EDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts degree received from University of Michigan in 1992 (Cum Laude)

Associate of Arts degree received from Grand Rapids Community College in 1989

 

SOLO/TWO/THREE PERSON EXHIBITIONS

Colleen O'Rourke 2018 - Nature in Collage - First United Gallery - Grand Rapids, Michigan 

Colleen O’Rourke 2018 - Inspired By Nature; Kalamazoo Nature Center; Kalamazoo, Michigan

Colleen O’Rourke and E. Lynne O’Rourke 2017; Keeler Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan  

O’Rourke Showcase 2014; East Grand Rapids Library, Grand Rapids, Michigan

O’Rourke Art Show No. 2 2014 - Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan

O’Rourke 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012; Edward Jones Cherry Street; Grand Rapids, MI

E. Lynne and Colleen O’Rourke 2009; Clark Home Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Colleen O’Rourke - Conversations 2008;  Keeler Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Colleen O’Rourke - Narratives and Notions 2007; Capsule: Living Studio; Grand Rapids, Michigan

O’Rourke Art Show No. 1 2004; TerryBerry Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Colleen O’Rourke - Motherhood: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly 2004; Packer Gallery, Chicago, IL

O’Rourke - Rivertown Artists Guild Spotlight 2000; East Congregational Gallery; Grand Rapids, MI

Colleen O’Rourke - The Last Show of the Century 1999; Lyons Wier Packer Gallery; Chicago, Illinois

O’Rourke Generations: Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow 1999; Plymouth Center for the Arts; Ply., MI

O’Rourke Women: From the Perspective of a Mother & Daughter 1999; Keeler Gallery; G.R., MI

Colleen O'Rourke 1998: South Congregational Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Colleen O'Rourke 1996; First Methodist Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Colleen O’Rourke - Civic Theatre Spotlight 1996; Civic Theatre; Grand Rapids, Michigan

O’Rourke’s - A Mosaic of Texture and Design 1995; D2 D2 D2 Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

O’Rourke Siblings - Press Club Arts Exhibit 1992; Press Club Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

 

JURIED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025 West Michigan Regional Art Competition; Lowell, Michigan

2025 U-Create Exhibition; Lowell, Michigan

2025 Michiana Annual Art Competition; St. Joseph, Michigan

2024 46th Annual Whitewater Valley Art Competition; Richmond, Indiana

2024 WomanMade 6th Midwest Open; Chicago, Illinois

2024 43rd Annual Michigan Fine Arts Competition; Birmingham, Michigan

2024 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition Award Show at LowellArts; Lowell, Michigan

2024 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2024 Celebration of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan

2024 West Michigan Area Show; Kalamazoo, Michigan

2024 West Michigan Regional Art Competition; Lowell, Michigan

2024 OH+5: Contemporary Art Of Our Region; Athens, Ohio

2024 WomanMade 25th International Open; Chicago, Illinois

2024 29th Arts North International; Hopkins, Minnesota

2023 94th Michigan Contemporary Art Exhibition; Muskegon, Michigan

2023 West Michigan Area Show; Kalamazoo, Michigan

2023 45th Annual Whitewater Valley Art Competition; Richmond, Indiana

2023 Experimentation, Exploration, and Exuberance: Give it a Try!; South Haven, Michigan

2023 WomanMade 6th Midwest Open; Chicago, Illinois

2023 42nd Annual Michigan Fine Arts Competition; Birmingham, Michigan

2023 West Michigan Regional Art Competition; Lowell, Michigan

2023 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition Award Show at LowellArts, Lowell, Michigan

2023 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2023 Celebration of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2022 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition Award Show at LowellArts; Lowell, Michigan

2021 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2019 West Michigan Regional Art Competition; Lowell, Michigan

2019 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2019 West Michigan Area Show; Kalamazoo, Michigan

2018 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2018 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2018 Experience Art Rapids; Elk Rapids, Michigan

2018 Chasing the Running Stitch; Charlevoix, Michigan

2018 PostPrize, Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2018 Celebration of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2017 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2017 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2017 PostPrize, Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2017 Pieced Together, Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2017 ArtXchange Artist’s Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2017 Muskegon Museum of Art 89th Annual Regional Art Exhibition; Muskegon, Michigan

2017 Celebration of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2016 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2016 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2016 PostPrize, Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2016 Celebration of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2016 36th Annual Michigan Fine Arts Competition; Birmingham, Michigan

2016 West Michigan Area Show; Kalamazoo, Michigan

2016 Collector’s Show/SPRING; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2016 Collector’s Show/FALL; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2016 Second Glance; Lowell, Michigan

