BIO: Bernie McGovern Contact: bernie (at) rockwellfarmer (dot) com
• Shadow Puppet Designer, 13 Dead Husbands, Sansculottes Theater Chicago 2008
• Shadow Puppet Designer, Hedwig & the Angry Inch, Actors Theatre of Louisville 2007
• Shadow Puppet Designer, Poker Night at the White House , The Neo-Futurists Chicago 2007
• Illustrator, The Skeleton News, Chicago 2007 - 2008
• Illustrator, Amelia's Magazine #7, London U.K. 2007
• Author and Illustrator, An Army of Lovers will be Beaten, Short Pants Press 2007 - 2008
• Comic published in I Kee You!! A Collection of Overheards, Atomic Book Company 2006
• Co-Director of animation, Thundering through the Dawn, Demon House Productions, work in progress
• Illustrator, Poo-Wee and the Three Wishes, children’s book to be published by author Malcolm Fabiyi 2007.
• Illustrator, 606 Magazine, Chicago online magazine 2005
• Member of Manifest Theatre, Chicago non profit group 2005 to present
• Creative Consultant for the film New Port South, Touchstone Pictures, 2002

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
In the Arms of an Army of Lovers, February 2007, The Grind Café, Chicago IL
Paintings, November 2005, The Grind Café, Chicago IL

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
Contemporary Art Auction, Annually 2004 - 2007, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Colorado
Art for Art's Sake, March 2007, Peter Jones Gallery, Chicago IL
250 Square Feet of Art, February 2007, The Eisner Museum of Advertising & Design, Milwaukee WI
Off the Map & into the Murk: Spelunking into Puppetry, January 2007, Links Hall, Chicago IL
Around the Coyote Festival, September 2006, Chicago IL
Mondo Festival, July 2005, Mies-en-Scene, Chicago IL
An Inaugural Day Investigation, January 2005, the Farm Space, Chicago IL
Paintings: Sorrento, October 2002, Fox Gallery, Baltimore MD
Landscapes of Italy, June 2002, Sorrento, Italy
AWARDS, GRANTS:
Community Arts Assistance Program Grant, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs 2006
Thalheimer Scholarship 2000 – 2004
Academic Excellence/Honors Scholarship 2000 – 2004
Trustee Scholarship 2000 – 2004
All City Art Competition, First Place Illinois State University Scholarship Award, 2000
Lawrence K. Schnadig Annual Scholarship Competition, 2000

EDUCATION:
• Bachelor of Fine Arts, cum laude, Maryland Institute, College of Art (MICA)
• Apprenticeships under Chicago artists Dismas Rotta and Marion Kryczka, Adjunct Professor at the Art Institute of Chicago
• Studio assistant to Chicago artist Ann Snowberger 1998 to 2006

What on Earth is a Rockwell Farmer?
Well!

'Rockwell' most particularly refers to the name of the street old Bernie McGovern grew up on in the north side of Chicago. But along side this, it represents the challenge some face with city life.

Surrounded by architecture, concrete, strange odors, dizzying noise, and the ever present bad attitudes - city life could easily turn an ordinarily happy person into an emotional monster. It’s to think of Chicago as a well that once might’ve carried water but is now a cold, dry hazard. Just about as pessimistic of an understanding of a city as possible. With that in mind and feeling it:

To be a farmer of these wells! It’s to seek out the life and passion tucked away between the stones of houses, sidewalks, the lofts of abandoned industry.

It is hopefully to bring the majesty of nature to where it’s been chased out - with smiles, stories, and vigor for the gamut of human experience.

The work found on this site comes from Bernie McGovern.
He is a creature of Chicago and is of late surrounded by people he loves.
Contact him via email:
bernie (at) rockwellfarmer (dot) com