betty collings

Betty Collings a distinguished artist and innovator active in sculpture, painting and ceramics is based in Columbus, Ohio. 

With over 50 years of experience, she spearheaded numerous projects that created opportunities for practicing artists while enhancing the cultural experience of the community at large.  Her notable contributions include, in the 60’s, the establishment of The Hogan, Swarthmore, P.A., one of the first collective artist galleries, the development of the Ohio State University Gallery of Fine Art to that of national import, the acquisition Ohio State’s “Art of the  70’s “ collection, the creation of The Artists Organization (TAO) including the establishment of ArtistsonArt.org. She also curated 10 Solo Exhibitions and Aspects of Perception (the 1980’s), co-initiated New Zealand’s Mercury Bay Art Escape, an annual studio tour .

Ms. Collings earned a Bachelor Fine Arts (1970) and a Master of Fine Arts 1974) from The Ohio State University. Then while pursuing studio activities, for almost a decade she served as Director of The Ohio State University Gallery of Fine Art.    Later, as an independent writer for Arts Magazine, Ms. Collings lectured in China and Ukraine about Ohio artists.  Her early work as curator and artist was featured in a review article written by Dan Munn for Contemporary HUM about the 1922 exhibition “Begin, Again: a Pre History of the Wex 1968-69.” 

In 1974 the work of the early period, ceramics and figuration, preceded an abrupt move into conceptual and experiential art.  This was followed by a 50+ year study using inflated vinyl that became the core of a personal understanding of biological process and the formation of the early universe.  Initially, this well-reviewed work attracted the interest of the mathematician Phil Huneke whose published article “Smooth Tessellations of a Sphere and Other Surfaces” was based on the early examples of the comprehensive set “Anolatabulata.”  As a result of this pursuit, she was invited to participate in several Art and Science conferences and served briefly on the Executive Board of ISIS Symmetry.   Work presented at this conference was published in two articles in the proceedings “Symmetry Natural and Artificial. No 1 “ISIS Symmetry,1955.

Her ceramics, soft and bronze sculpture, and acrylic painting have been shown nationally and internationally.  These include over 25 solo exhibitions at the Bertha Urdang Gallery in New York city, Islip Museum, Gallery Vistavka, Ukraine and at numerous regional universities and museums.  There have been career retrospectives in Ohio and Kentucky and her work has been featured in over 70 regional and international group exhibitions.  

Born in Wanganui, New Zealand, she was a member of the New Zealand-United States Arts Foundation from 1981 – 1989.    As a testament to her career, Ms. Collings received the Distinguished Service Award for Contributions to the Visual Arts from Columbus Art League and a Distinguished Service Award for Curation and Managing  from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in 1997.

In addition to the Ohio studio Ms. Collings had a ceramics studio in New Zealand.     More information can be found on www.bettycollings.com.