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Blaise Tobia (born January 20, 1953) is a contemporary artist and photographer who lives and works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is married to sculptor, Virginia Maksymowicz. Together they maintain TandM Arts Studio.

Early Life and Education

Tobia was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Stuyvesant High School, and went on to study art at Brooklyn College, CUNY: his principal photography teacher was Walter Rosenblum; he studied drawing with Philip Pearlstein and sculpture with Ron Mehlman. After receiving his BA in 1974, he headed for California, to become part of the MFA program at the University of California, San Diego. Along the way, he visited the ranch of Stanley Marsh 3, photographing two recently completed artworks on the land: Robert Smithson's Amarillo Ramp and the Ant Farm's Cadillac Ranch. Tobia's unique book, Cadillac Ranch Sequences, was accepted into the Ant Farm's archive in 2003.

At UCSD, he worked primarily with photographers Fred Lonidier and Phel Steinmetz, as well as with Allan Kaprow and the Newton and Helen Harrison. During that time, he worked as an assistant to Gerry MacAllister, the Director of the Mandeville Gallery; among his duties he acted as a photographer and facilitator for performance artists Lynn Hershman, Laurie Anderson and Norma Jean Deak.

Career

Tobia and Maksymowicz returned to New York City where they both worked for the NYC CETA Artists Project from 1978-79. Tobia's position came under the umbrella of the Foundation for the Community of Artists, where he worked on the team documenting the largest federally-funded arts project since the WPA. His photos of participating artists such as Ursula von Rydingsvard and Willie Birch appear in print in the Cultural Council Foundation Artists Project^[1] Complete archives of the CCF Artist Project are housed in the New York City Department of Records.^[2]

After the CCF CETA Project terminated in 1980, Tobia moved first to Oberlin, Ohio and subsequently spent two years in Detroit, where he taught photography part-time at Wayne State University. He did extensive photographic documentation of Detroit; his series on converted bank buildings, Pillars of the Community is represented in Site Matters: Design Concepts, Histories, and Strategies.^[3]

Back in New York City in 1983, Tobia returned to FCA to become an editor of its monthly newspaper, Artworkers News, later renamed Art&Artists ^[4] with artist/editor, Elliott Barowitz. He became active with a variety of politically oriented artists' groups such as Art Against Apartheid,^[5] Artists Call Against U.S. Intervention in Central America and Political Art Documentation/Distribution.^[6]. During this period he took his first courses in computer imaging, at Pratt Institute and SVA.

In 1985, Tobia began splitting his time between New York City and Philadelphia when he was hired to design and build a new photography program at Drexel University. In 1990 he became the first director of that program, which was among the earliest to require courses in digital photography, and he and Maksymowicz moved to Philadelphia. Continuing to develop his interests in digital technologies, he helped create a new program in digital media at Drexel and moved into that program in 2000. In 2007, he shifted to the Art & Art History Department, where he currently teaches.

Awards

Tobia has received grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Drexel University. He has been a visiting artist at the Vermont Studio Center (2007) and the American Academy in Rome (2006; 2012; 2014).

His photographs have been included in Sculpture Magazine, Leonardo Magazine, and in books such as Lure of the Local and Site Matters.

References

^ Cultural Council Foundation Artists Project : on the identification and utilization of largely untapped resources, NYC: CCF, 1980.
^ NYC Department of Records and Information Services
^ Site Matters: Design Concepts, Histories, and Strategies, Carol Burns, Andrea Kahn, Lucy Lippard, et. al., Routledge Press, 2005, p.13
^ Artists' Magazines: An Alternative Space for Art, Gwen Allen, MIT Press, 2011, p. 240
^ IKON Magazine: Art Against Apartheid/Works for Freedom, NYC: Political Art Documentation/ Distribution, issue #5/6, 1986
^ Upfront #10, Lippard, Perr, Sutherland and Wexler, editors, Spring 1985

[1] Cultural Council Foundation Artists Project : on the identification and utilization of largely untapped resources, NYC: CCF, 1980.

[2] NYC Department of Records and Information Services

[3] Site Matters: Design Concepts, Histories, and Strategies, Carol Burns, Andrea Kahn, Lucy Lippard, et. al., Routledge Press, 2005, p.13

[4] Artists' Magazines: An Alternative Space for Art, Gwen Allen, MIT Press, 2011, p. 240

[5] IKON Magazine: Art Against Apartheid/Works for Freedom, NYC: Political Art Documentation/ Distribution, issue #5/6, 1986

[6] Upfront #10, Lippard, Perr, Sutherland and Wexler, editors, Spring 1985

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[2]

