Brian James Spies
brianspiesartist@yahoo.com
http://brianspiesartist.com
@brianspiesartist
Born: 1979, Williamsport, PA
Education
2012 Master of Fine Arts The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2010 Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Maryland Institute College of Art
2002 Bachelor of Arts (Studio Art) Photo Concentration Lycoming College
Additional Coursework
2009 Abstraction Workshop with Moe Brooker Peter’s Valley Craft Center
2008 Independent Study with Xiaoze Xie Bucknell University
Selected Exhibition Record
2025 20th Annual National Juried Exhibition, fotofoto gallery (Huntington, NY) Juror: Andreas Rentsch
Queer Joy, The Rourke Art Gallery + Museum (Moorhead, MN) Juror: Tobias Zikmund
Sacred in the Mundane, Fabriq (Philadelphia, PA) Curator: Jess Danyi
Weak of Wonders, Buzzsaw (Williamsport, PA)•
2024 3 Photographers, Art Academy of Milton (Milton, PA) Curator: Steve Gibson
2023 Rewritten, Gmeiner Art and Cultural Center (Wellsboro, PA) Curator: Carrie Heath
Cross of Confusion, Wanderlife Gallery (Philadelphia)* Curator: Beth Dombkowski
Women: Brian Spies & Joanne Landis, a collaborative exhibition, The Other Space @ The Pajama Factory, (Williamsport)
2022 This Woman’s Work, The Pennsylvania Academy Alumni Gallery (Philadelphia) Curator: Brian Spies
Summer Juried Show, Abington Arts Center (Jenkintown, PA) Juror: Meg Wolensky
Free To Be, The Culture Lab Long Island City at The Plaxall Gallery Curators: Lissa Rivera and Orestes Gonzalez
Queer Ecologies, William Way LGBT Community Center Jurors: Alec Rogers and Irving Chan Gomez
2022 Pennsylvania Art of the State Annual Exhibition, The State Museum of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg)
InVision Juried Exhibition, Banana Factory (Bethlehem) Juror: Isla P. Gordon
2021 NSFW, Wanderlife Gallery (Philadelphia) Curator: Beth Dombkowski
2021 Pennsylvania Art of the State Annual Exhibition, The State Museum of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg)
Chiaroscuro, The Station Gallery (Lock Haven, PA) Juror: Karen Elias
A Little Bit Country, Kansas City Artists Coalition (Kansas City, MO)•
InterseXions: Her Art Their Art, Inter-Urban Arthouse (Overland Park, KS)
2020 The Spooky Show 2020, Lightbox Photographic Gallery (Astoria, OR) Juror: Chelsea Vincent Granger
States of Desire: Tom of Finland in the Queer Imagination, Philly Fringe (Philadelphia) Juror: Heather Raquel Phillips
Quarantine Show, Wanderlife Gallery (Philadelphia)
The Photographic Nude 2020, Lightbox Photographic Gallery (Astoria, OR) Juror: Douglas Beasley
2019 Natural Forms, Wanderlife Gallery (Philadelphia) Curator: Beth Dombkowski
Hinterlands, Arts Council Gallery (Danville, PA)•
Extending Tradition 2, LightBox Photographic Gallery (Astoria, OR) Juror: Stu Levy
PLACE, WanderLife Gallery (Philadelphia) Juror: Beth Dombkowski
Pajama Factory Show, The Station Gallery (Lock Haven, PA) Curator: Steve Bower
Beautiful Pictures, Factory Works Gallery The Pajama Factory (Williamsport)•
2018 Annual Juried Show, Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center (Wellsboro, PA) Juror: Anna Wales Rogers
Adams County Annual Juried Show, Schmucker Art Gallery (Gettysburg College) Juror: Richard Rinehart
Pajama Factory Artist In Residence, The Pajama Factory (Williamsport)
Graphite Gang III, Factory Works Gallery (Williamsport) Curator: David Becker
#ICONS, Harvest Gallery (Williamsport)• Curator: Suzy Herlehy
2017 Ritual Reading Room 2017, Heavy Bubble HQ (Philadelphia) Curators: Margaret Anderson, Stella Gassaway
