Orson Wells once made a comment that has stayed with me, “Each individual goes through a lifelong objective to know thyself. The work of the artist is testament to that effort.” All must be considered in the jumble of living experiences. And so, my life as an artists has been about exploring relationships. As a child I spent a great deal of time observing nature and was encouraged to draw it. Early grade school praise fortified me to write my life ambition; “to be an artist and train chimpanzees!”
It seemed an incongruent combination until my adult observations of civilization proved that the modern paradigm of value relativism is just a kaleidoscopic vision of order and chaos. It is this blend of visual stimulation that has become the substance of my creativity. Inside this collage of mixed artistic impulses, I pursued writing novels, composing music, and performed in various musical ensembles. But primarily, I studied my painting influences; from Holbein, to Neil Fujita, to James Havard, and Marcel Duchamp to Andrew Wyeth. It seemed all styles influenced my artistic temperament.
High school and College instructors, Mark Gwynn and Herman Graff brought new inspiration to my accomplishments as an oil painter, and with a Master’s Degree from CSULB, I ventured into the world of Freelance Illustration. Later, I studied with George Herms at CSU Fullerton, and at Claremont Graduate University, with Roland Reiss, where I received the MFA degree. I began part-time teaching at CSULB and various community colleges until hired fulltime at Orange Coast College where I served as Department Chair for 13 years and ended my 39 years of teaching as a college professor.
I now spend my time writing and composing, but mostly reshaping the dust of ages using paint to reexamine whatever visual images history has left behind.
Resume
EDUCATION:
Deerfield, IL and Tustin High, CA Schools
Graduated 1970 – College Prep
Saddleback College, CA
Graduated 1972 – A.A. Degree. 1970-72 Honor List, Major Art
C.S.U. Long Beach, CA
Graduated 1976 – B.A. Degree, “cum laude,” Major Art
C.S.U. Long Beach, CA
Graduated 1980 – M.A. Degree, Major Art Painting
Claremont Graduate University, CA
Graduated 1989 – M.F.A. Degree Major Art Drawing
TEACHING EXPERIENCE: ADJUNCT
C.S.U. Long Beach
1980 TA
Intermediate Painting
1985-87
Beginning Drawing
Intermediate Drawing
Beginning Life Drawing
Beginning Painting
Watercolor Painting
Portrait and Head Study
Saddleback College
1985-2014
Beginning Drawing
Painting (50, 51, 52)
Life Painting (53, 54)
Life Drawing
Scripts College, (CGU)
1988 TA
Beginning Watercolor
Chadwick School, “Arts Unlimited”
1988-89
Drawing and Painting
San Juan Capistrano Community Service
1989
Drawing
Saddleback Community Education
1990-91
Portrait Drawing
Fullerton College
1990-99
Drawing for Non-Art Majors
Art Appreciation
Mount San Antonio
1995-96
Drawing
So California College of Business Law
1994
Introduction to Art
Orange Coast College
1990-99
Painting (130,131,132)
Watercolor Painting
TEACHING EXPERIENCE: TENURED PROFESSOR
Orange Coast College
1999-2024
Painting (130,131,132)
2D, Color and Design
Beginning Drawing
Introduction to Art
Life Painting
ART DEPARTMENT CHAIR/SCHEDULER:
Orange Coast College
2010-2024
Wrote course outlines for Drawing 2 and Introduction to Art. Performed faculty evaluations and SLO/PLO assessments.
CURATORIAL:
Ted Baker, Current Paintings:
‘Ebbs-Flows’
2022
Orange Coast College Gallery
FREELANCE ILLUSTRATION:
Clients have included: The L.A. Times, Herald Examiner, Image Control Photo Lab, The Depot, Tex-Hio Energy, V.J. Graphics, Scooter’s Hallmark, Lou Bruno and Associates, The Nichols Institute, and Laursen Color Lab.
AWARDS:
1989 Sally Wyn Brown Memorial Art Award- “Best of Show” –Biomedical Ethics Art Exhibition, Moorhead, MN
1980 “Illustration West 22” Society of Illustrators of LA, Certificate of Merit, Los Angeles CA
1970 Bank of America Distinguished Achievement Award in the Field of Art.
EXHIBITIONS:
2024 “Order and Chaos” Retrospective of Roger A Whitridge’s Art, Doyle Arts Pavilion, Costa Mesa CA
2024 “Enter Chaos” OCC Dance Improvisation Performance inspired by the exhibit, Roger Whitridge: Order and Chaos” directed by Shana Menaker
1983 “Portfolio: a One Man Show” Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine CA
EXHIBITOR:
1991-2024 “Faculty Art Exhibitions,” Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa CA
2018 “Myers, Means, Topping and Whitridge” Doyle Arts Pavilion, Costa Mesa CA
2011 “What will Remain” Art in the Time of Human Dominion, Doyle Arts Pavilion, Costa Mesa CA
1985–2014 “Faculty Art Exhibitions,” Saddleback College, Mission Viejo CA
2011 “Not What it Appears” Group Exhibition on Symbolism, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo CA
2010 “Tribute to Roland Reiss” Group Exhibition, DA Gallery, Pomona CA
2005 CSU Fullerton presents an exhibition of Artists/Faculty of the Orange Coast College, Fullerton CA
2001 “Different Strokes” a Painter’s Group Exhibition, OCC Fine Arts Gallery, Costa Mesa CA
1995-1998 “Faculty Art Exhibitions” Fullerton College, Fullerton CA
1998 “Biomedical Ethics Art Exhibition,” Cyrus M Running Gallery, Moorhead MN
1988 “Looking Out,” Claremont College, Claremont CA
1988 “Ulterior Disclosure” East and West Galleries, Claremont CA
1988 “Fringe of the Fringe” DA Gallery, Pomona CA
1987 “So Cal Prints and Drawings” Saddleback College, Mission Viejo CA
1986 “Evidence of Light II” Rancho Santiago College, Santa Ana CA
1986 “Expressions of the Human Figure” Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton CA
1986 “Wall Works” Art Core, Los Angeles CA
1985 “Art on the Edge” Saddleback College, Mission Viejo CA
1985 “Long Beach 85” CSULB University Museum, Long Beach, CA
1984 “The international Art Competition” Traveling Exhibition, Newport Harbor Art Museum, Newport Beach CA
1983 “Documentation 83” Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana CA
1981 “Portraits: Many Faces Many Media” Cypress College, Cypress CA
1980 “Illustration West 22” Natural History Museum, Los Angeles CA