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-'''Blaise Tobia''' (born January 20, 1953) is a contemporary artist and photographer who lives and works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is married to sculptor, Virginia Maksymowicz.
+'''Blaise Tobia''' (born January 20, 1953) is a contemporary artist and photographer who lives and works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is married to sculptor, Virginia Maksymowicz. Together they maintain TandM Arts Studio.
 == Early Life and Education ==
-Tobia was born in Brooklyn, New York, to working-class, Sicilian-American parents. He attended [[Stuyvesant High School]], and went on to study art on the undergraduate level at [[Brooklyn College]], CUNY: photography with [[Walter Rosenblum]], [[George Krause]], Jack Lessinger and Robert D'Alessandro; drawing with [[Philip Pearlstein]]; and sculpture with Ron Mehlman. After receiving his BA in 1974, he headed for California, to become part of the MFA program at the [[University of California, San Diego]]. Along the way, he visited the ranch of [[Stanley Marsh 3]], photographing two recently completed artworks on the land: [[Robert Smithson]]'s ''[http://www.robertsmithson.com/earthworks/amarillo_300c.htm Amarillo Ramp]'' and the [[Ant Farm (group)|Ant Farm]]'s ''[[Cadillac Ranch]]''. Tobia's one-of-a-kind book, ''Cadillac Ranch Sequences'', was accepted into the Ant Farm's archive in 2003.
+Tobia was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended [[Stuyvesant High School]], and went on to study art at [[Brooklyn College]], CUNY: his principal photography teacher was [[Walter Rosenblum]]; he studied drawing with [[Philip Pearlstein]] and sculpture with Ron Mehlman. After receiving his BA in 1974, he headed for California, to become part of the MFA program at the [[University of California, San Diego]]. Along the way, he visited the ranch of [[Stanley Marsh 3]], photographing two recently completed artworks on the land: [[Robert Smithson]]'s ''[http://www.robertsmithson.com/earthworks/amarillo_300c.htm Amarillo Ramp]'' and the [[Ant Farm (group)|Ant Farm]]'s ''[[Cadillac Ranch]]''. Tobia's unique book, ''Cadillac Ranch Sequences'', was accepted into the Ant Farm's archive in 2003.
-At UCSD, he worked with [http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2014Biennial/FredLonidier Fred Lonidier] and [http://www.phelsteinmetzphoto.com/ Phel Steinmetz], as well as [[Allan Kaprow]], [[The Harrison Studio|Newton and Helen Harrison]], [[Eleanor Antin|Eleanor]] and [[David Antin]], [[Manny Farber]], Moira Roth and David Ross. He was also involved with [[Allan Sekula]] and [[Martha Rosler]], who had recently graduated from the program. During that time, he worked as an assistant to Gerry MacAllister, the Director of the Mandeville Gallery, which put him in contact with artists such as [[Suzanne Lacy]], [[Miriam Shapiro]] and [[Barbara T. Smith|Barbara Smith]]. As well, he acted as a photographer and facilitator for performance artists [[Lynn Hershman]], [[Laurie Anderson]] and Norma Jean Deak.
+At UCSD, he worked primarily with photographers [http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2014Biennial/FredLonidier Fred Lonidier] and [http://www.phelsteinmetzphoto.com/ Phel Steinmetz], as well as with [[Allan Kaprow]] and the [[The Harrison Studio|Newton and Helen Harrison]]. During that time, he worked as an assistant to Gerry MacAllister, the Director of the Mandeville Gallery; among his duties he acted as a photographer and facilitator for performance artists [[Lynn Hershman]], [[Laurie Anderson]] and Norma Jean Deak.
 == Career ==
-Tobia and Maksymowicz returned to New York City (living in TriBeCA) where they both worked as artists-in-residence under Title 6 of the [[Comprehensive Employment and Training Act]] (CETA). Tobia's two-year residency came under the umbrella of the Foundation for the Community of Artists. There he worked on the documentation team along with photographers Sarah Wells and [http://dev.enfoco.org/photography/photographers/view/242/georgemalave George Malave], and writers [http://juddtully.net Judd Tully] and Ellin Burke. Tobia's photos appear in print in the ''Cultural Council Foundation Artists Project''<ref>[http://www.worldcat.org/title/cultural-council-foundation-artists-project-on-the-identification-and-utilization-of-largely-untapped-resources/oclc/55113637 ''Cultural Council Foundation Artists Project : on the identification and utilization of largely untapped resources,'' NYC: CCF, 1980].</ref> Complete archives of the CCF Artist Project are housed in the New York City Department of Records.<ref>NYC Department of Records and Information Services https://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/collection/data/122531469</ref>
