About
Regina Scully started art classes at the YMCA when she was 6 in Norfolk, Virginia, where she grew up. Surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Beach, water and boats were often subject matter and still appear throughout Scully’s work Her father made a sailboat over a period of 3 summers when she was young.. Her mother sewed the sail and the family would go sailing often, launching the boat from the end of one of the neighborhood blocks. Perhaps it was these explorations into what seemed like vast open waters to Scully as a kid that helped create her desire to explore the vast ocean of human consciousness. Thus, Scully creates micro-universes in her large-scale paintings which allude to our tangible visual reality while also beckoning the viewer into imagined realities that speak of different realms. Scully asks “How do we know that the places we imagine are not also realities — perhaps from a different time or perhaps they are right in front of us and we just don’t have the developed perception yet to see them.”
Scully’s Mindscape paintings evoke a psychological space with perspective that is similar to that of Japanese painting. The New Orleans Museum of Art acquired two of Scully’s pieces, and had a solo exhibition of her paintings displayed alongside Japanese paintings in an exhibition titled Inner Journeys.
Scully’s process involves the layering of complex structures, resulting in immersive compositions that the viewer is invited to journey through and to interpret based on their own associations and memory. She builds color and line intuitively, using rhythmic brushwork until a composition emerges. She tweaks the angles, expands the color, destroys and re-builds structures and works the canvas all-around in an on-going conversation until the piece feels ready to go out on it’s own. Scully’s paintings are deep, authentic, collective worlds that exist between abstraction and figuration and feature unique perspective, intriguing figures, and brushwork that unites the composition in a choreography of movement and direction.
Regina received her BFA in Painting from Rhode Island School of Design and her MFA in Painting from University of New Orleans. She currently has her third solo exhibition in NYC, opening November 15 and running through December 10, 2024 at The Opening Gallery in Tribeca (details below). One of Regina’s paintings was acquired in 2021 for the lobby at World Trade Center, Tower 7, NYC where it is permanently installed. She is also a recipient of the Louis Comfort Tiffany Grant and is represented in significant collections.
The late art critic, D. Eric Bookhardt, well-known in the city of New Orleans, described Scully’s “flair for fusing arcane metaphysics and modern abstraction in ethereal paintings” and stated “It is unusual to encounter a body of work that touches on the extremes of existence, from the macro to the micro, from the cosmos to the human form, all coexisting together.”
Scully’s paintings are on view in a solo exhibition:
Thinning Veils/Changing Timelines
The Opening Gallery, 42 Walker St. Tribeca, NYC
November 15 – December 10, 2024
Opening Reception: November 15, 6-8pm
CV
EDUCATION
2011
M.F.A., Painting, University of New Orleans
1997
B.F.A., Painting, Rhode Island School of Design
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
Thinning Veils/Changing Timelines, The Opening Gallery, New York, NY
2023
Magical Thinking, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2022
Mysteries of Being, Reynolds Ryan Gallery, Isidore Newman School, New Orleans, LA
2020
Lost and Found, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2019
(2-person) Fritz Bultman / Regina Scully: New Orleans, New York and Beyond, The Highline 9, (Gallery 5) New York, NY
To Go In Search Of, C24 Gallery Project Space, C24 Gallery, New York, NY
The House I Live In, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2017
Mindscapes, C24 Gallery, New York, NY
Regina Scully/Japanese Landscape: Inner Journeys, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA
2016
Horizons in Space, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2015
