Richard Colburn
Professor of Art
photography

Richard Colburn (MFA, University of Minnesota) has taught Creative Photography and the History of Photography at UNI since 1981. In 1998, he also served for one year as the Interim Head of the Department of Art.




















The premise of his teaching is the cultivation of an appreciation for the language of photography through practice and analysis. He views his teaching and creative activity as necessary partners with one supporting the success of the other.






















The subject of his photographic work continues to be the social and physical landscape of the Midwest region. His photographs have been exhibited nationally and internationally and are in a number of public and private collections. He has received awards from the Iowa Arts Council, the University Northern Iowa, the Des Moines Art Center and the Davenport Museum of Art, among others. Most recently he was nominated for the Santa Fe Prize in Photography offered by the Santa Fe Center for Photography in New Mexico.http://richardcolburn.com/home.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0
department of art faculty and staff
university of northern iowa 
Pisek Community Store, Pisek ND (2004). Photographs 
by Richard Colburn—  Gaylne Repairing His Fences, Porcupine SD (2003). Natatorium, V.L. Reishus High School, Biwabik MN. Built 1967, closed 2003. School district and city are talking about a future use. Cost of asbestos removal is a problem. Natatorium has not been used for five or more years. Self-portrait (2008) 
Blaise, Grantsburg WI (2007). Blaise Vitale, amateur phenologist who has studied wood ticks and deer ticks for over a decade. 
Last Indian Battle Point, Leech Lake MN (2006). Site of the Last Indian War in the US. In September 1898 an Indian leader named Bug-ah-na-ghe-shig was ordered to testify  concerning illicit liquor sales. A band of his followers defended him. In a series of battles from October 5-7, 1898, six soldiers were killed. The Indians suffered no casualties. 
Puck Days, Eveleth MN (2008). First Annual Puck Days.
All photographs on this page are copyright © by Richard Colburn. Contact <Richard.Colburn@uni.edu>.
Richardson (2007), from the series Look 'Em In The Eye: The Iowa Caucuses. Huckabee (2007), from the series Look 'Em In The Eye: The Iowa Caucuses. B'nai Abraham, Virginia MN (2006). Last remaining synagogue on the Iron Range.
Mobridge, Conqueror’s Stone, Mobridge SD (2006). Locally it is said that defeated Indians chiefs were forced to kneel on the stones and place their hands in the hand-shaped depressions as a sign of submission.

Camp (2007). Camp, near Comfort Lake, Superior National Forest.
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