Michael C. Spafford

Painting

Work on Paper

Exhibition Catalog

About

Exhibitions

  • 1935 - 2022

    Michael C. Spafford was born in Palm Springs and grew up in Southern California. He received his B.A. at Pomona College in Claremont, CA. He received his M.A. from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. He moved with his wife, artist Elizabeth Sandvig, to Mexico City in 1960, where he lived and worked before accepting a positions to teach art and art history at the University of Washington in 1963 where he taught until 1994. Spafford showed with Francine Seders Gallery from 1966 until the gallery closed in 2013.

    He is the recipient of the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Grant, 1966; Rome Prize Fellowship, 1967-1969; King County Arts Commission’s Honors Award, 1979; Art Award from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, 1983; and “The Neddy” Artist Fellowship from The Behnke Foundation in 1996. His work is included in the collection of Seattle Art Museum, WA; Tacoma Art Museum, WA; Mexican-North American Cultural Institute, Mexico; Museum of Modern Art, Dallas, TX; Cheney Cowles Museum, Spokane, WA; Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, Salem, OR; Jundt Art Museum, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA; and Museum of Art, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.

    Artist's Website

  • Smithsonian Archives of American Art
    Smithsonian Archives, Oral History Interview, Michael Spafford and Elizabeth Sandvig
    by Paul Karlstrom
    1992

    HistoryLink.org Articles:
    Spafford, Michael (b. 1935), and Elizabeth Sandvig (b. 1937), by Cassandra Tate (Essay 10684)
    Washington House of Representatives votes to cover up controversial murals in House Chamber on March 7, 1982, by Alan Stein (Essay 10338)

    The Seattle Times
    
Michael Spafford, one of Seattle's most respected artists, dies at age 86
    by Gary Faigin

    Crosscut

    Seattle artists remember longtime UW professor Michael Spafford
    by Marcie Sillman

    
Visual Art Source

    Greg Kucera, Woodside/Braseth and Davidson Galleries, Seattle, Washington
    by Matthew Kangas
    
May 10, 2018


    Art Access
    
The Man & The Myth: The Epic Works of Michael C. Spafford
    by Madeline Reeves 

    May 3, 2018

    
Art Zone: Michael Spafford's 'Epic Works'

    4/6/2018 8:08

    Renowned Northwest painter Michael Spafford gets an epic three-gallery retrospective of his work.
    Nancy Guppy chats with the curators of the unique exhibition: Spike Mafford, Michael's son, and Lisa Dutton, Michael's daughter-in-law.

    
Crosscut

    An epic show for artist Michael Spafford — 25 years in the making
    by Michael Upchurch
    
April 17, 2018

    
KUOW
    
"Epic Works" light up Seattle
    
By Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong & Marcie Sillman
    
April 9, 2018



    The Seattle Times
    
Three Seattle galleries join forces to display works of artist Michael Spafford

    by Gayle Clemans
    
March 28, 2018

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