Floating Worlds, Seattle Art Fair, single artist project, (Octavia Art Gallery), Seattle, WA
2014
Translations, Octavia Art Gallery, Houston, TX
Terra Incognita, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2013
Entrance, C24 Gallery, New York, NY
VOLTA NY, New York, NY
2012
Elemental, Heriard-Cimino Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2011
Navigate, University of New Orleans Fine Arts Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2009
Excavations, Heriard-Cimino Gallery, New Orleans, LA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Abstraction by Any Other Name, curated by Dan Cameron, The Milton Resnick and Pat Passlof Foundation, New York City, NY (September 6 – November 2)
2023
Embodied Terrain, 515 Gallery, Bendix Bldg, Los Angeles, CA
2021
The Emotional Brain, Carroll Gallery, Newcomb Art Dept., Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Octavia Art Gallery, Hamptons, NY
Women Represent, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
The Sleep of Reason, Good Children Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2020
Conceptual Creations: Collage and Assemblage, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2019
Art of the City: Postmodern to Post-Katrina (Presented by the Helis Foundation), Historic New Orleans Collection Museum, New Orleans, LA
2018
Core Sample, curated by David C. Terry, C24 Gallery, New York, NY
10 Years/10 Artists, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Art Miami, C24 Gallery, Miami, FL
Scope Art Fair, Octavia Art Gallery, Miami, FL
Art on Paper, C24 Gallery, New York, NY
2017
At the Threshold, 2-person exhibition, with Iva Gueorguieva, Octavia Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2016
Art Miami, C24 Gallery, Miami, FL
Context, Octavia Art Gallery, Miami, FL
60 Americans, The Makeshift Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Contemporary Istanbul, C24 Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
Art Southampton, C24 Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY
2015
Permanent Collection Re-installation of Modern and Contemporary Art Wing, New Orleans Museum of Art (2015-2016), New Orleans, LA
2014
Alluvial Constructs, Octavia Gallery, New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Imago Mundi Collection, curated by Diego Cortez, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA
Trivial Pursuits: Obsession’s Allure, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA
2013
Entering Abstraction, Opera Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
Home, Octavia Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2012
NOLA Now Part II, Abstraction in Louisiana, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
2011
Double Crescent, C24 Gallery, New York, NY
Abiding Abstraction, Boltax Gallery, Shelter Island, NY
Prospect Lafayette, Satellite Exhibition in Prospect. 2, curated by Dan Cameron, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA
2010
Everyday Hybrid, Prospect 1.5 New Orleans, curated by Dan Cameron, Isaac Delgado Fine Art Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Wide Open, BWAC Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2009
Muses, Heriard-Cimino Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2008
Elemental 3, Home Space Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Under Construction, UNO Fine Arts Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2006
Group Exhibition, Jenkins-Connelly Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2004
Postcards to the CAC, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
2003
No Dead Artists, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA
2002
Time Has Changed, AirB, Brooklyn, NY
2000
Artists in Residence, AirB, Brooklyn, NY
1998
External, Eternal, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA
Dreaming of Being a Painter, Providence Art Club, Providence, RI
COLLECTIONS
Microsoft Art Collection (2010, 2013)
Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation Collection (2012)
Capital One Art Collection (2014)
New Orleans Museum of Art (2014, 2016)
7 World Trade Center, NYC (2021)
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection (2024)
Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Capital One Bank
Iberia Bank
AWARDS/HONORS
2023
Featured artist, Annual luncheon for City Park, New Orleans Museum of Art Botanical Gardens, New Orleans, LA
2018-20
Awarded Residency, Hermitage Artist Retreat, Englewood, FL
2017
Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Grant
2016
Awarded Residency, Hooper Projects, Los Angeles, CA
2015
Awarded Residency, Hermitage Artist Retreat, Englewood, FL, (2016-20)
LECTURES/PANELS
2018
Lecture, “Scully’s Paintings,” Hermitage Artist Retreat Palm House, Manasota Key, FL
2016
Lecture, “Scully’s Paintings,” New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA
2013
Artist Panel: “On Abstraction,” VOLTA NY 2013, 82 Mercer Street, New York, NY
2011
Prospect. 2 Lafayette, “artTALK,” Acadiana Center for the Arts, Main Gallery, Lafayette, LA; with Dan Cameron and Bruce Davenport Jr.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2024
“Selections from the Art Collection.” The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: ILMA Art Collection, edited by Enterprise & Art, Amsterdam, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, 2024, pp. 89-91
2021
Featured Artist (cover), The Artful Mind, August, 2021, cover, p. 22-29
2017
Waddington, Chris, “Painter Regina Scully Connects with Japanese Art and a NOMA Curator,” NOMA Arts Quarterly, Jan. 3, p. 2, 6-7
2016
Bookhardt, Eric, “Horizons in Space,” Gambit Weekly, May 17, 2016, p. 4
http://www.insidenola.org/2016/05/regina-scully-at-octavia.html
2015
Durón, Maximilíano. (July 30, 2015). PREVIEW SEATTLE ART FAIR 2015. Retrieved from http://www.artnews.com/2015/07/30/preview-seattle-art-fair-2015/
Manitach, Amanda. (July 31, 2015). Seattle Art Fair: First Impressions. Retrieved from http://cityartsonline.com/articles/seattle-art-fair-first-impressions
Price, Aaron. (July 30, 2015). Seattle Art Fair 2015/Our Favourite Works. Retrieved from https://www.ultravie.co.uk/blog/2015/07/30/seattle-art-fair-2015-our-favourite-works/
Thomas, Ann Marshall. (September, 2015). Louisiana’s Top 10 Contemporary Artists & Where to Find Them. Retrieved from http://www.theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/louisiana/articles/louisiana-s-top-10-contemporary-artists-where-to-find-them/
2014
Bookhardt, Eric, “Terra Incognita and Theme and Variations,” Gambit Weekly, February 18, 2014, p. 59
James, Christopher. (May 25, 2014). ART MARKET SAN FRANCISCO 2014 WITH CHRISTOPHER JAMES. Retrieved from http://www.christopherjamesart.com/#!ART-MARKET-SAN-FRANCISCO-2014-WITH-CHRISTOPHER-JAMES/ckja/3341FA12-7680-4A68-90F9-0F2C26E6F905
McLellan, Marian, “Scully and Logan,” The New Orleans Art Review, February/March/April, 2014, p. 17-19
2013
Bookhardt, Eric, “Home and Sputnik 1,” Gambit Weekly, August 13, 2013, p. 43
Menendez, Didi, Publisher, IArtistas #7, June, 2013, p. 13-15
Sherman, Aaron. (November 15, 2013). GALLERY NIGHT [VIDEO]: Chelsea Art Trek, 8 Galleries in 1 Night. Retrieved from http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/986054/gallery-night-video-chelsea-art-trek-8-galleries-in-1-night
2012
Featured Artist, The Southern Review, Louisiana State University Press, Autumn, 2012, cover, viii, p. 622-30
Bookhardt, Eric, “Paintings by Regina Scully,” Gambit Weekly, February 14, 2012, p. 71
Rodriguez, Kathy, “A Land in Tumult,” The New Orleans Art Review, March/April/May 2012, p. 36-37
Smyk, Brianna, “Regina Scully’s Brushstrokes Create Abstract Environments,” Nolavie.com, January 13, 2012
2011
Frank, Peter, “Haiku Reviews: Shakespeare, Abstraction, and Pacific Standard Time,” Huffington Post Arts, October 21, 2011
In New York Magazine, Illustration, September, 2011
Weiss, Marion, “Art Commentary,” Dan’s Papers, May 20, 2011, p. 60
New York Times, Long Island Calendar, Illustration, April 26, 2011
2009
Calas, Terrington, “Notations: Regina Scully and Historical Reflection,” The New Orleans Art Review,Oct/Nov/Dec, 2009, p. 28-30
Popper, Alison, “Review: Regina Scully: Excavations,” Artvoices Magazine, October, 2009
Bookhardt, Eric, “Gridlock,” Gambit Weekly, August 11, 2009
2008
Bookhardt, Eric, “White Space,” Gambit Weekly, July 28, 2008