2016 MI Arts; Holland, Michigan

2016 Frames Unlimited Honors ArtPrize Artists; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2015 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2015 Frames Unlimited Honors ArtPrize Artists; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2015 West Michigan Regional Art Competition; Lowell, Michigan

2015 Things That Go Bump In the Night; Lowell, Michigan

2015 Real People; Woodstock Illinois

2015 MI Arts; Holland, Michigan

2015 87th Regional Art Exhibition Muskegon Museum of Art; Muskegon, Michigan

2015 PostPrize, Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2015 Collector’s Show/SPRING; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2015 Collector’s Show/FALL; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2014 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2014 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2014 PostPrize, Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2013 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2013 Frames Unlimited Honors ArtPrize Artists; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2013 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2013 West Michigan Regional Art Competition; Lowell, Michigan

2013 PostPrize, Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2012 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2012 Frames Unlimited Honors ArtPrize Artists; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2012 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2011 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2011 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2011 Frames Unlimited Honors ArtPrize Artists; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2010 The Kali Factor; Destination 1111; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2010 Poetry; Keeler Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2010 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2010 82nd Regional Art Exhibition Muskegon Museum of Art; Muskegon, Michigan

2009 ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2009 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2008 Bead International; Dairy Barn Arts Center; Athens, Ohio

2007 Between Friends; TerryBerry Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2007 Remembering Elouise; Pilgrim Manor; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2007 Irish Artists; Covenant Art Space; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2007 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2006 Fiber Below; Packer Schopf Gallery; Chicago, Illinois

2004 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2004 Bead International; Dairy Barn Arts Center; Athens, Ohio

2004 Myth-representation; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2003 A Twist On Thread; Suburban Fine Arts Center; Highland Park ,Illinois

2003 Celebration of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2002 Bead International; Dairy Barn Arts Center; Athens, Ohio

2002 The Audacious Bead; The Bead Museum; Washington D.C.

2001 SOFA Chicago; Aron Packer Gallery; Chicago, Illinois

2001 Celebration of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2001 Tell Me A Story - Chapter One; (Cahoon Museum of American Art); Cotuit, MA

2000 Fiber Arts; Decatur, Illinois

2000 Nature's Images II: Lowell Arts Council Exhibi; Lowell, Michigan

2000 Nature's Images: Meijer Botanic Gardens Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

2000 SOFA New York; Lyons Weir Packer Gallery; New York, New York

2000 Object Beadwork; Highland Park, Illinois

2000 Bead International; Dairy Barn Arts Center; Athens, Ohio

2000 Visual Arts Resources World Tour (Various Venues worldwide)

1999 Celebration of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1998 Bead International; Dairy Barn Arts Center; Athens, Ohio

1999 Fiberart International; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1997 Fiberart International; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1995 Fiberart International; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1999 New School of Fine Arts Juried Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1999 Spectrum Gallery Exhibit; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1999 Fiber Focus; St. Louis, Missouri

1999 Strength of Community - Women Make A Difference; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1999 Visual Arts Resources World Tour (Various Venues worldwide)

1996 Three Rivers Arts Festival 1996; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1998 Rivertown Artists' Guild Active Members Show; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1998 Visual Arts Resources World Tour (Various Venues worldwide) 

1997 Rivertown Artists' Guild Active Members Show; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1997 Visual Arts Resources World Tour (Various Venues worldwide)

1998 Evanston and Vicinity 1998; Evanston, Illinois

1998 The Beaded Object Tour; St. Petersburg, Florida 1998

1998 Women's Works 1998; Woodstock, Illinois

1998 Bead Dreams, Future Visions 1998; St. Paul, Minnesota

1997 The Beaded Object Tour; Abingdon, Virginia 1997;

1997 St. Charles Art and Music Festival 1997; St. Charles, Illinois

1996 The Beaded Object; Asheville; North Carolina

1996 Visual Arts Resources World Tour (Various Venues worldwide)

1996 Ubiquitous Bead II 1996; Bellevue, Washington

1996 Seed Dreams, Beaded Visions 1996; Minneapolis, Minnesota

1996 Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Does Your Image Grow? 1996; Chicago, Illinois

1995 Celebration of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1995 Visual Arts Resources World Tour (Various Venues worldwide)

1995 The Rebellious Bead 1995; Bethesda, Maryland

1993 Keeler Gallery Spring Show 1993; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1993 Women in the Arts 1993; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1993 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1992 Festival of the Arts Regional Arts Exhibition; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1992 Celebration of the Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan

