Exhibitions

2024: Wyoming Women to Watch, Shari Brownfield Fine Arts, Jackson, WY; Ucross Foundation, Ucross, WY; Clay Paper Scissors Gallery, Cheyenne, WY; ART321, Casper, WY (Organized by Wyoming Committee, National Museum of Women in the Arts)

2023-2024: [self]PORTRAIT, Mystery Print Gallery, Pinedale, WY; Clay Paper Scissors Gallery, Cheyenne, WY; Jackson Hole Art Association, Jackson, WY; ART321, Casper, WY (Curators: David Klaren and Camellia El-Antably)

2022:      Women to Watch, New Worlds, Wyoming candidate (one of five), National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC (Wyoming Curator: Tammi Hanawalt, Ph.D.)

2022:       Artists Visage Artists, Loveland Museum, Loveland, CO (Curator: Maureen Corey)

2020:       Ecoconsciousness, Ecoartspace Online Exhibit & Catalogue (Juror: Eleanor Heartney)

2020:       Here and Gone, Artworks Center for Contemporary Art, Loveland, CO (Solo exhibit)

2017:       Wyoming to the World: Wyoming Arts Council Biennial Fellowship Exhibition, Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, WY (Curator: Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson)

2017:       Place/Settings, The Galleries, Cabarrus Arts Council, Concord, NC (Curators: Connie Norman and Do Palma)

2016:       Home/Not Home, American Studies Association Conference, Denver, CO (Curators: Robert Warrior and Edgar Heap of Birds)

2014:       West by New West, Lander Art Center, Lander, WY (Group show)

2012:       Support, Artful Hand Gallery, Cheyenne, WY (Group show)

2012:       New West, Lights On! Hynds, Cheyenne, WY (Group show)

2011:       Interpretations, Laramie County Library and Lights On! Hynds, Cheyenne, WY (Curators: Jennifer Rife and Laurel Shelley-Reuss)

2011:      All Things Considered VI, Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA (Jurors: Bruce W. Pepich and Ann McMullen)

2011:       Rocky Mountain Textile Exhibition & Auction, NicolaysenArt Museum, Casper, WY (Curator: Lisa Hatchadoorian)

2011:       Textures, Artful Hand Gallery, Cheyenne, WY (Two person show)

2010:       Among Friends, Artful Hand Gallery, Cheyenne, WY (Group show)

2009:       Web & Flow, TextileCenter, Minneapolis, MN (Jurors: Jan Peters and Bruce Hoffman)

2008:      2008 Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition, Wyoming State Museum, Cheyenne, WY (Juror: Connie Mohrman)

2008:       Led By Thread, Target Gallery, Torpedo Factory Arts Center, Alexandria, VA (Juror: Yasmin Spiro)

2008-09:     The View From Here: Art by Women Working in the Rocky Mountain West, Ann Simpson Art Mobile Traveling Exhibition, University of Wyoming, (Curator: Wendy Bredehoft)

2007:       SOFA-Chicago, Katie Gingrass Gallery

2007:       Rocky Mountain Invitational, Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, WY (Curator: Lisa Hatchadoorian)

2007:       Interwoven: Contemporary Baskets, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, OH  (Curators: Michael Davis and Betty Talbott

2007:       Basketry as an Art Form, Louise-Bascom Gallery, Highlands, NC, (Curators: Kaye Gorecki and Genevieve Carlson)

2007:       2007 Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition, Wyoming State Museum, Cheyenne, WY (Juror: Ben Mitchell)

2007:       To Spin a Yarn, Greeley History Museum, Greeley, CO (Juror: Betty Vera), 3rd Place 3-Dimensional

2006:       From Scratch: the Fine Art of Craft, Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, WY (Curator: Ben Mitchell)

2006:       Coil & Weave, Wyoming Arts Council Gallery, Cheyenne, WY (Two-person exhibit, Curator: Liliane Francuz)

2006:       Cutting Edge, East End Applied Arts, Aurora, CO (Curator: Kim Harrell)

2006:       2006 Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition, Wyoming State Museum, Cheyenne, WY (Juror: Kit Watson)

2006:       Basketry International Juried Exhibition, National Basketry Organization, The Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, OH (Jurors: Jerry Bleem and JoAnn Kelly Catsos)

2006:       Creative Grand Crossings, Handweavers Guild of America, Grand Rapids, MI (Juror: Carol Stangler), Honorable Mention Award

2006:      Fiber Celebration 2006, Northern Colorado Weavers Guild, Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, CO (Jurors: Jean Scorgie and Elda Kohls)

2005:      Beyond Fibers: New Forms, Eleanor Bliss Center for the Arts at the Depot, Steamboat Springs, CO (Juror: Alice Zrebiec)

2005:       Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition, Wyoming State Museum, Cheyenne, WY (Juror: Jennifer Cook)

2005:       All Things Considered III, National Basketry Organization, Lake Tahoe, CA (Jurors: Leon Niehues and Jill Nordfors Clark)

2004:       Don’t Fence Me In, Containing the West, Handweavers Guild of America, Denver, CO (Juror: Kevin Wallace)

2002:       Works of Substance:Works of Faith, Marywood University, Scranton, PA (Curator: Sandra Ward Povse)

