ARTIST STATEMENT
The Romantics sought to seize each moment and explode it to its epic potential. In the same way, I have tried to use my paintings to capture cloudscapes when they’ve reached their peak volume–the immediate prelude to the violence and release of storms, with all the emotion that lies therein. Likewise, with my landscapes, I tend to focus on one element in nature, such as a tree, and elevate the common into the majestic. I am drawn to capturing the way trees interact with their surroundings of ever-changing skies, dynamic weather conditions, and shifting light.
I have tried to convey a sense of tension and expectation using colors, contrasts, and forms associated with realism and at a size and scale that brings the viewer into the environment. The human scale size of the paintings is a vital element of my purpose, which is to fill viewers’ peripheral vision and envelop them in the movement and kinetic energy of a storm. The effect is both Romantic and hyper-realistic, ephemeral and concrete.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Donald Cronkhite is primarily a painter. After receiving his BFA from Wayne State University, he began his painting career while working full time in design. Primary influences include 17th-century Dutch landscapes and 19th-century French avant-garde.
Cronkhite’s works have been represented by Gruen Galleries (Chicago) since 2005 and since 2020 by the Robert Kidd Gallery (Birmingham, Michigan). He is an award winning artist who has shown his work all over Michigan in group and solo exhibitions, and his work can be found in numerous private and public art collections such as the Flint Institute of Arts, Wayne State University, University of Michigan-Dearborn, and the Henry Ford Medical Center-Plymouth Township, just to mention a few. Since 2019, he began teaching painting classes at the Grosse Pointe Artist Association (GPAA), the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC), and the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA). After a 20-year career in the trade show industry, he started his own trade show company, Devonshire Exhibit Design, in 2022.
RESUME
EDUCATION
Wayne State University, BFA
PUBLIC ART COLLECTIONS
“Ten Thousand Branches.” Flint Institute of Arts. Flint, MI 2022.
“Fervent Weather Approaching.” University of Michigan. Dearborn, MI 2022.
“Mezzo Forte.” Henry Ford Medical Center. Plymouth Township, MI 2022.
“Gloaming.” Wayne State University. Detroit, MI 2020.
“Twilight of Grandeur.” Flint Institute of Arts. Flint, MI 2019.
“Gray Series No. 16.” University of Michigan. Dearborn, MI 2019.
“Gray Series No. 19.” The Farrell-Herrick Art Collection. Detroit, MI 2016.
GALLERY REPRESENTATION
2005 – Present – Gruen Galleries, Chicago, IL
CONSIGNMENT
2020 – Present – Robert Kidd Gallery, Birmingham, MI.
2007-2008 – David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI.
ART INSTRUCTOR
• Flint Institute of Arts, March 2021 to present
• Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, January 2020 to present
• Grosse Pointe Artists Association, June 2019 to present
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 – Robert Kidd Gallery, “Cloudscapes; The Color of White,” Birmingham, MI.
2022 – Black Box Gallery, “Trappings of the Ephemeral,” Dearborn, MI.
2019 – Grosse Pointe Artists’ Association, “Ominous Skies, a cloud study,” Grosse Pointe, MI. Curator: Karen Pope & Donald Cronkhite
2018 – Henry Ford College, Sisson Gallery, “Chasing the Light,”
Dearborn, MI. Curator: Donald Cronkhite
2016 – Level One Bank Community Art Gallery, “Cloudscapes;
Exploring the Dramatic,” Ferndale, MI. Curator: Donald Cronkhite
2012 – Gruen Galleries, “Clouds: Oils on Linen,” Chicago, IL.
2011 – Biddle Gallery, “Before the Storm,” Wyandotte, MI. Curator: Donald Cronkhite
2007 – Gruen Galleries, “A Series of Studies,” Chicago, IL
2003 – Biddle Gallery, “New works,” Wyandotte, MI.
TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2016 – Detroit Athletic Club (DAC), “Cloudscapes: Shirley Parish & Donald
Cronkhite,” Detroit, MI. Curator: Michael Crane
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 – Ford House, Edsel & Eleanor, “Paint Out,” Grosse Pointe Shores, MI.
2025 – Anton Art Center, “Michigan Annual 52nd Statewide Art Competition and Exhibition,” Grosse Pointe, MI.
2024 – Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills Art Center, “43rd Michigan Fine Arts
Competition,” Birmingham, MI. Juror: Danette Dufilho
2024 – Grosse Pointe Artists’ Association, “Today’s Weather”, Grosse Pointe, MI. Juror: Kevin Kacan
2023 – Flint Institute of Arts, “Art School Faculty Exhibition,” Flint MI
2023 – Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Center, “Michigan Fine Arts Competition,” Birmingham, MI
2023 – Anton Art Center, “50th Annual Michigan Artist Competition and Exhibition,” Macomb, MI. Juror: Peter Gahan
2023 – Detroit Artist Market, “Concerning Landscape,” Detroit, MI. Juror: Megan Winkel
2022 – Muskegon Museum of Art, “93rd Annual Regional All-Michigan
Exhibition,” Muskegon, MI. Juror: Kira Nam Greene
2022 – University of Michigan-Dearborn, “Picturing Places and Spaces,” Dearborn, MI.
