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Since his first major competitive exhibition "American Sculpture 1951" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and "Art USA: '58" at Madison Square Garden in New York, Ralph Hurst continued, in the words of Patricia Boyd Wilson of The Christian Science Monitor in April 1973, to stand preeminent among sculptors in the United States." Painter, ceramist, designer, architect, and most notably, sculptor, Hurst traversed the art range. From portraiture to photography, from Museum curator of the Ogunquit, Maine Museum of Art, to art educator, from architectural bas-reliefs at Florida State University to interior and portrait bas-reliefs, and his plethora of three-dimensional carvings of figures, birds, animals, and fish, he has archival documentation of thousands of works. Exhibiting from Main to California, one-man exhibitions and galleries from coast to coast, Hurst enjoyed thousands of collectors, both corporate and private, all over the United States, Canada, and Europe who enjoy the beauty and tactile pleasure of his art.
Born in Decatur, Indiana, Hurst earned his undergraduate and graduate work in art from Indiana University. In 1953, he migrated to Miami, Florida, where he was discovered and lured to Florida State University to become a member of the art faculty of 27 years. Professor Emeritus Hurst remembers fondly his teaching experience in ceramics, constructive design, woodworking, synthetics, supervising art education majors and teaching elementary art education teachers on campus as well as several years of in- service art classes to teachers in kindergarten and elementary classes in Dade, Palm Beach, and Escambia counties. Highlighting his Florida State University career was receiving three faculty grants, one of which provided the opportunity to have a studio in Florence, Italy carving in alabaster and marble. February 15-March 24, 2002 Florida State University honored Hurst with a retrospective of his fifty plus years as an artist by staging in the Museum of Fine Arts examples of his works in wood, marble, alabaster, bronze, steatite, ceramics, paint, and synthetics, celebrating the many artistic and life time achievements of his much loved, honored, and award winning works. Because his work simplifies, abstracts, many of his pieces negate detail by tucking close (as to be one) the arms, feet, or other anatomical parts. Hurst's strength as a sculptor is strong repetition of rhythmic carving graceful lines reminiscent of the classics. Called a poet in stone, Hurst devoted his creative life to art that gained him recognition from Maine to California. Though best known for his elegant and sensuous alabaster carvings of figures and love birds, Hurst was a multimedia artist who found great joy in the creative process. Said Hurst, "In the hours of creativity when I engage in shaping boulders into form and the form becomes alive and a thing of beauty, my spirit soars."
In September 2003, the Hursts, Ralph and his wife Jean, established the Ralph and Jean Hurst Collection with Tallahassee Community College through donation of artwork of substantial value. The Ralph Hurst Gallery was cut out of a space next to the performing arts theatre co-designed by Jean Hurst founding theatre director and English professor at Tallahassee Community College from 1969-2000. On perpetual exhibition, the collection of their art not only allows them to share creativity with students and faculty of the College campus but with the entire community and perhaps impart some of their enthusiasm for art as well as inspire and teach others to appreciate art.
| Chronology | |
| 1918 | Born September 4 to Jessie and Matilda Hurst, Decatur, Adams County, Indiana |
| 1925-37 | Education: Public Schools, Decatur, Indiana |
| 1937 | Education: Ball State Teachers College, Muncie, Indiana |
| 1938 | Education: Indiana Central College, Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 1939-40 | Education: Indianapolis Academy of Commercial Art |
| 1941-90 | Married Nora M. Buchanan |
| 1942-46 | Photographer, Army Air Corps |
| 1949 | Bachelor of Science, Art Education, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana |
| 1949-50 | Joined faculty Junior High School, Richmond, Indiana |
| 1950-51 | Joined faculty as Teaching Fellow Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana |
| 1951 | American Sculptors ExhibitionMetropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York |
| 1951 | Ogunquit School of Painting and Sculpture, Ogunquit, Maine Indiana |
| 1952 | Most Meritorious Award and Bronstein Purchase Award, Tri State Exhibition, Museum of Arts and Sciences, Evansville, Indiana |
| 1952 | First Prize, Hoosier Salon Patrons Association Annual Exhibition, Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 1952 | Award, Indiana Artists Association, John Herron Art Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 1952 | Master of Fine Arts, Sculpture (studied with internationally renowned French/American Sculptor Robert Laurent) Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana |
| 1952 | Joined faculty, Miami Junior High, Miami, Florida |
| 1953 | Cantor Award, Indiana Artists Association, John Herron Art Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 1953 | Prize and Craftsmanship Award, Florida Craftsman Annual Exhibitions, University of Miami, Miami, Florida |
