Shows & Awards

My work has received recognition from American Illustration, 3x3 Magazine, the Society of Illustrators (NYC), the Society of Publication Designers, Print, Art-Competition.net, the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles, Artavita and Applied Arts. My paintings have been displayed in many galleries including the Museum of American Illustration (NYC), Gallery-Henoch (NYC), the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum (Washington D.C.), Gallery 110 (Seattle WA), The Studio Door (San Diego CA), David Anthony Fine Art (Taos NM), Arte Ponte Gallery (NYC), Whatcom Museum (Bellingham WA), Gallery 25N (Online gallery), Viridian Artists Inc. (NYC), Greg Moon Art (Taos NM), Contreras Gallery (Tucson AZ), Tubac Center of the Arts (Tubac AZ), H Gallery (Ventura CA), Naples Art Assoc. (Naples FL), Axis Gallery (Sacramento CA), The Center for Contemporary Political Art (Washington DC), Blackboard Gallery (Camarillo CA) and was part of the Museum of American Illustration 2000-2001 Traveling Exhibition (40 selected works).

Upcoming, Current & Recent Shows

  • "The Next Big Thing 2020" (national juried show)

    Blackboard Gallery/Studio Channel Islands
    2222 Ventura Blvd.
    Camarillo, CA 93010
    Aug 1 - Sept 12, 2020
    Tue - Fri, 12pm - 5pm & Sat, 11am - 3pm
    Opening: Aug 1st, 4 - 6pm                      

  • "Heaven & Hell National Exhibition" (national juried show)

    The Old Court House Art Center
    101 N. Johnson Street
    Woodstock IL  60098
    Aug 6 - 29, 2020
    Opening: Aug 8, 6 - 9pm                                      
     
     

  • "Word" (national juried show)

    ShockBoxx Gallery
    636 Cypress Ave.
    Hermosa Beach CA 90254
    Aug 1 - 15, 2020
    Opening: Aug 1st, 6 - 9pm                                      
     
     

  • "2D National Juried Exhibition"

    Dallas Metro Arts Contemporary
    1412 14th Street
    Plano TX 75074
    June 1 - 27, 2020
    Closing reception: June 27, 6 - 9pm                                      
     
     

  • "15th Annual Emerald Spring Painting Exhibition 2020" (national juried show)

    Emerald Art Center
    500 Main Street
    Springfield OR 97477
    June 2 - 26, 2020, Online Opening at http://www.emeraldartcenter.org                                       
     
     

  • "Providence Art Club National Open Juried Exhibition"

    Providence Art Club
    Providence RI
    Changed to virtual online show at www.providenceartclub.org                         May 9 - 29, 2020                                       
     
     

  • "Texas National 2020" (national juried show)

    Cole Art Center
    329 E. Main St.
    Nacogdoches TX 75962
    Changed to virtual online show at http://art.sfasu.edu/galleries                         May 5 - June 13, 2020                                       
     
     

  • "2020 Madeley National" (national juried show)

    Conroe Art League
    127 Simonton Street
    Conroe TX 77301
    Mar 5 - 28, 2020, Tue - Thu & Sat, 10:30am - 5:30pm & Fri, 10:30am - 8pm  
    Opening: Mar 7th, 5 - 8pm                                       
     
     

  • "Artist's Vision" (national juried show)

    Marin Society of Artists
    1515 Third Street
    San Rafael CA 94901
    Feb 6 - 29, 2020, Wed - Sun, 12 - 4pm & 2nd Fri, 5 - 8pm  
    Opening: Feb 14th, 5 - 8pm                                       
     
     

  • "The Intergalactic Open" (national juried show)

    ShockBoxx Gallery
    636 Cypress Ave.
    Hermosa Beach CA 90254
    Jan 25 - Feb 8, 2020, Wed - Fri, 12 - 5pm & Sat, 7 - 10pm  
    Opening: Jan 25th, 7 - 9pm                                       
     
     

  • "53rd Founders Juried Awards Exhibition" (national juried show)

    Naples Art Association
    585 Park Street
    Naples FL 34102
    Dec 6, 2019 - Jan 9, 2020, Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, 10am - 5pm, Thu, 10am - 8pm & Sun, 12 - 4pm......  Opening: Dec 5th, 5:30 - 7:30pm                                       
     
     

  • "Rough Road Ahead: Viridian's 30th International Juried Exhibition, Part II"

    Viridian Artists, Inc.
    548 West 28th St.
    New York, NY 10001
    Nov 12 - Dec 7, 2019, Tue - Sat, 12 - 6pm                                                        
    Opening: Nov 14th, 8pm
     

  • "64 ARTS 2019" (national juried show)

    Buchanan Center for the Arts
    64 Public Square
    Monmouth IL 61462
    Oct 22 - Dec 13, 2019, Tue - Fri, 10am - 5pm & Sat, 10am - 2pm
    Opening: Oct 25th, 5 - 7pm                                         
     
     

  • "White Rabbit" (national juried show)

    Dab Art @ H Gallery
    1793 E. Main St.
    Ventura CA 93001
    Oct 19 - Dec 8, 2019, Wed - Sat, 1 - 5pm                                                        
    Opening: Oct 19th, 6 - 8pm
     

  • "Just the FACs, Ma'am: Fitzsimmons Aagaard Carlson"