+Tobia and Maksymowicz returned to New York City where they both worked for the NYC CETA Artists Project from 1978-79. Tobia's position came under the umbrella of the Foundation for the Community of Artists, where he worked on the team documenting the largest federally-funded arts project since the WPA. His photos of participating artists such as [[Ursula von Rydingsvard]] and [[Willie Birch]] appear in print in the ''Cultural Council Foundation Artists Project''<ref>[http://www.worldcat.org/title/cultural-council-foundation-artists-project-on-the-identification-and-utilization-of-largely-untapped-resources/oclc/55113637 ''Cultural Council Foundation Artists Project : on the identification and utilization of largely untapped resources,'' NYC: CCF, 1980].</ref> Complete archives of the CCF Artist Project are housed in the New York City Department of Records.<ref>[https://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/collection/data/122531469 NYC Department of Records and Information Services] </ref>
-After the CCF CETA Project terminated in 1981, Tobia moved first to Oberlin, Ohio and subsequently spent two years in Detroit, where he taught photography part-time at [[Wayne State University]] where he met fellow photo artists Marilyn Zimmerman and [http://johnganisphotography.com John Ganis]. His documentary photography developed concurrently with his own form of "extended" form of documentary photography. His photographic series of converted bank buildings, ''Pillars of the Community, appears in Site Matters: Design Concepts, Histories, and Strategies''.<ref>''Site Matters: Design Concepts, Histories, and Strategies'', Carol Burns, Andrea Kahn, Lucy Lippard, et. al., Routledge Press, 2005, p.13</ref>
+After the CCF CETA Project terminated in 1980, Tobia moved first to Oberlin, Ohio and subsequently spent two years in Detroit, where he taught photography part-time at [[Wayne State University]]. He did extensive photographic documentation of Detroit; his series on converted bank buildings, ''Pillars of the Community'' is represented in ''Site Matters: Design Concepts, Histories, and Strategies''.<ref>''Site Matters: Design Concepts, Histories, and Strategies'', Carol Burns, Andrea Kahn, Lucy Lippard, et. al., Routledge Press, 2005, p.13</ref>
-After returning to New York, Tobia continued to work with FCA on its monthly newspaper, ''Artworkers News'', later renamed ''Art&Artists'' <ref>''Artists' Magazines: An Alternative Space for Art'', Gwen Allen, MIT Press, 2011, p. 240</ref> with artist/editor, [http://elliottbarowitz.com Elliott Barowitz]. He became active with a variety of politically oriented artists' groups such as Art Against Apartheid,<ref>[http://archives.worldliteraturetoday.com/ikon-pdfs/IKON-5-6.pdf ''IKON Magazine: Art Against Apartheid/Works for Freedom'', NYC: Political Art Documentation/ Distribution, issue #5/6, 1986]</ref> [https://nacla.org/article/artist-call-against-us-intervention Artists Call Against U.S. Intervention in Central America], Visual AIDs, and [http://hyperallergic.com/117621/art-in-the-1980s-the-forgotten-history-of-padd/ Political Art Documentation/Distribution].<ref>''Upfront'' #10, Lippard, Perr, Sutherland and Wexler, editors, Spring 1985</ref> During this time, he intersected with [[Lucy Lippard]], Herb Perr, [http://www.gregorysholette.com/ Greg Scholette], [[Willie Birch]], [[Faith Ringgold]], [[Clarissa Sligh]] and [[Jimmie Durham]].
+Back in New York City in 1983, Tobia returned to FCA to become an editor of its monthly newspaper, ''Artworkers News,'' later renamed ''Art&Artists'' <ref>''Artists' Magazines: An Alternative Space for Art'', Gwen Allen, MIT Press, 2011, p. 240</ref> with artist/editor, [http://elliottbarowitz.com Elliott Barowitz]. He became active with a variety of politically oriented artists' groups such as Art Against Apartheid,<ref>[http://archives.worldliteraturetoday.com/ikon-pdfs/IKON-5-6.pdf ''IKON Magazine: Art Against Apartheid/Works for Freedom'', NYC: Political Art Documentation/ Distribution, issue #5/6, 1986]</ref> [https://nacla.org/article/artist-call-against-us-intervention Artists Call Against U.S. Intervention in Central America] and [http://hyperallergic.com/117621/art-in-the-1980s-the-forgotten-history-of-padd/ Political Art Documentation/Distribution].<ref>''Upfront'' #10, Lippard, Perr, Sutherland and Wexler, editors, Spring 1985</ref>. During this period he took his first courses in computer imaging, at Pratt Institute and SVA.
-In 1985, Tobia began splitting his time between New York City and Philadelphia when he was hired to design and build a new Photography Program at [[Drexel University]]. Moving into experimenting with digital photography in the late 1980s and early 1990s (at [[Pratt Institute]] in Brooklyn and [[Center for Creative Imaging|the Center for Creative Imaging]] in Camden, ME), he went on to co-develop Drexel's first major in Digital Media.
+In 1985, Tobia began splitting his time between New York City and Philadelphia when he was hired to design and build a new photography program at [[Drexel University]]. In 1990 he became the first director of that program, which was among the earliest to require courses in digital photography, and he and Maksymowicz moved to Philadelphia. Continuing to develop his interests in digital technologies, he helped create a new program in digital media at Drexel and moved into that program in 2000. In 2007, he shifted to the Art & Art History Department, where he currently teaches.
 == Awards ==