John Tuomisto-Bell

EDUCATION

Arizona State University, BFA, sculpture, 1991, Dean’s Honor List

Arizona State University, MFA, 2017, sculpture/foundry

RELATED ART EXPERIENCE

John Tuomisto-Bell has over 30 years’ experience in the “Lost Wax” method of casting bronze. At his Phoenix studio he has constructed all the necessary equipment (wax, furnace, burnout, slurry room, metal chasing, fabrication, and patina) to produce, cast and fabricate his work. He also currently operates a full-service art foundry: Tuomisto Bell Studio Foundry, (founded 2001), casting for local and nationally recognized artists including the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024 “Walking the Path”, Artemizia Museum Foundation, Bisbee, AZ

2017 “Cause and Effect”, Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

2016 “1000 Crane Project”, Gallery 100, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

“1000 Crane Project”, Hakushima Elementary School, Hiroshima, Japan

2015 “A Little Slice of Heaven”, Scottsdale Public Art Commission, Scottsdale AZ

2014 “Falling Man”, Tuomisto Bell Studio Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

“Walking and Falling”, Pela Contemporary Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

2013 “Peacemakers”, Night Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe AZ

“Falling Man”, Cruz Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2012 “Fallen”, Mikes Pike Gallery, Flagstaff AZ

2010 “Unstable Group”, Night Gallery, Arizona State University, Tempe AZ

2007 “Common Roots”, G2 Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona

2006 “New Work”, Cruz Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

2005 “New Work”, G2 Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona

2004 “Cause and Effect”, G2 Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona

“Cause and Effect”, Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, California

2003 “An Evolution of Style”, Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College, Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana

G2 Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona

2002 Chiaroscuro Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

G2 Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona

2001 Front Gallery, Shemer Art Center, Phoenix, Arizona

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2023 Arizona Biennial 2023, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson AZ

2021 21st Annual Juried Artlink Exhibition, Found:Re Hotel, Phoenix, AZ

Tempe Post office, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe Post Office, Tempe AZ

Phx Art Now IV, Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ

2020 “Politics As Unusual”, Fine Art Complex 1101, Tempe, AZ

“Elemental Figures”, Walter Art Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

“Truth Be Told”, Brand Loyal Co., Phoenix AZ

2019 “Seven Artists, Seven Friends”, Yavapai College Art Gallery, Prescott, AZ

The Medium is the Message, Gallery Mt. Shadows, Paradise Valley AZ,

2018 “The Coterie Exhibition”, Monorchid Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Biennial 2018, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ

Phoenix Art Museum’s Contemporary Forum Art Auction/Exhibition, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ

We the People, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ

2016 Nathen Cummings Travel Grant Exhibition, Arizona State University, Step Gallery, Grant Street Studios, Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Artist Guild Scholarship Recipient Exhibition, Schemer Art Center, Phoenix, AZ

“1000 Crane Project”, New City Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

“Tough Times”, New City Gallery, Phoenix, AZ

2015 TAG Group Show, Step Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ

“Frontier Delay”, Harry Wood Gallery, Arizona State, Tempe, AZ

“Distilled in the Desert”, Grant Street Studios, Phoenix, AZ

New Work, Cruz Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2014 Biennial: Copper, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ

“Art-O-Sphere”, Ice House, ASU Sculpture Exhibition, Phoenix, AZ

“Solid Solutions”, Step Gallery, ASU’s Grant Street Studios, Phoenix, AZ

Grand Re-Open Show, Cruz Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2013 Phoenix Art Museum’s Contemporary Forum Art Auction/Exhibition, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Art Detour, Open Studio Pirate Tour, Tuomisto Bell Studio Foundry, Phoenix AZ

2012 Open Studio, bronze pour/demonstration, Tuomisto Bell Studio Foundry, Phoenix

Phoenix Art Museum’s Contemporary Forum Art Auction/Exhibition, Phoenix Art Museum

2011 John Tuomisto-Bell, Gunner Williams, and Rebecca Sether @ Noise Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ

Phoenix Art Museum’s Contemporary Forum Art Auction/Exhibition, Phoenix Art Museum

Mnemosyne, The Icehouse/ASU Sculpture Exhibition, Phoenix, AZ

2010 Phoenix Art Museum’s Contemporary Forum Art Auction/Exhibition, Phoenix Art Museum

Art Detour @ The Gallery, Kitchen Sink Studios, Phoenix, AZ

“Unstable Group”, Mike’s Pike, Flagstaff, AZ

Small work Showcase, Tempe Center for the arts/Mill Ave. Post Office, Tempe AZ

2009 “Faces”, Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe AZ

LECTURES/SLIDE PRESENTATIONS/DEMONSTRATIONS

2024 “Aluminum Pour Workshop”, Tempe public schools, educational program, Tempe, AZ