1992 University of Michigan Showcase; Ann Arbor, Michigan

1991 University of Michigan Showcase; Ann Arbor, Michigan

1990 University of Michigan Showcase; Ann Arbor, Michigan

1990 Berkshire Hilton Aqueous Media Show; Ann Arbor, Michigan

1989 Grand Rapids Community College Student Show; Grand Rapids, Michigan

1988 Grand Rapids Community College Student Show; Grand Rapids, Michigan

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JURIED ART MARKETS

Lowell Artists Market 2024, 2023,2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Frames Unlimited Tiny Show 2024-2025, 2023-2024; Grand Rapids, Michigan and Birmingham , Michigan

WomanMade Gallery Small Works Show 2024, 2023: Chicago, Illinois

BBAC Holiday Shop 2024, 2023, Birmingham, Michigan

Recycled Art Market 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Kalamazoo Nature Center Holiday Artists Market 2019, 2018, 2017; Kalamazoo, Michigan

Indie Flea 2018; Grand Rapids, Michigan

UICA Holiday Artists Market 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Very Merry Market 2018, 2017; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Last Chance Artist Market 2017; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Beacon Hill Artists Market 2017; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Fallasburgh Art Festival 2016; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Winter Wonderland 2016; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Vinecroft Artists Market 2016; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Traverse City Higher Art 2016; Traverse City, Michigan

Rumsey St. Bazaar 2016; Grand Rapids, Michigan

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PUBLICATIONS

Suzanne Golden Presents: Interviews with 36 Artists Who Innovate With Beads; published 2013

The Best of Contemporary Beadwork: Bead International 2008; published 2008

The Best of Contemporary Beadwork: Bead International 2004; published 2004

500 Beaded Objects; published fall 2004

Fiberarts Design Book Seven; published 2004

The Best of Contemporary Beadwork: Bead International 2002; published 2002

Her Mark 2001; published 2001

The Best of Contemporary Beadwork: Bead International 2000; published 2000

Fiberart Design Book Six; published 1999

Bead Art; published 1998

 

HONORS

2025 2nd Place in Fibers, Michiana Annual Art Competition

2024 Grand River Art Warner Norcross and Judd Award, Festival of the Arts

2023 Third Place, 45th Annual Whitewater Valley Art Competition

2023 Fourth Place, West Michigan Area Show

2023 Blick Gift Card Award, 42nd Annual Michigan Fine Arts Competition

2023 John S. Hyatt Memorial Award, Festival of the Arts

2023 Warner Award for Miniature, Festival of the Arts

2022 Commission for Festival of the Arts Poster Art 

2018 Experience Art Rapids! People's Choice Honorable Mention

2018 Experience Art Rapids! Jurors' Finalist

2018 Festival of the Arts County of Kent Purchase Award, Festival of the Arts

2017 Grand Rapids Art Museum Festival of the Arts Select Award Winner Exhibit

2017 Michael B. Handlin/Party Down Music Award, Festival of the Arts

2017 Christina Marie Bivins Memorial Award

2016 The S.H.E. Foundation Award for Excellence in Depiction of the Feminine; Festival of the Arts

2016 Honorable Mention, MI Arts

2014 Ray and Nancy Loeschner Art Competition Purchase Award

2013 Juror’s Recognition Award, West Michigan Regional Art Competition

1998 Honorable Mention, Women's Works

1998 Honorable Mention, Rivertown Artist Guild Active Members Show

1997 Best of Show, Rivertown Artists Guild Active Members Show

1996 Curator's Choice Award, Seed Dreams, Beaded Visions

1995 People's Choice Award, Celebration

1995 Best of Show 4th Place, Celebration

1992 Barbara and Dorothy Heers Memorial Award

1992 University of Michigan Merit Award in Fibers

1992 University of Michigan Merit Award in Metals

1991 University of Michigan Merit Award in Fibers

1990 University of Michigan Merit Award in Fibers

1989 Grand Rapids Community College Purchase Award

 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Kent County Building; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Frederik Meijer Botanic Gardens; Grand Rapids, Michigan

University of Chicago Medical Center; Chicago, Illinois

Grand Rapids Community College; Grand Rapids, Michigan

 

GUEST SPEAKER

Women’s City Club ArtPrize Speaker Series; September 2013

ArtPrize Volunteer Kick Off Party; August 2013

ArtPrize Preview at Edward Jones; August 2012

Clark Home Gallery; July 2009

Covenant Art Space; August 2007

 

Sewn collages available at:​

Tinker Studio

13795 Seven Hills Road, Suite D

Traverse City, MI 49686

(231) 223-4019

facebook.com/tinkerstudiotc

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