Strong, Tender & True, Brob Din Gnag at The Love Barn (Phoenixville) Curator: Ana Vizcarra Rankin
L.A. Residency, Converge Gallery (Williamsport) Curator: Johnny Romeo
Zeitgeist , Converge Gallery (Williamsport) Jurors: Penny Lutz, Richard Rinehart, Dan Olivetti, Bryce Brown
Ill Communication, Factory Works Gallery The Pajama Factory (Williamsport)• Photography as Social Conscience: Impassioned Portrayals of Race in the United States, Lore Degenstein Gallery at Susquehanna University (Selinsgrove) Curator: Ceaphas Stubbs
Soundings, The Power Plant Gallery, Duke University (Durham) Curator: Caitlin Margaret Kelly
Strong, Tender & True, Brob Din Gnag at The Love Barn (Phoenixville) Curator: Ana Vizcarra Rankin
L.A. Residency, Converge Gallery (Williamsport) Curator: Johnny Romeo
Zeitgeist , Converge Gallery (Williamsport) Jurors: Penny Lutz, Richard Rinehart, Dan Olivetti, Bryce Brown
Ill Communication, Factory Works Gallery The Pajama Factory (Williamsport)• Photography as Social Conscience: Impassioned Portrayals of Race in the United States, Lore Degenstein Gallery at Susquehanna University (Selinsgrove) Curator: Ceaphas Stubbs
Soundings, The Power Plant Gallery, Duke University (Durham) Curator: Caitlin Margaret Kelly
2016 The Snowflake Salon 2016, Heavy Bubble HQ (Philadelphia) Curators: Margaret Anderson, Stella Gassaway
Politics Now: the art of sausage making, Union Street Gallery (Chicago Heights) Curator: John Gutierrez
Timelines, Studio 15 The Pajama Factory (Williamsport)
Grass Is Greener, Artspace 1241 (Philadelphia) Curators: Margaret Anderson, Stella Gassaway
Brian James Spies: Solitaire, Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia)
Politics Now: the art of sausage making, Union Street Gallery (Chicago Heights) Curator: John Gutierrez
Timelines, Studio 15 The Pajama Factory (Williamsport)
Grass Is Greener, Artspace 1241 (Philadelphia) Curators: Margaret Anderson, Stella Gassaway
Brian James Spies: Solitaire, Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia)
2015 ‘Murica: A Patriotic Art Show, PhilaMOCA (Philadelphia) Curator: Eric Bresler
The Photographic Process, The Stairwell Gallery (Bloomsburg)
2014 Escape the Night, Pterodactyl (Philadelphia) Curators: Brian James Spies, Marek Danielewski
Eraserhood Forever, PhilaMOCA (Philadelphia) Curators: Jay Bilinsky, Michael Carroll
America: Together / Apart | The New Pennsylvania System Factory Works Gallery Pajama Factory (Williamsport, PA)•
Adults, The Haven (Washington DC) Curator: Mensa Ahdae Kondo
Night Walk with Me, Salon 1522 (Philadelphia) Curator: Marek Danielewski
2013 Ritual, 110 Church Gallery (Philadelphia) Curators: Margaret Anderson, Stella Gassaway
All Along The Watchtower, Pterodactyl (Philadelphia) Curators: Jon F. Allen, Mary Coyle, David E Williams Brian James Spies
ArtPrize 2013, DeVos Place Convention Center (Grand Rapids, MI)
GLEANERS // INFORMERS, Napoleon (Philadelphia) Curator: Liza Coviello
Philli Found NYC, Yes Gallery (Brooklyn) Curator: Lesley Doukhowetzky
Philli Found NYC, Yes Gallery (Brooklyn) Curator: Lesley Doukhowetzky
2012 It’s Your Funeral, Pterodactyl (Philadelphia) Curators: K. Malcolm Richards, Jon F. Allen
Thesis Exhibit (Annual Student Exhibition) The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Philadelphia)
Can’t Find My Way Home, The Hex Factory (Philadelphia)• Curators: K. Malcolm Richards, Jon F. Allen
2011 Contamination Policy, Pterodactyl (Philadelphia) Curators: K. Malcolm Richards, Jon F. Allen
