K by Matt Tullis. 24" x 30" x 7", Wall Mounted Assemblage

Primarily a sculpture artist and teacher in graphic design, Mr. Tullis began assembling sculptures as a way to combine both graphic and fine art sensibilities. He stated, “I scout back roads and the countryside for fragments of old signs and use these reclaimed letterforms, along with other found objects, as the basis for my assembled sculptures. My work is inspired by the decay of these found specimens and my lifelong appreciation for the interest, worth and beauty of junky old stuff”.

Born in Idaho and raised in Oregon, Matt and family moved to Bowling Green in 2000 when he accepted an Associate Professor position at Western Kentucky University.

As a young graphic designer Mr. Tullis said he was more focused on imagery; type was often an afterthought. Now he has come to appreciate text, fonts, and especially letters as the quintessential elements of visual communication. “Because of the structure of the alphabet, I’m constantly thinking of new A to Z applications. It’s difficult at times to self edit the new ideas and focus on giving my body of work continuity. What is evolving is an exhibition of constantly changing combinations of sculpture and photography. My goal is to someday arrive at body of work that is entirely sculptural. That goal, of course, is contingent on serendipity bringing to me the opportunity to discover the materials to use in new work, said Mr. Tullis. He said his sculptures have nostalgic, “American” associations that make them easy to relate to general audiences. He further stated, “We have all had the experience of seeing fading and flaking old signs with maybe a letter or two that have fallen to the ground. I’m the guy who goes out in the field under the old motel sign and finds the missing M. Then, I make art with it. I like it when people comment that they’ve always noticed and liked old signs too, or that they have a box of rusty, old artifacts in their garage that are “just like the ones in the sculpture.” Matt said that it is comments like these that mean his art is accessible and that people can relate to his work.

For nine years Mr. Tullis has been teaching at Western Kentucky University. He and his students can be found in room 401 of the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts building. He said, “Because I want my students to explore the connection between the fine and graphic arts, we do several projects that explore type and design with fine art materials and methods. This gives them an opportunity to start the creative process in ways other than the computer. One project that really related to my research involved my students in the design of posters for a local literacy program. They each photographed individual letters from local signs to create an entire alphabet with a distinctly “Bowling Green”, flavor. The students all used this assembled alphabet in different ways to design their own literacy posters; they were all beautiful, creative, and served as good cause”. Another project that synthesized the fine and graphic arts is a sidewalk chalk alphabet. The design component comes first as students use a grid to transfer a little sketch onto a large concrete square. Their artistry is applied as they draw their letters with chalk and decorate and embellished them to create a group alphabet.

This public artwork is massive and colorful, but ephemeral; it will be erased by the next rain”.

Mr. Tullis received a BFA from Oregon State University in 1989 and earned a MFA from Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA in 1991.

Matt said he had the opportunity a couple of years ago to work with some at risk children in the Louisville area and helped them make art. “We all made birdhouses. For many of the kids this was the first time they had picked up a hammer, let alone ever to have made something artistic.

They all loved the project and many of them started to see themselves as artists, even seeing the possibility of continuing education and careers in art. I came away with a profound sense of accomplishment, honored to have been a part of the artistic lives of those kids. This was a natural extension of my role as a teacher and I hope to do more things like the birdhouse project in the future.

Matt Tullis has been a Graphic Designer and Art Director. He taught at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University, Oregon State University, Lane Community College and presently at Western Kentucky University.

Mr. Tullis has received the Al Smith Development Award and has won Awards of excellence, grand prizes, the Roland Willock Merit award; first, second and third place awards and many more while showing at some forty shows from Osaka, Japan and several International Exhibitions of Design in Sangmyung, Korea as well as exhibiting all over the United States including many times here in Bowling Green. His last exhibit was at the U.S Bank Celebration of the Arts where he won first place in the professional sculpture category with “Grindhouse”. For a full list of his exhibits, awards and publications read this article online. His confirmed future exhibits are the Houchens Gallery Exhibit at the Capitol Art Alliance in Bowling Green in May-June

2009 New Works Show, a solo exhibit at the Convergys Gallery Art Academy of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio in August of 2009 with Alternative Typestyles collection and a solo exhibit at the School of Art Gallery at Kent State University in October 2009 with Alternative Typestyles collection.

Matt Tullis leaves us with these words. “Humility is a common trait in the people I truly admire. It certainly shines through in one of my favorite quotes of all time”: “As long as rock n’ roll lasts, I’ll continue doing it… as long as that’s what the people want. And if they change, if it dies out, I’ll try to do something else. And if that doesn’t work I’ll just say, “Well, I had my day” – Elvis Presley.

Exhibitions, Awards and Publications…

First Place Award, US Bank Celebration of the Arts Open Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY, March 2009 “Grindhouse” professional sculpture category

Solo Exhibition, Thompson Gallery, Furman University, Greenville, SC, March 2009 Alternative Typestyles collection

Solo Exhibition, The Little Gallery, Mount Union College, Alliance, OH, January 2009 Alternative Typestyles collection

Solo Exhibition, The Little Gallery, Bowling Green State University, Huron, OH, October 2008 Alternative Typestyles collection

Solo Exhibition, The Trahern Gallery, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN, September 2008 Alternative Typestyles collection

Exhibited, US Bank Celebration of the Arts Open Art Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY, March 2008 “Big” and “Small” birdhouse sculptures

Exhibited, Art Faculty Exhibition, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, February 2008 Two art posters (Diary of Anne Frank and Mamadou Diabate)

Solo Exhibition, Barr Gallery, Indiana University Southeast, January 2008 Alternative Typestyles collection

