Photo by Joe Putrock

Chronological Biography of David Brickman

1958 Born June 13 at Albany, N.Y., the fourth child and only son of Norman and Dorice Brickman

1961 Figures out how to read

1964 Enters Saint Gregory's School for Boys, the first Jewish pupil in a progressive Catholic school

1970 As Saint Gregory's representative, wins regional spelling bee; participates in National Spelling Bee

1971 Enters Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn.

1972 Camping trip to Europe, Scandinavia, Soviet Union and Turkey
 Buys first 35mm camera and learns black-and-white developing and printing from older sister

1973-4 Classes in photography with Walter Rabetz at Loomis Chaffee; creates book "Windows" in edition of 2 First solo exhibition, based on summer project photographing at Menands Regional Produce Market

1975 Graduates Loomis Chaffee, third in class
 Wins top prize at regional level of Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot awards
 Enters Brown University as studio art major 

1976 Spends summer at Malden Bridge School of Art, studying drawing and painting 

1977 Spends summer hitchhiking around American Southeast, photographing and drawing 

1977-8 Studies art history, drawing, painting, literature and Italian in Perugia, Italy, for 9 months. Independently shoots 90 rolls of black-and-white film throughout Italy. Many of these pictures would become the basis for work featured in group and solo shows for years to come 

1979 Graduates Brown University with BA in studio art; produces 2 thesis shows: one of black-and- white photographs, one a full-room installation incorporating paintings, drawings, collages, objects and an interactive section 
 Wins Times Union art scholarship ($500) with two oil paintings
 Shows in Saratoga Summer Arts Festival juried show, winning second prize for photography
 Trip to Nova Scotia 

1980 Travels around perimeter of United States from New York to Seattle, then stays in various California cities for 3 months, photographing extensively throughout; this work would form the basis of solo exhibition "American Visions," and would win top prize in the Capital Region's annual regional juried photography show
 Returns to live in Albany; constructs home darkroom; works as Teamster stevedore unloading banana boats at Port of Albany
 Begins teaching adult classes in photography at Community Darkroom 

1981 Named first exhibits coordinator at Rensselaer County Council for the Arts; joins RCCA board of directors
 Workshops with Ray K. Metzker and Nathan Lyons at Visual Studies Workshop 

1982 Named interim director of The Plaza Gallery, SUNY Central Administration
 Begins study of Tae Jo Kan karate
 Meets Wendy Moy
 Workshops at VSW with Keith Smith and Linn Underhill
 Hired to teach Photography and History of Photography at Junior College of Albany
 Wins Photographers' Fund fellowship from Catskill Center for Photography in Woodstock, N.Y. 

1983 Hired to teach summer photography courses at The College of Saint Rose
 Creates Hamm-Brickman Gallery with jewelry designer Lorelei Hamm 

1984 Return trip to Nova Scotia; trip to Ontario
 Marries Wendy Moy
 Drawing included in Exhibition by Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region at University Art Gallery, SUNY Albany
 Workshop with Lucien Clergue at Center for Photography at Woodstock 

1986 Closes Hamm-Brickman Gallery, takes space in former factory at 116 North Lake Avenue
 Begins writing art reviews and features for the Times Union daily newspaper
 Trip to West Coast involves extensive shooting
 Workshop with William Parker at Rhode Island Photography Workshops 

1987 Launches postcard line featuring 32 black-and-white images
 Begins shooting for Metroland alternative arts weekly 

1988 Begins covering professional basketball as writer and photographer for Metroland
 Divorced from Wendy Moy 

1989 Leaves The College of Saint Rose; begins writing art reviews and features for Metroland
 Artist-in-residence at Clayton Bouton Junior-Senior High School, Voorheesville, N.Y.
 Adds 25 notecards and 16 new postcards to card line, which sells nationally and internationally 

1990 Awarded black belt in karate
 First return trip to Europe includes Holland, Germany, France, Italy
 Begins photographing in color 

1991 Trip to California, British Columbia 

1992 Second return trip to Europe adds Belgium, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, repeats others
 Solo shows in Prague and Florence; meets Elena Pino
 Returns to live with Pino in Florence 

1993 Hired to teach college-level photography classes at FortmanStudios, Florence; also teaches workshops and mounts solo exhibition at the British Institute in Florence
 Signs contract to be represented in Europe by Julie Sauerwein out of Rome
 Takes first color photographs in Albany neighborhoods 

1994 Color prints purchased for permanent collection of Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris; solo exhibitions at Riva del Garda, Italy, and Lake George Arts Project, Lake George, N.Y. 
 FortmanStudios dissolves department of photography
 Ends relationship with Pino, re-establishes residence in U.S.
 Featured in group exhibition in Rome and Rennes, France, curated by Sauerwein; wins grant to travel to Rome to attend opening, teach final workshop at British Institute
 Hired as temporary copy editor at Times Union 

