeff Olsen, catalogue, Glenbow Alberta Art Gallery,   Calgary, Alberta

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