Mario M. Muller

Professional Experience

1987-2009    Fine Artist, UrbanMotif, Sole Proprietor

Primary creation of medium to large-scale artwork. Sales, inventory and marketing of product. Increased retail prices an average of 10% per year for 15 years. 19 Solo exhibitions in major markets including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Louisville and Chicago. Six large scale public art commissions including murals for the Louisville International Airport, Kentucky Center for the Arts and the New York MTA Arts for Transit Program. Works of art are held in the collections of Fortune 500 companies, Museums, Universities and private individuals internationally.

2005-2008    Consultant/Vice-president, Brain Ink, Los Angeles, CA

Prepared in depth financial and aesthetic assessments to artists/designers/photographers wishing to improve the viability of their creative endeavors. Strategic plans of action were outlined for two, five and ten year goals assessments with particular emphasis paid to passive income generation models.

2003-2006    Curator, Private Equity/Hedge Fund, New York, NY

Assembled a 40+ piece collection of Contemporary Works on Paper, Photography, Painting and Sculpture for a Corporate Headquarters in Manhattan. Duties included research of current exhibitions and individualized bi-monthly tours of art galleries and artist studios with principles of the firm. Presentation of short listed artists and works of art to principles of the firm. Negotiator of discounts, invoice preparation, and placement of art in physical space. Additional tours of art fairs for members of firm and individualized advice for traders and principles.

2003-2005    Teacher, 92nd Street Y, New York, NY

Developed nine 8-week classes over three years touring modern and contemporary art galleries and museums. Tours would be geographically or thematically centered each week. Introduction of art historical significance and artistic techniques highlighted with each exhibition toured. When possible, artists and/or dealers would be directly engaged in dialogue about the work on exhibition. Class size varied from 8 to 15 students.

2000-2002    Director, Dee/Glasoe Gallery, New York, NY

Primary liaison for artists to owners of a fine art contemporary gallery in Chelsea. Instituted digital database linking clients, inventory and invoicing preparation. Oversaw all day to day operations including but not limited to installing exhibitions, press release writing & broadcasting, pre-press fabrication of announcements, email & hard copy correspondence, hiring interns and long term strategy for gallery artists.

1997-2000    Director, Yancey Richardson Gallery, New York, NY

Primary liaison for artists and clients to owner of a contemporary photography gallery in Soho. Prepared and presented single & multi-artist presentations to collectors, curators and art consultants. Maintained extensive client database, primary invoice fabrication, tracked in coming and out going consignments, plotted framing & delivery logistics, prepared inventory for four to six art fairs per year and arranged shipping.

1997-2002    Freelance Art Critic, Review Magazine, New York, NY

40+ Exhibition reviews, Book reviews and Interviews

1998-2000    Freelance Film Critic, Ace Magazine, Lexington, KY

20+ Film reviews, Book reviews and Features

1991-1993    Director, Zephyr Gallery, Louisville, KY

Supervised and administered a seven to eight exhibition per year schedule. Consulted on physical layout of gallery for each exhibition. Detailed oversight of all gallery operations including cold calling Fortune 500 companies in the Midwest and southern portion of America. Placing gallery artists in corporate and private collections.

1987-1993    Founding Partner, Zephyr Gallery, Louisville, KY

With six other artists, incorporated a for-profit gallery operation to promote, exhibit and sell the work of regional artists in a 200-mile radius of Louisville, KY. Negotiated leases for two physical incarnations and raised funds for physical renovations. Curated two invitational group exhibitions. Wrote by-laws and oversaw the creation of short and long term goals of the operation. Created strategic partners with galleries in Cincinnati and Chicago.

Education

1995            National Academy of Design, New York, NY

Master Class with Wayne Thiebaud

1985            Hochschule für Film and Fernsehen, München, West Germany

Seminar in Directing for the Cinema with Reinhart Hauff

1984            Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Bachelor of Science in Radio, TV, and Film awarded in June '84

Primary advisor: Ed Paschke

1983            Long Island University, Southampton College, Southampton, NY

Master Classes in Painting and Sculpture with Audrey Flack, Roy Lichtenstein, Elaine De Kooning, James Brooks and Esteban Vincente

Exhibitions/Awards/Publications/Bibliography

Please Click here for Fine Art Resume

Technical Proficiency

Languages:                German and English

Operating Systems: Windows and Mac

Software Expertise: Adobe Photoshop, Pagemaker, ArtSystems, QuickBooks and Illustrator. FilemakerPro, Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)

References and Writing Samples

Available upon request