1995 Hired as assistant arts editor at Daily Gazette, Schenectady
 Begins printing editions of large-scale prints from color images taken in Europe 

1996 Trip to France and Italy 

1997 Trip to several Caribbean islands
 Reduces hours at Gazette in order to concentrate again on art projects
 Awarded second-degree black belt in karate
 Solo show at Lulu's Gallery featuring European work
 Meets Karen Ciancetta
 Wins grant from New York State Council on the Arts to continue photographing in Albany neighborhoods 

1998 Extensive shooting in neighborhoods; two trips to Italy, Switzerland and France
 Workshop with Sam Abell at CPW
 Accepts full-time position as paginating editor at Daily Gazette 

1999 Eleven photographs selected for inclusion in Exhibition by Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region at Albany Institute of History and Art by juror Mike Glier; awarded second prize
 Six photographs purchased for permanent collection of Siena College 

2000 Trip to France and Italy 

2001 Again reduces hours at Gazette to concentrate on art projects
 Solo exhibition at Siena College
 European photographs subject of feature article in national photography magazine Rangefinder
 Publishes first book, "Neighborhood," which becomes subject of cover feature in Metroland; writes feature article for Rangefinder on process of self-publishing the book; eight photos accompany article
 Solo exhibition at Mercy Art Gallery, Richmond Art Center, Loomis Chaffee School features 65 color photographs from Europe, neighborhood and in-between
 Publishes second book, "flora" 

2002 Solo exhibition at Albany County Historical Association
 Workshop with third-graders at Arbor Hill Community Elementary School; Metroland cover feature on workshop appears later, builds interest in similar projects elsewhere
 Leaves Gazette
 Californian patron Howie Richmond makes commitment to support projects
 Wins design award for "flora" (with Jennifer Wilkerson)
 Begins writing weekly art reviews for Metroland
 Residency at Schenectady High School of Fine Arts includes solo exhibition, lecture, workshops
 Trip to France 

2003 Invited to participate in annual "Artists Choose Artists" exhibition at Lake George Arts Project; chooses sound-installation artist Benjamin Chadabe to collaborate
 Hired to teach Photo 2 at Sage College of Albany
 Participates in Photo Americas review sessions in Portland, Oregon
 Two prints requested by director Anthony Bannon for collection of George Eastman House, Rochester, NY
 Twelve photographs included in group show at Martinez Gallery, Troy, NY
 Returns part-time to Gazette copy desk
 Two-person show at Firlefanz Gallery, Albany
 Three prints selected by juror Maura Heffner for inclusion in annual Exhibition by Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region at University Art Museum
 Two-person show at North Pointe Cultural Arts Center, Kinderhook, NY
 Marries Karen Ciancetta
 Trip to Italy
Honorary Chairman for Vacancy exhibition/gala benefit for Historic Albany Foundation

2004 Curates "Urban Visions: Photographs of City Life" at Chapel + Cultural Center at Rensselaer
 Wins first prize in 26th Annual Photography Regional; juror Tanya Marcuse
 Asked to judge several shows and competitions including WMHT Annual Art Auction and First Annual New York State Recovery Fine Arts Festival
 Trip to Adirondacks, Quebec, Maine
 Buys house with Karen, moves out of living space next door to studio
 Begins conducting live interviews with artists at Albany Center Galleries

2005 Teaches History of Photography in BFA program at Sage College of Albany - it goes so badly, vows not to teach anymore
 Solo exhibition "flora + fauna" at C+CC at Rensselaer; publication of "fauna," companion book to "flora" (with support from many donors, including Howie Richmond's last patronage)
Participates, with Allen Grindle, in Sacandaga Valley Arts Network (SVAN) artist lecture series
 Begins regular appearances as fine arts contributor to the Roundtable on WAMC-Northeast Public Radio
 Solo exhibition at ADD Gallery in Hudson (nothing sells)
 One print selected by juror Ivan Karp for inclusion in annual Exhibition by Artists of the Mohawk-Hudson Region at Albany Institute of History & Art (this would lead to an invitation to show work to Karp at his OK Harris gallery in SoHo)
 Exposed Gallery of Fine Art Photography opens, includes Brickman in roster of gallery artists
 Print selected as "Juror's Favorite" by Ian Berry at Vacancy exhibition
 Short trip to Pacific Northwest
 Hired into Gazette features department - effectively resuming part-time job left years ago
 Stops writing for Metroland
 Two-person show with Bruno LaVerdiere at Gallery 100 in Saratoga Springs (nothing sells)
 Contributes "In Memoriam" piece on John Coplans to Houston Center for Photography's publication SPOT