| 1953-79 | Professor of Art, Florida State University,Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1979 | Professor Emeritus |
| 1953 | (summer) Initial Curator, Ogunquit Museum of Art,Ogunquit, Maine |
| 1953 | American Sculptors Exhibition, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York |
| 1954 | Contemporary Sculptors Drawings, Ohio State University,Columbus, Ohio |
| 1954 | Award, New Orleans Art Association Exhibition, Isaac Delgado Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 1954 | Award, Four Arts Society Exhibition, Palm Beach, Florida |
| 1956 | First Prize, Hoosier Salon Patrons Association Annual Exhibitions, Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 1956 | Purchase Award, New Orleans Art Association Exhibition,Isaac Delgado Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 1957-59 | President, Florida Sculptors Association |
| 1957 | Award, Florida Craftsmen’s Annual Exhibitions, Florida StateUniversity, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1958 | Award, Associated Florida Sculptors Exhibition, Miami,Florida |
| 1959 | Purchase Award, Associated Florida Architects Special ArtExhibition, Jacksonville Art Museum, Jacksonville, Florida |
| 1959 | First Prize, Florida Craftsmen’s Annual Exhibitions, FloridaState University, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1959 | Designed and built house at1801 Skyland Drive, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1959 | Joined Signature Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia |
| 1960 | The Daily Bread Liturgical International Art Exhibition Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California |
| 1961 | Ball Gallery Award, National Small Sculpture Exhibition, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana |
| 1961 | Faculty Research GrantTo explore new methods of casting sculpture in metals |
| 1963 | Award, Associated Florida Sculptors Exhibition, Miami, Florida |
| 1963 | Cast stone bas-relief: School of Education Building (Carothers Building), West Entrance, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1963 | Cast stone bas-reliefs, 340 panels (co-design with Artist LeonMead)University Union Building, Florida State University, Tallahassee,Florida |
| 1964 | Joined LeMoyne Art Foundation, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1964 | Leave to travel 3 months in Europe |
| 1964 | Joined Harmon Galleries of American Art, Naples, Florida (ownership changed to William Meek in 1978) |
| 1965 | Joined Group Gallery, Jacksonville, Florida |
| 1965 | Joined Gallery of Art, Panama City, Florida |
| 1966 | Joined Artists Equity, New York, New York |
| 1966 | Joined Las Olas Gallery, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida |
| 1967 | Sculpture selected for Southeastern Art Traveling Exhibition,High Museum, Atlanta, Georgia |
| 1967 | Faculty Development Grant, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida To make films on carving sculpture |
| 1968 | Joined P. S. Galleries, Ogunquit, Maine |
| 1968 | Leave to travel in Mexico |
| 1970 | Joined Galleria La Costa, Carlsbad, California |
| 1971 | Merit Award, Frank A Weaner Gallery, Ybor City, Florida |
| 1971 | Community Purchase Award, Mobile Art Association, Mobile, Alabama |
| 1971 | Faculty Development Grant, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida To work in Italy carving in alabaster and marble and to visit design centers in Europe and Scandinavian Countries |
| 1972 | Purchase Award, Mobile Art Association, Mobile, Alabama |
| 1972 | Merit Award, Pensacola Art Center Association Best of Florida Exhibition, Pensacola, Florida |
| 1973-present | Who's Who in American Art |
| 1974 | Leave to travel in Italy 1975 Joined 2 + 2 LTD Art Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 1975 | Joined International Sculpture Center, Washington, D C |
| 1975 | Joined Left Bank Gallery, St. Simons, Georgia |
| 1976 | Joined Midtown Payson Galleries, Portland, Maine and Hobe Sound, Florida |
| 1977 | Leave to travel in Italy |
| 1978 | Joined Harmon Meek Gallery, Naples, Florida |
| 1979 | Major Florida Artists Award, Harmon Gallery, Naples, Florida |
| 1979 | Joined P. S. Galleries, Dallas, Texas |
| 1979 | Joined Art Sources, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida |
| 1979 | Art Patron art nominee of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hirshhorn: an exhibition of the work of artists nominated by the Southeastern Advisory Council for the Southeastern Center for ContemporaryArt, Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
| 1980 | Joined Foster Harmon Galleries of American Art,Sarasota, Florida |
| 1982 | Joined Verzyl Gallery, New Port, Long Island, New York |
| 1982 | Joined Mickelson Gallery, Washington, D C |
| 1986 | Honoree of the Adams County, Indiana, Sesquicentennial for outstanding achievement as a noted sculptor |
| 1987 | Joined Magadini Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona |
| 1989 | Joined London Gallery, Montreal, Canada |
| 1990 | Married Jean M. English |
| 1990-93 | Artist in Residence, The University of Tennessee at Martin, Tennessee |
| 1993 | Appointed, Tennessee Arts Commission Advisory Panel onArts in Education |
| 1993 | Redesigned artist's original house and studio of 1959 now known as "The Dovecote" 1801 Skyland Drive, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1997 | Key to the City, Decatur, Indiana |
| 1998 | Erekson Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts,Decatur, Indiana |