Exhibited, New Generation International Exhibition of Design, Sangmyung, Korea, November 2007 “D, E, F, K, P &Q” Six separate pieces from the Alternative Typestyles collection

Exhibited, 2007 All Kentucky Juried Fine Art Exhibition, The Kentucky Museum Bowling Green, KY, November 2007, William’s House sculpture

Exhibited, Ink Bleeds, Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, January 2007 Three silkscreen art posters (Sheryl Crowe, Lucinda Williams, and Joan Jett)

Exhibited, New Generation International Exhibition of Design, Sangmyung, Korea, November 2006 “X” sculpture from Alternative Typestyles collection

Exhibited, Pop Rocked 2: the Gig Poster Explosion, Jim Amann Gallery, Covington, KY, November 2006 Four silkscreen rock posters at this American Poster Institute event

Award of Excellence, University & College Designers 36th Annual Juried Show, Austin, TX, September 2006 Premiere Performances silkscreen poster

Hatch Show Print Award, AIGA 2006 SHINE Awards Show, Nashville, TN, October 2006 Lucinda Williams poster

Exhibited, ARTS (Arts of Southern Kentucky), Bowling Green, KY, August 2006 Mortality sculpture

Grand Prize, Neenah Paper Be Distinctive Direct Mail Contest, Alpharetta, GA, March 2006 Received for Limited Edition WKU Centennial Celebration poster

Exhibited, US Bank Celebration of the Arts Juried Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY, March 2006 “F” and “Q” photographs from Blue Highway photographic prints

Solo Exhibition, Jim Amann Gallery, Covington, KY, March 2006 Alternative Typestyles collection of typographic sculpture and photography

Exhibited, FAC Gallery, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, February 2006 Alternative Typestyles collection

Al Smith Development Award, Kentucky Arts Council, Frankfort, KY, December 2005 Received $1,000 Professional Assistance Award toward development of my typographic sculpture

Solo Exhibition, Downtown Gallery, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, November 2005 Alternative Typestyles collection

Roland Willock Merit Award, 25th All Kentucky Fine Art Exhibition, The Kentucky Museum Bowling Green, KY, November 2005 Double Barrel sculpture

Solo Exhibition, Main Gallery, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, October 2005 Alternative Typestyles collection

Solo Exhibition, Houchens Gallery, Capitol Arts Alliance, Bowling Green, KY, May 2005 Alternative Typestyles collection

First Place Award, US Bank Celebration of the Arts Juried Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY, March 2005 Double Barrel sculpture

Solo Exhibition, Dunn Gallery, Oakland City University, Oakland City, IN, January 2005 Alternative Typestyles collection

Solo Exhibition, Corner Gallery, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, ID, November 2004 Alternative Typestyles collection

Exhibited, New Generation International Exhibition of Design, Sangmyung, Korea, October 2004 “Z” sculpture from Alternative Typestyles collection

Published, Catalog for New Generation International Exhibition of Design, Sangmyung, Korea, Oct. 2004 “Z” sculpture featured in catalog that I was selected to write preface for

Award of Excellence, University & College Designers 34th Annual Juried Show, Vail, CO, October 2004 Premiere Performances silkscreen poster

Solo Exhibition, Museum of Printing History, Houston, TX, September 2004 Alternative Typestyles show; co-sponsored by the Houston Chapter of American Institute of Graphic Arts

People’s Choice Award, AIGA 2004 Backstage Forward Show, Nashville, TN, May 2004 Received from Nashville Chapter of AIGA for Premiere Performances poster

Solo Exhibition, Appleton Gallery, Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, OH, May 2004 Alternative Typestyles collection

Second Place Award, US Bank Celebration of the Arts Juried Art Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY, February 2004 Alternative Flame, works-on-paper category

Third Place Award, US Bank Celebration of the Arts Juried Art Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY, February 2004 “Z”, sculpture category

Two Person Exhibition, FAC Gallery, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, Fall 2003 First showing of photographs, drawings, and artifacts from junior faculty research grant activities

Third Place Award, Firstar 16th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY, October 2001 Untitled, sculpture category

Exhibited, This is Good Design 2 Juried Exhibition, Memphis, TN, April 2001 Student Art Show poster

Second Place Award, Firstar 15th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Bowling Green, KY, September 2000 Tandem, works-on-paper category

Best of Show Award, Mid-Oregon Design Club Annual Exhibition, Eugene, OR, May 1997 Series of opera posters (The Magic Flute, The Mikado, and Lucia)

Published, The Best Seasonal Promotions, by Poppy Evans (Northern Light

Books: Cincinnati, 1997, p. 54)

Holiday promotional design

Published, Even More Great Design, by the Supon Group (Madison Square

Press: New York, 1997, p. 45)

Series of opera posters

Best of show Award, Mid-Oregon Design Club Annual Exhibition, Eugene, OR, May 1996 Call-for-Entries design campaign

Four Gold Awards, Mid-Oregon Design Club Annual Exhibition, Eugene, OR, May 1994 Illustrations and graphic design pieces

Eight Silver Awards, Mid-Oregon Design Club Annual Exhibition, Eugene, OR, May 1994 Illustrations and graphic design pieces

Exhibited, Sixth International Osaka Juried Design Exhibition, Osaka, Japan, 1991

Profile: Earth, conceptual works-on-paper

Ronnie Jaggers is a seasoned sculptor, fine artist and master crafter. Her work can be seen on ChiseledFeaturesStudio.com. She reminds other artists “Trust the beauty of your art, for if you see the beauty, others will too.” To be considered for the featured artist call Ronnie at 791-3505 or email ChiseledFeaturesStudio@yahoo.com