2022 – Grosse Pointe Artists’ Association, “My Favorite,” Grosse Pointe, MI.
2022 – Oil Painters of America, “OPA Online Showcase-Spring 2022 Gallery,” Crystal Lake, IL.
2022 – Oil Painters of America, “OPA Online Showcase-Spring 2022 Gallery,” Crystal Lake, IL.
2022 – Flint Institute of Arts, “Twilight of Grandeur on view within the Charles Stewart Mott Gallery Wing” Flint MI. Jan 2022 – Oct 2022.
2021 – Muskegon Museum of Art, “92nd Annual Regional All-Michigan
Exhibition,” Muskegon, MI. Juror: Karen Hampton
2021 – The Butler Institute of American Art, “85th National Midyear Show,” Youngstown, OH. Juror: Paul Ching-Bor
2021 – Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills Art Center, “Michigan Fine Arts
Competition,” Birmingham, MI. Juror: David Lusk
2021 – Grosse Pointe Artists’ Association, “Art Mile – Best of the Best exhibition”, Grosse Pointe, MI.
2021 – Wayne State University Art Collection, “Art Mile,” Detroit, MI.
2021 – Robert Kidd Gallery, “Art Mile,” Birmingham, MI.
2021 – Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills Art Center, “Faculty Show,” Birmingham, MI.
2021 -The Art Guild, “The Painted Moment,” Manhasser, NY. Juror: Christine Lafuente
2021 – Hatch Art, “Hatch Back 15 Annual Exhibition,” Hamtramck, MI.
Juror: Senghor Reid
2021 – Grosse Pointe Artists’ Association, “The Challenge: Try Something New,” Grosse Pointe, MI. Juror: Chuck Duquet
2020 – Northville Art House, Small Works Exhibition,” Northville, MI.
2020 – Grosse Pointe Artists’ Association, “Soul Searching,” Grosse Pointe, MI. Juror: Grace Serra
2020 – Robert Kidd Gallery, “Art Mile” Birmingham, MI.
2020 – Hatch Art, “Hatch Back 14 Annual Exhibition,” Hamtramck, MI.
Juror: Michael H. Hodges.
2020 – Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills Art Center, “Michigan Fine Arts
Competition,” Birmingham, MI. Juror: Kevin Grogan
2020 -Scarab Club, “Gilda Snowden Memorial Exhibition,”
Detroit, MI. Juror: Meighen Jackson
2020 – Detroit Artists Market, “Biennial All-Media Exhibition,” Detroit, MI.
Juror: Hubert Massey.
2020 – Kresge Foundation, “Art in the office,” Detroit, MI. Jan 2020 – Dec 2021.
2020 – Northville Art House, “Black & White,” Northville, MI. Juror: Donn Angel Pérez
2020 – Flint Institute of Arts, “Twilight of Grandeur on view within the Charles Stewart Mott Gallery Wing” Flint MI. Jan 2020 – Dec 2020.
2019 – Henry Ford College, Sisson Gallery, “Landscape Through Michigan Eyes,” Dearborn, MI. Curator: Donald Cronkhite
2019 – Grosse Pointe Artists’ Association, “Summer Pleasures,” Grosse Pointe MI.
Juror: Ani Garabedian
2019 – Mercedes Benz Research & Development NA, “Experiencing
Perspectives in Art,” Ferndale, MI.
2019 – Grosse Pointe Artists’ Association, “Our Rivers, Our Lakes,” Grosse Pointe, MI. Juror: Senghor Reid
2019 – Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills Art Center, “Michigan Fine Arts
Competition,” Birmingham, MI. Juror: Jarald Melberg
2019 -Scarab Club, “Gilda Snowden Memorial Exhibition,”
Detroit, MI. Juror: Sue Carman-Vian
2019 – Northville Art House, “Annual Members Exhibition,” Northville, MI.
2018 – Midland Center for the Arts, “57th Greater Michigan Art Exhibition,”
Midland, MI. Juror: Deborah Rockman.
2018 – Black Box Gallery, “Crossing Perspective,” Dearborn, MI.
Curator: Christian Helser.
2018 – Detroit Artists Market, “Art for the Holidays Exhibition,” Detroit, MI.
2018 – Midland Center for the Arts, “ArtPrize–The Michigan Connection,”
Midland, MI. Curator: Armin Mersmann
2018 – Scarab Club, “Plein Air Challenge,” Detroit, MI.
2018 – Anton Art Center, “Motherhood,” Macomb, MI.
2018 – Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills Art Center, “Michigan Fine Arts
Competition,” Birmingham, MI. Jurors: Emily Mae Smith & Adam Henry.
2018 – Detroit Artists Market, “Biennial All-Media Exhibition,” Detroit, MI.
Juror: Jim Nawara.
2018 – ArtPrize Hub, “Collectors Show Biannual Fine Arts Exhibition,”
Grand Rapids, MI. Curator: Tyler Loftis.
2018 – Northville Art House, “Annual Members Exhibition,” Northville, MI.
2018 – Anton Art Center, “Michigan Annual 45th Art Competition &
Exhibition,” Macomb, MI. Juror: Dennis Nawrocki.