| Public Works | |
| 1947 | GIRL WASHING HER HAIR, Mahogany carving, Appleton Museum of Art, Ocala, Florida |
| 1951 | GIRL WITH BIWA, Alabaster carving, Evansville Museum of Arts and Sciences, Evansville, Indiana |
| 1951 | GIRL AND BIRD, Mahogany carving, Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1953 | SGT. WHIDDON, Oil portrait, Whiddon Armory, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1956 | DEAN RALPH EYMAN, Oil portrait, Stone Building,Library Resource Center, College of Education, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1956 | REV. W. JEFFERY ALFRIEND, Oil portrait, St. John’sEpiscopal Church, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1956 | REV. W JEFFERY ALFRIEND, Plaster bust, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1957 | THREE FIGURES, Stone bas-relief, Carothers Building,Former College of Education Building, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1957 | RHYTHM, Mahogany bas-relief sculpture (H 20” x W 28)The University of Florida, P. K. Yonge School, Gainesville, Florida |
| 1962 | J. G. KELLUM, Oil portrait, Kellum Hall, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1963 | ABSTRACT BAS-RELIEF PANELS, 340 Panels, relief-cement sand casting sculptures, Oglesby Student Union, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida (Co-Design with Artist Leon Mead) |
| 1967 | GIRL WITH LOON, Steatite carving, Gulf Life CorporateTowers, Jacksonville, Florida |
| 1971 | OUR LADY OF APPALACHIA, STATUE OF THE VIRGIN MARY, A MEDIEVAL SHRINE, Mixed media,St. Thomas More Cathedral, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1972 | THE LOVED, Walnut woodcarving, Adams County Museum, Decatur, Indiana |
| 1973 | MOSES, Steatite carving, Temple Israel, Columbus, Georgia |
| 1975 | ABRAHAM, Alabaster carving, Tampa Public Library,Tampa, Florida |
| 1975 | SPIRIT OF PSYCHOLOGY AND THE ARTS, Alabaster carving,Cashel Center for Psychology and the Arts, Lake Worth, Florida |
| 1978 | DON QUIXOTE, Cement, Gusman Concert Hall, University ofMiami, Miami, Florida |
| 1978 | SEATED FIGURE, Alabaster carving, Otto G. Richter Library,University of Miami, Miami, Florida |
| 1978 | BROWN GEESE, Alabaster carving, Tupperware World Head-quarters, Orlando, Florida |
| 1978 | UNTITLED and FLORIDA DOE, Alabaster carvings, The Florida Collection, Barnet Bank of Jacksonville, Florida |
| 1979 | GROSBEAK MADONNA, Alabaster carving, Library,The University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee |
| 1983 | SEA FORMS, Alabaster carving, Philharmonic Center for theArts, Naples, Florida |
| 1981 | UNTITLED; ELDER BIRD; THE GREAT HORNBILL, Alabaster carvings, Thomasville Arts Guild, Thomasville Cultural Center, Thomasville, Georgia |
| 1982 | VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD, Alabaster carving and maquette design symbol, ceramic casting, Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1986 | SEALS, Alabaster carving, Decatur Public Library, Decatur,Indiana |
| 1987 | STANDING FIGURE, Bronze, Helen Lind Garden, LeMoyneArt Foundation, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1987 | LIONESS AND CUB, Alabaster carving, Chancellors’ Office,Hall-Moody Administration Building, The University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee |
| 1988 | AL BLOCK, Bronze bas-relief plaque, LeMoyne Art Foundation,Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1988 | SEA FANTASY, Alabaster carving, Ohio University, Athens,Ohio |
| 1991 | TROPICAL BIRD FORM, Mexican alabaster carving,Chancellors’ Conference Room, The University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee |
| 1992 | PREENING DUCK, Alabaster carving, Bay County Library,Panama City, Florida |
| 1993 | IDENTIFICATION WALL AND UNIVERSITY SEAL,The University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee |
| 1993 | FIELDS OF WILD IRISES # 1 AND # 2,“CONSIDER THE LILIES OF THE FIELD,” Two Wall Murals (8’ x 4’ and 6’ x 4’) acrylic,Chancellors’ Conference Room, Hall-Moody AdministrationBuilding, The University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee. |
| 1993 | EIGHT CHANCELLORS, Water Color Portraits, Chancellors’Conference Room,Hall-Moody Administration Building, The University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee |
| 1997 | CLAUDE PEPPER, Bas-relief portrait, bronze, Claude PepperCenter,Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1997 | GOLDEN EAGLE, Alabaster carving, Capitol Building, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1997 | DANCING IBIS, Bronze casting, bas relief, Riverside CivicCenter,Decatur, Indiana |
| 1998 | CUB WITH FISH, Alabaster carving, Leon County PublicLibrary, Tallahassee, Florida |
| 2000 | ANGELS’ ANGEL, Alabaster carving, Museum of Art Angels,Inc., Tallahassee, Florida |
| 2000 | SLEEPING BEAR, Alabaster carving, Hospice parlor,Tallahassee, Florida |
Sculpted by Ralph Hurst for his wife Jean on their fifth wedding anniversary, the 8 foot-tall sculpture was the focal point of the Hurst's gardens at their home, The Dovecote, designed by Hurst. The original sculpture was constructed of cement, rebar, hardware cloth, and stucco. "I am a projector of love, surrounding everyone I see with soothing, healing love. I am a projector of beauty celebrating the beauty of the human soul. Expressing love between two beings, whether human, animal, bird, or other species, is uplifting and represents the embodiment of the human condition."
-Ralph Hurst