Out In Out, MBN Studios (Philadelphia) Curators: Michael Moore, Paul Hamanaka
2010 Commencement Show, Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore)
2010 Commencement Show, Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore)
Momentum, Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore)
2009 Camper Contemporary, Art Basel Miami 2009 Curator: Calder Brannock
2005 The First Annual Art Parade, Deitch Projects (New York)
2005 The First Annual Art Parade, Deitch Projects (New York)
TRASH’ed: The Art of R/ecycling, Coachella Arts & Music Festival (Indio, CA)
* Solo Show
Curatorial Work
2022 This Woman’s Work, The Pennsylvania Academy Alumni Gallery (Philadelphia)
2020 Factory In Bloom, The Exchange (Bloomsburg)
2019 GIANTsized, Factory Works Gallery (Williamsport)
2017 Artshow ’17, Factory Works Gallery (Williamsport)
2016 Here We Are Now, Jed Williams Gallery (Philadelphia)
2014 Escape the Night, Pterodactyl (Philadelphia)
2013 All Along the Watchtower, Pterodactyl (Philadelphia)
2013 All Along the Watchtower, Pterodactyl (Philadelphia)
Bibliography
2023 Cross of Confusion, published by Wanderlife Gallery
Lectures
2022 Art @ Lunch, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2021 Artist Talk, Kansas City Artist’ Coalition
2020 The Art of Play, TEDx Williamsport, Pajama Factory
2016 Members Preview Talk, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site
2014 Artist Talk, Factory Works Gallery Studio 10, Pajama Factory
2012 Art @ Lunch, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
PafA: After Dark, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Honors
2022 Third Place, InVision Juried Exhibition
2021 Third Place, Chiaroscuro The Station Gallery
2018 Fleisher Wind Challenge, Philadelphia (Shortlist)
2017 Honorable Mention, Zeitgeist Converge Gallery
2017 Honorable Mention, Zeitgeist Converge Gallery
2016 Review Panel: Philadelphia The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2012 MFA Faculty Award, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2010 Student Leader Award, The Maryland Institute College of Art^
2002 Graduated Cum Laude, Lycoming College
2010 Student Leader Award, The Maryland Institute College of Art^
2002 Graduated Cum Laude, Lycoming College
^ Nominated
Public Collections
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Printmaking Department Student Collection
The Franklin Furnace Artist Book Collection
Selected Press
Suzi Nash, “Brian Spies: He’s a little bit country”, Philadelphia Gay News, September 16th, 2020.
https://epgn.com/2020/09/16/brian-spies-hes-a-little-bit-country/
Muriel Resnik, “Meet the artist: Brian Spies”, Singulart Magazine, December 13th, 2017. https://blog.singulart.com/en/2017/12/13/meet-the-artist-brian-spies/
Chip Schwartz, “All things evil at Pterodactyl.” theartblog.org, October 21st, 2013. http://www.theartblog.org/2013/10/all-things-evil-at-pterodactyl/
Chip Schwartz, “Napoleon gleans informative, environmental observations from three artists.” Knight Arts, August 27th, 2013.
Chip Schwartz, “Napoleon gleans informative, environmental observations from three artists.” Knight Arts, August 27th, 2013.
http://www.knightarts.org/community/philadelphia/napoleon-gleaners-informers
Edith Newhall, “Broken Beauty.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 11th, 2013.
Ben Meyer, “Can’t Find My Way Home: Brian Spies on fracking at the Hex Factory” theartblog.org, April 30th, 2012.
http://www.theartblog.org/2012/04/cant-find-my-way-home-brian-spies-on-fracking- at-the-hex-factory/