2023 ArtLink/Art Detour, Tuomisto Bell Studio Foundry, casting demo/studio tour, Phx, AZ

Bronze casting demo/studio tour for Scottsdale School of Art, Tuomisto Bell Studio, Phx AZ

2019 “Aluminum Pour Workshop”, Tempe public schools, educational program, Tempe, AZ

2016 “Vintage Coin Making”, Arizona State University, Grant Street Studios, Phoenix, AZ

2015 “Bronze Casting Demonstration”, Arizona State University, Grant Street Studios Phoenix AZ

“Good and Plenty” finalist, SMOCA Scottsdale AZ, slide presentation/project proposal

Current Work/Furnace Building, Arizona State University and Scottsdale Community College, Tempe, AZ

“How to Patina”, Bronze patina demonstration/lecture, Arizona State University, School of Art, Tempe, AZ

2014 “Bronze Casting Yesterday and Today”, Tempe Center for the Arts, Arts and Sciences Salon Panel, Tempe AZ

2009

“Artists and Small Casting Foundries: Making a living in a volatile and global market”, presentation for

American Foundry Society Annual Conference, Tempe AZ

“Bronze Pour Process and Demonstration”, For Creative Connect, Tuomisto Bell Studio Foundry, Phx., AZ

“Lost wax and sculpting Demonstration”, Tempe Center for the Arts, “Faces” exhibition, Dec. 5, Tempe, AZ

“Lost wax casting”, Docent Tour, for Tempe Center for the Arts, December, Tuomisto Bell Studio Foundry

AWARDS/COMMISSIONS

2022 Matt’s Big Breakfast, sculptural and marquee sign, Chandler AZ

2021 City of Goodyear, Sculpture commission install, Goodyear City Hall

2019 Helios Foundation, “Peace Expanding in Space”, permanent installation, Helios Headquarters, Phoenix AZ

2018 Artist in Residence, City of Tempe, Aluminum Casting Workshop, Fee’s Preparatory Academy, Tempe, AZ

2017 Knowledge Mobilization Impact Award, “1000 Crane Project”, Arizona State University Graduate College

2016 Arizona Artist Guild Scholarship Recipient

Arizona State University, School of Art, Travel/Enrichment Grant Recipient

Arizona State University, Herberger Institute of Design, Travel/Enrichment Grant Recipient

Teaching Assistant, Art Foundry, Arizona State University

2015 City of Tempe, Public Arts Commission, Marina Heights Project, completion date June 2016

2014 Research Assistant, Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona, MFA program

InFlux Commission, Scottsdale Public Art, Scottsdale Arizona

2011 Contemporary Forum Artist Grant Recipient, Phoenix Art Museum

2003 Arizona Sculptor of the Year, Scottsdale Life Magazine

1999 Juror’s Purchase Award, Precious Metals, Mesa Galleria, Mesa Arizona

1994 Received “Spring Salon Award of Merit”, Springville Museum of Art, April 1994

1991 Received “Outstanding Senior in Sculpture”, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

PUBLICATIONS

2017 “Metaphysical Bronze, The work of John Tuomisto-Bell”, Java Magazine, June 2017

2015 “8 Cool Things We Saw During ASU Grant Street Open Studios in Phoenix”, Mike Estes, Phoenix New Times, April

“TAG”, Graduates Arizona State School of Art, 2015, Published by Arizona State University School of Art

2009 “The Inadequacies of Man”, Interview for KNXV ABC 15, by Brian McHugh

2008 “Biennial Southwest 2008”, Published by the Albuquerque Museum for the exhibition, 2008, pp. 112-113

2007 “Arms and the Man”, editorial staff, American Art Collector, March 2007, pgs. 150-153

2006 “Men Behaving Badly”, Tom Collins, Albuquerque Journal, Sept. 8, 2006, Venue S8

2005 “Paint on Metal: Modern and Contemporary Explorations and Discoveries”, published by the Tucson Museum of Art for the exhibition: Paint on Metal: Modern and Contemporary Explorations and Discoveries, 2005, 154 pg., ills.

2003 “Top Artists 2003”, Scottsdale Life Magazine, January 2003, pg. 50-51

2002 “Sculptures of the Darker Side of Man”, Pasatiempo, The Santa Fe New Mexican, Aug. 23, 2002, p. 32

“John Tuomisto-Bell, Distinctive Sculptures”, Art Book, Fall/Winter issue, 2002, p. 62-63

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS

City of Tempe, Arizona

Mesa Art Center, Mesa, Arizona

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Scottsdale, Arizona

Shemer Art Center, Phoenix, Arizona

Helios Foundation, Phoenix, Arizona

City of Goodyear, Arizona, Goodyear City Hall/Library

Artemizia Foundation Museum, Bisbee Arizona