Dennis Congdon holds a BFA in painting from RISD and an MFA from Yale. He is a fellow at the American Academy in Rome. He taught painting and drawing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Tyler School of Art and has been on the full-time faculty in the RISD Painting department since 1984 and a full professor since 1998. In 2003 he received a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship and in 2010 RISD’s John R. Frazier Award for Excellence in Teaching. He was a visiting artist and scholar at the American Academy in Rome through June and July of 2009. Since 2014 he has facilitated the Vikram and Geetanjali Kirloskar Visiting Scholar in Painting, made possible by the generous Kirloskar Endowment established in 2013. Each year, an advisory group invites and hosts a visiting artist(s) from India and South Asia for lectures, workshops, critiques and dialogues with Painting graduate students.
Congdon’s work is exhibited widely. Recent shows have includeda solo exhibition at New York’s CUE Gallery, Ignis Fatuus at Smith College, The Machine in the Garden and Mediated Nature at Oberlin College, Sign Language at the RISD Museum and Is, was, will be at the Mona Bismark Foundation in Paris.
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
PAINT 4501-01 - PAINTING I
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
Period Fall 2024
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
PAINT 4501-01
PAINTING I
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
PeriodFall 2024
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-09-04 to 2024-12-11
Times: W | 11:20 AM - 4:20 PM; T | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Dennis CongdonLocation(s): Memorial Hall, Room 307Enrolled / Capacity: 10Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
An introduction to the basic language of the painting discipline. Emphasis on the plastic and formal considerations necessary for work that will become an increasingly personal statement.
Enrollment is limited to Sophomore Painting Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Painting
Spring 2025 Courses
PAINT 4502-01 - PAINTING II
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
PAINT 4502-01
PAINTING II
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits3
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: W | 11:20 AM - 4:20 PMInstructor(s): Dennis CongdonLocation(s): Memorial Hall, Room 307Enrolled / Capacity: 11Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this course is to continue development based on Painting I. Individual expression will be encouraged through a series of larger works which require greater time and organizational skill. Experimentation in different painting media, including oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media will be encouraged. Group and individual critiques are required. Outside work will be assigned.
Enrollment is limited to Sophomore Painting Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Painting
PAINT 4529-01 - DRAWING II
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
PAINT 4529-01
DRAWING II
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits3
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: T | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Dennis CongdonLocation(s): Memorial Hall, Room 307Enrolled / Capacity: 11Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
A continued examination and development of drawing skills. This course is coordinated with Painting II.
Open to Sophomore Painting Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Painting
PAINT 4598-01 - PAINTING DEGREE PROJECT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
Period Spring 2025
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
PAINT 4598-01
PAINTING DEGREE PROJECT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: M | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Dennis Congdon, Kelley-Ann LindoLocation(s): College Building, Room 512Enrolled / Capacity: 11Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This is a comprehensive course designed to test the student's ability to create, complete, and document a Degree Project of his or her choosing. The Degree Project should be a distinct, carefully conceived, exhibition-ready body of work which reflects the issues and objectives of your art. The Senior Degree Project is distinct from your Woods-Gerry Gallery exhibition, although its work can overlap with that exhibition.
Open to Senior Painting Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Painting
PAINT 4598-02 - PAINTING DEGREE PROJECT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
Period Spring 2025
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
PAINT 4598-02
PAINTING DEGREE PROJECT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: T | 8:00 AM - 1:00 PMInstructor(s): Dennis Congdon, Kelley-Ann LindoLocation(s): College Building, Room 512Enrolled / Capacity: 11Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This is a comprehensive course designed to test the student's ability to create, complete, and document a Degree Project of his or her choosing. The Degree Project should be a distinct, carefully conceived, exhibition-ready body of work which reflects the issues and objectives of your art. The Senior Degree Project is distinct from your Woods-Gerry Gallery exhibition, although its work can overlap with that exhibition.
Open to Senior Painting Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Painting
PAINT 4598-03 - PAINTING DEGREE PROJECT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
Period Spring 2025
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
PAINT 4598-03
PAINTING DEGREE PROJECT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: W | 11:20 AM - 4:20 PMInstructor(s): Dennis Congdon, Ramon VegaLocation(s): College Building, Room 512Enrolled / Capacity: 11Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This is a comprehensive course designed to test the student's ability to create, complete, and document a Degree Project of his or her choosing. The Degree Project should be a distinct, carefully conceived, exhibition-ready body of work which reflects the issues and objectives of your art. The Senior Degree Project is distinct from your Woods-Gerry Gallery exhibition, although its work can overlap with that exhibition.
Open to Senior Painting Students.
Major Requirement | BFA Painting
PAINT 4598-04 - PAINTING DEGREE PROJECT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
Period Spring 2025
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
PAINT 4598-04
PAINTING DEGREE PROJECT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitPainting
Subject Painting
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: T | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Dennis Congdon, Susanna KoetterLocation(s): College Building, Room 512Enrolled / Capacity: 11Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This is a comprehensive course designed to test the student's ability to create, complete, and document a Degree Project of his or her choosing. The Degree Project should be a distinct, carefully conceived, exhibition-ready body of work which reflects the issues and objectives of your art. The Senior Degree Project is distinct from your Woods-Gerry Gallery exhibition, although its work can overlap with that exhibition.
