BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

1931
Born in Detroit Michigan, son of Mary Lou Stalker and Harvey Rush, a writer.

Joined by sister Alice (b. 1933) and brother Charles (b. 1936). Father contracted tuberculosis and confined to sanatorium almost until his death in 1945. Mother moved family to St. Louis where she supported family as teacher of the deaf.

1945-50
Worked as a summer ranch hand in Colorado

1949-53
Attended the University of Illinois (BFA with honors), studying graphic art and intaglio printmaking with Lee Chesney. First intense exposure to the arts of the modern world through the annual Contemporary Arts Festivals that included artists and performers from numerous international centers. Among these artists were Martha Graham, John Cage, Willem DeKooning, Franz Kline, Richard Diebenkorn.

1953-55
Served in the US Marine Corps as a company officer in Japan and Korea; saw and collected Japanese Uki-yoye woodcut artists such as Hiroshige and Hokusai.

1957
Married artist Jean Cochran

1958
First son Benjamin born in Iowa City

1955-58
Studied intaglio printmaking at the University of Iowa (MFA) with mentor Mauricio Lasansky, spending two years as his graduate teaching assistant

1958-59
Won a Fulbright Fellowship to Italy, studying European print and drawing collections, especially the Uffizi Gallery in Florence

1959-70
Associate Professor of Art, University of Arizona; established and taught printmaking curriculum

1959-85
Represented by Associated American Artists (New York); Electra Carlin Galleries (Fort Worth/Dallas); ADA (San Francisco) Graphics Gallery (Tucson) and others

1960
Second son Samuel born

1962
Third son Joseph born

1962-64
USIS American Printmakers, traveling exhibitions to Asia and Africa

1963
Graphic Arts USA Exchange exhibition with the Soviet Union; 100 Prints of the Year, Society of American Graphic Artists, New York

1963-67
Collectors Edition Purchases, Associated American Artists, New York

1970
Resigned from the faculty of the University of Arizona Art Department

1964
Adopted daughter Margaret

1965-67
Founded and taught a summer printmaking program in Florence Italy

1965-68
Participated in art-based community studies with former Black Mountain College faculty Hazel Archer, Charles Littler and others at Hidden Springs School, Tucson, in which were fused the personal and professional aspects of art life, laying the groundwork for Rancho Linda Vista.

1968-73
Two portfolios of offset litho prints (Lawyers & judges Publishing Co.) on Supreme Court justices (1968) and Oliver Wendell Holmes (1973)

1968-85
Participated in many of the "new age consciousness studies", including residential seminars with John C. Lilly, Richard Price, Charlotte Selver (Esalen Institute), est, Tassajara Zen Center, Padix (Ojai) and others

1969-79
Visiting artist at a number of printmaking centers, and taught various courses as guest printmaker (Colorado College, University of Denver, University of Arkansas, University of California at Santa Barbara, Ohio State University and others). Conducted workshops in experimental art learning sponsored by Arizona Commission on the Arts, Lakeside Studios, Prescott College, and RLV

Moved to Rancho Linda Vista. With Charles Littler developed the formal legal structure of RLV Inc. as a membership community of the arts, adopted in 1974

1971
Print Edition commissioned by the Tucson Museum of Art

1972
Divorced from Jean Rush

1975-85
Explorations in "serial" intaglio prints, such as the Visual Manuscript series, Suite of Women, Serenades, Suite of Musicians

1978
Married writer Ann Woodin

1979-84
Produced graphic art covers, drawings and posters for the Tucson Symphony, Arizona Theater Company, Arizona Opera, The University of Arizona Artist Series (Commissioned by Stanley Fabe and Herb Pubin).

1980-85
First experiments with glazed tile, wall relief sculpture

1984-98
Withdrew from printmaking exhibition circuit but continued to make intaglio prints privately. Graphic activity shifted to book and broadside illustrations including: The Rule of Two, in collaboration with Ann Woodin (50 wash drawings), Oracle Press, (1984); A Voice Crying in the Wilderness by friend and environmentalist Edward Abbey, (50 pen drawings) St. Martin's Press (1990); Ask Marilyn by Marilyn Vos Savant (43 pen drawings) St. Martin's Press (1992).

1985-2000
Published four broadsides of prints and poems in collaboration with rancher/poet Drummond Hadley.

1987-88
Invited to visit Israeli artists and art centers, including the Jerusalem Print Workshop; selected and curated a traveling exhibit of Israeli printmakers, shown at the Tucson Museum of Art and other US venues.

1987
Pedestrians, sand-blasted wall etchings (5 x 50 feet), Williams Center, Tucson, commissioned by Jerome Shull.

1990-2003
Engaged in personal and collaborative public art projects, some with RLVARTS, a community artist group.

1992-2003
Founded and continues to direct The Drawing Studio, Inc., a Tucson Artist Cooperative which includes a printmaking center.

1996
Arizona Arts Award Nominee (Tucson Community Foundation)

2003
Two Arizona Governor's Arts Award Nominations (as Artist & Educator)
Exhibition of The Intaglio Prints of Andrew Rush at The University of Arizona Museum of Art, October 2003 - January 2004

2005
Produced and Illustrated a four-volume work of prose poems by Drum Hadley, called Voice of the Borderlands (Rio Nuevo Press) 2005

2006
Special Lifetime Achievement Award given to the artist by TPAC (Tucson Pima Arts Council)