    Contreras Gallery
    110 East 6th St.
    Tucson AZ 85705
    Sept 7 - 28, 2019, Wed - Sat, 10am - 3:30pm                                                     Opening: Sept 7th, 6 - 9pm
     

  • "View Point 51, 2019" (national juried show)

    Cincinnati Art Club/Art Design Consultants Gallery
    310 Culvert St., 5th floor
    Cincinnati OH 45202
    Aug 30 - Sept 20, 2019, Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm                                                   Opening: Aug 30th, 6 - 9pm
     

Recent Awards

Kellyanne Conway channels Samara, the dead girl from the movie “The Ring” starring Naomi Watts. When I see Kellyanne on Fox and occasionally on other cable news channels, I'm often reminded of Samara rising from the well and then coming through the television to wreak havoc.

  • “FOX Muse” received the following recognition:

    American Illustration "AI39 Chosen Winner" (selected to permanently appear in The Archive, AI-AP's exclusive online juried collection at www.ai-ap.com)

Gary Aagaard

  • “Sambuca & Cigarettes (after Degas)” received the following recognition:

     Best of Show - 53rd Founders Juried Awards Exhibition (Naples Art Assoc., Naples FL - Dec. 2019)

This painting warns of the dangers of blind love. Whether it manifests itself via unprotected sex, obsession, infidelity, etc., there is often an unhappy ending.

  • “Blinded by Delight Redux” received the following recognition:

    1) 1st Place Award - "The Next Big Thing 2019" at the Blackboard Gallery/Studio Channel Islands (Camarillo CA)..... juried by Mat Gleason

    2) CFA (Circle Foundation for the Arts) Artist of the Year Award 2019 - "Finalist Award"

    3) American Illustration "AI38 Selected Winner" (selected to appear in the 2019 American Illustration 38 Annual - 386 images selected from over 7,000 submissions)

    4) 2nd Place Winner of  "Mind Spirit Emotion 2018" international fine art online juried competition - "Art-Competiton.net" @ www.art-competition.net

    5) Honorable Mention Award - "Artist's Vision" (2020) at Marin Society of Artists (San Rafael CA)

This is a 47 percenters' view of the turmoil and unrelenting spin coming from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

  • “Spin Cycle” along with "Giant On Holiday", "God According to Voltaire" & "Blinded by Delight Redux" received the following recognition:

    3rd Prize Winner (Premium Artist 4 Page Presentation in "International Contemporary Masters" Vol. 13, Oct. 2019) - "Artavita 32nd Contest" @ www.artavita.com (selected 3rd from 4,185 entries)

In the classic movie Being There, many of the pundits, talk show hosts, advisors, etc. thought the sheltered Chauncey Gardiner was a financial genius based on his gardening tips. This painting addresses the belief of many pundits (think FOX), talk show hosts (Limbaugh, Ingraham, Hannity, etc.), advisors (don't get me started) and Trumpites that Jared Kushner’s limited real estate experience makes Jared qualified to bring peace to the Middle East, solve the opioid crisis, initiate criminal justice reform and tackle a litany of other problems. With respect to expectations versus actual ability, I think Jared Kushner is our present-day Chauncey Gardiner minus the innocence (with apologies to Chauncey, of course).

  • “Being Jare (w/apologies to Chauncey Gardiner)” received the following recognition:

    1) Merit Award (Unpublished) - 3x3 Pro Show No.15 competition

    2) Winner (Unpublished) - Applied Arts 2018 Photography & Illustration Awards

    3) Shortlist (Unpublished) - Communication Arts 2018 Illustration Competition

This painting is an update of my 20 year old painting, Ma Nature: This Time It’s Personal. This revisited version examines Mother Nature's reaction to years of environmental neglect and in particular, the probable results of the current Pruitt-led EPA's oversight, or lack thereof. Remnants of Trump donors lie in the rubble.

  • “Ma Nature Revisited” received the following recognition:

    1) 3rd Prize Winner -  "Rough Road Ahead: Viridian's 30th International Juried Competition, Part II" (Viridian Artists, NYC)

    2) 1st Prize Winner (front cover of "Current Masters" Vol. 4, 2019) - "Artavita 30th Contest" @ www.artavita.com (selected 1st from 3,764 entries)                                       

    3) Winner (Gallery) - Applied Arts 2018 Photography & Illustration Awards         

    4) Certificate of Merit (Unpublished) - Illustrators 60 (Society of Illustrators)    

    5) Silver Award (Gallery) - Illustration West 56 (Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles)

    6) Merit Award (Gallery) -  3x3 Pro Show No. 15 Competition

Gary Aagaard

  • “She's a Concept, More or Less” received the following recognition:

     1st Place Award (Oil painting category) - The Lincoln Gallery 2019 National Fine Arts Show (Loveland CO)

Swamp Shell Game - Original & giclee available

  • “Swamp Shell Game” received the following recognition:

     Honorable Mention (Gallery) - 3x3 Pro Show No. 16 Competition

Gary Aagaard

  • “Trumpcula: Old Habits Die Hard” received the following recognition:

    "The Christopher E. Burke Fine Art Grant" winner of "RED 2018" international fine art online juried competition - Gallery 25N online gallery @ www.gallery25n.com