2017 – Crooked Tree Arts Center, “Juried Fine Arts Exhibition,”
Petoskey, MI. Juror: Patrick Wise.
2017 – Scarab Club, “104th Gold Medal Exhibition,” Detroit, MI.
Juror: Dennis Nawrocki.
2017 – Muskegon Museum of Art, “89th Annual Regional All-Michigan
Exhibition,” Muskegon, MI. Juror: Petra Fallaux.
2017 – Midland Center for the Arts, “56th Annual Greater Michigan Arts
Exhibition,” Midland, MI. Juror: Jason Franz
2017 – Women’s City Club, “ArtPrize: International Art Competition,”
Grand Rapids, MI.
2017 – Venue Tower, “Collectors Show Biannual Fine Arts Exhibition,”
Grand Rapids, MI. Curator: Tyler Loftis.
2017 – Scarab Club, “Plein Air Challenge,” Detroit, MI.
2017 – Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills Art Center, “Michigan Fine Arts
Competition,” Birmingham, MI. Juror: Noel W. Anderson.
2017 – Ann Arbor Arts Center, “REMIX: Statewide Art Competition,”
Ann Arbor, MI. Juror: Andrew Rosinski.
2017 – Hatch Art, “Hatch Back 11 Annual Exhibition,” Hamtramck, MI.
Juror: Treena Flannery Ericson.
2017 – Downriver Council for the Arts, “Secret Handshake: Wayne State
University Collective,” Wyandotte, MI. Curator: Sunshine Durant.
2017 – Mercedes Benz Research & Development NA, “Experiencing
Perspectives in Art,” Ferndale, MI.
2017 – Scarab Club, “Silver Medal Exhibition,” Detroit, MI.
Juror: Jo Powers.
2016 – Scarab Club, “103rd Gold Medal Exhibition,” Detroit, MI.
Juror: Elizabeth Youngblood.
2016 – DeVos Place Convention Center, “ArtPrize International Art
Competition,” Grand Rapids, MI.
2016 – Muskegon Museum of Art, “88th Annual Regional All-Michigan
Exhibition,” Muskegon, MI. Juror: Tom Lundberg.
2013 – Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, “ArtPrize International Art Competition,”
Grand Rapids, MI.
2012 – Gruen Galleries, “Group Exhibition, Gallery Artists,” Chicago, IL.
2010 – Lafontsee Galleries, “ArtPrize International Art Competition,”
Grand Rapids, MI.
2009 – Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, “Salon International,” San Antonio,
TX. Juror: Daniel Green.
2009 – Gruen Galleries, “Group Exhibition, Gallery Artists,” Chicago, IL.
2007 – Gruen Galleries, “Group Exhibition, Gallery Artists,” Chicago, IL.
2006 – Montserrat Gallery, “Salon Exhibition,” New York, NY.
2005 – Gruen Galleries, “Group Exhibition, Gallery Artists,” Chicago, IL.
PUBLICATIONS
Grosse Pointe News, February 13, 2025, “Art of the Ages, GPAA lecture looks at Works of the Old Masters,” presented by Donald Cronkhite. Article written by Jody McVeigh Editor
HOUR Detroit Magazine, “Neiman Marcus & YAN International Lunar New Year Runway Fashion Show.” Event with live painting demonstration. February 2022.
My City Magazine-Flint, “A World Hidden in the Clouds: The Expressionism of Donald Cronkhite” by Peter Hinterman, May Issue, 2021.
Detroit Art Review, “Landscapes @ Henry Ford College Sisson Gallery” by Ron Scott, November 1, 2019.
Grosse Pointe Magazine, “Artist Donald Cronkhite invites you to do some sky watching,” by Karen Pope, September – October, 2019.
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc., “Local Perspectives,” Global Reach 2019-2020 Art Exhibition Annual, 2019
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc., “Local Perspectives,” Global Reach 2017-2018 Art Exhibition Annual, 2017
Scarab Club, Art Annual, 2016 and 2017.
Gruen Galleries, Chicago Gallery News, 2007.
Montserrat Gallery, ArtNews Magazine, 2007.
Gruen Galleries, Chicago Gallery News, 2007.
AWARDS / SCHOLARSHIP
• Ford House, Edsel & Eleanor, “Paint Out,” 2nd Place, 2025
• Anton Art Center, “50th Annual Michigan Artist Competition and Exhibition,” 2nd Place, 2023
• Northville Art House,” 15th Annual Members Exhibition,” Members’ Choice Award, 2021
• Grosse Pointe Artist Association,” The Challenge: Try Something New,” 2nd Place, 2021
• Grosse Pointe Artist Association,” Summer Pleasures,” 2nd Place, 2019
• Grosse Pointe Artist Association,” Our Rivers, Our Lakes,” Best of Show, 2019
• Scarab Club, “103rd Gold Medal Exhibition,” Honorable Mention, 2016.
• Henry Ford Community College, Mary Ellen Heth Award, 1991.
• Henry Ford Community College, Half-Tuition Scholarship, European Tour Scholarship, 1991.
Donald Cronkhite 