2002:       All Things Considered II, National Basketry Organization, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM (Jurors: Flo Hoppe and Mary Merkel-Hess)

2001:       Small Works Invitational National Exhibition II, Period Gallery, Omaha, NE (Curator: Gallery committee)

1999-2001: Ignite, North American Traveling Exhibit, Christians in the Visual Arts, (Juror: Scott Canty)

1999:       Fiber Celebration ’99, The Art Center of Estes Park, Estes Park, CO (Juror: Jean Scorgie)

1999:       Southeast Colorado Arts Council Guest Artist with Emanuel Martinez, Lamar, CO (Curator: Council committee)

1999:       All Things Considered, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN (Jurors: Michael Davis and Flo Hoppe)

1998:       Crafts National 32, Zoller Gallery, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (Juror: Chiche Scaglia Davis)

1997:       Small Works II, Business of Art Center, Manitou Springs, CO (Juror: Jean Gumpper)

1997:       Things to Think On, Merrick Free Art Gallery, New Brighton, PA (Juror: Betty Douglas)

Collections

Wyoming State Museum, Cheyenne, WY

Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, WY

Southeast Colorado Arts Council, Lamar, CO

Private Collections

Honors

2016: Outstanding Heroine Award, Wyoming Library Association

2015: Wyoming Arts Council 2016 Visual Arts Fellowship (Judges: Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson and Pedro Velez)

2007: 3rd Place 3-Dimensional, To Spin a Yarn (Juror: Betty Vera)

2006: Honorable Mention, Creative Grand Crossings, Convergence 2006, (Juror: Carol Stangler)

Bibliography:

Wyofile: Studio Wyoming Review, “Here and Gone,” February 25, 2020, includes photo reproductions

Loveland Reporter-Herald, “Photography Comes to Life at Artworks with ‘Here and Gone’, ” January 10, 2020, includes photo reproductions

Wyoming Library Roundup, “Job Creates Perfect Marriage Between Passion for the Library & Creativity,” Winter 2008, includes photo reproductions

Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot, “Creative Grand Crossings,” Spring 2007, photo reproduction

Fletcher, Boyd. Aurora Sentinel & Daily Sun, “Hot DAM: Aurora’s on ‘Cutting Edge’ of art”, September 8, 2006, photo reproduction

Cotton, Karen. Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, “Governor’s exhibition attracts diverse bunch,” June 23, 2006, includes photo reproduction

Susan Mowery Kieffer, ed.  500 Baskets: A Celebration of the Basketmaker’s Art, Lark Books 2006, photo reproduction

Wyoming Cultural Guide 2005, photo reproduction

Wallace, Kevin. Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot, “Don’t Fence Me In – Containing the West,” Fall 2004, photo reproduction

Milner, Kelly. Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, “Creativity Rife in artist’s life,” August 29, 2004, includes photo reproductions

Farmer, Jim. Lamar Daily News, “Molding Fiber and Clay: Jennifer Rife,” December 29, 2000, includes photo reproductions

Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot, “All Things Considered National Juried Exhibition: Reflecting the Rich Palette of American Basketmaking,” Fall 1999, photo reproduction

Kennon, John. Lamar Daily News, “Arts Fete Highlights Artists and Their Art,” October 18, 1999, includes photo reproductions

Related Experience:

2007-2023 (retired): Design & Exhibitions Supervisor, Laramie County Library System, Cheyenne, WY (graphic designer, exhibit coordinator and curator, project management)

2019:       Individual Artist Professional Development Grant Award, Wyoming Arts Council

2013:       Juror – Art & Music High School Art Exhibition, Cheyenne, WY

2011:       Juror – Art & Music High School Art Exhibition, Cheyenne, WY

2009:       Coiling with Papercore, arts demonstration, Hobbs Elementary School Arts Night, Cheyenne, WY

2009:       Juror – Art & Music High School Art Exhibition, Cheyenne, WY

2008:       Juror – Art & Music High School Art Exhibition, Cheyenne, WY

2007:       Juror – Art & Music High School Art Exhibition, Cheyenne, WY

2007:       Wyoming Arts Council Roster Artist

2006:       Ready, set, CREATE!, family creativity program, Laramie County Library, Cheyenne, WY

2006:       Juror – Congressional Award, Wyoming High School Art Symposium, Casper, WY

2006:       Coiling with Papercore, arts demonstration, Carey Jr.High School, Cheyenne, WY

2005:       You Gotta Have Art!, art history presentation,  Laramie County Library, Cheyenne, WY

2005:       Individual Artist Professional Development Grant Award, Wyoming Arts Council

2004:       AHA! Arts Program, art instructor, Laramie County Library, Cheyenne, WY

2002:       Certificate in the Principles of Arts and Humanities, YMCA of the USA, Cheyenne, WY

1994-2001:  Independent Art Instructor, Quantico, VA and Wiley, CO

1997-2000:  Gifted and Talented Art Instructor, Wiley Consolidated Schools, Wiley, CO

Education

1986:        BFA with Highest Distinction, History of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Amsden Award, Outstanding Achievement in the History of Art (1985 and 1986)

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (1985-86)

Art & Design Scholarship (1984-86)

1982-84:  University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO

Presidential Honors Scholarship (1982-84)

Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement (1983)

Radio Rally Freshman Art Scholarship (1983)