Biography
Brian Fencl is a painter (b.1968, Colorado) and educator based in West Virginia. He earned his MFA in Drawing from the New York Academy of Art and his BFA in Illustration from Art Center College of Design, located in Pasadena, California. Brian is a Professor of Art at West Liberty University where he served as Chair of the Department of Media and Visual Art for over twelve years and is currently the director of the Nutting Gallery on campus. His work can be seen in exhibitions throughout West Virginia, Ohio and Pittsburgh, PA.
His core mission is a devotion to possibilities.
Education
New York Academy of Art, MFA in Drawing | 2000
Art Center College of Design, BFA in Illustration | 1990
Professional Experiences
Director of the Nutting Gallery
https://www.fenclstudio.com
Most Recent Publications and Presentations
Select CV
Solo Exhibitions
2026 – “Strange Vases,” Waterloo Arts, Cleveland, OH
2025 – “The Still Life and Plein Air,” Summit Gallery, Weirton, WV
2025 – “Likelihood of Confusion,” Bloomfield Richwood, Richwood, WV
2022 – “The Modern Punchinello,” Works on Paper Gallery, Sinclair College, Dayton, OH
2021 – “The Situation We Find Ourselves In,” Not Sheep Gallery, Columbus, OH
Group and Juried Exhibitions
2026 – “Best of WV,” David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery, Tamarack, WV
2025 – “Introduction,” Hammond Harkins Galleries, Columbus, OH
2024 – “Out of View,” FKM Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2023 – “WV Governor’s Biennial Art Exhibition,” State Museum, Charleston, WV
2022 – “Best of WV,” David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery, Tamarack, WV
2021 – “WV Governor’s Biennial,” State Museum of West Virginia, Charleston, WV
2021 – “Small Works Show at Kilburn Mill,” New Bedford, MA
2020 – “Social Studies,” Beckley Arts Center, Beckley, WV
2020 – “Kitsch Me Like You Mean It” David L. Dickirson Fine Arts Gallery, Tamarack, WV
Artist Residencies
2026 – Pollinator, Virtual Peer-Coaching, Digital Residency
2026 – Hearst Foundation Fellow, American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, MA
2025 – Arts, Letters and Numbers, spring residency, Averill Park, NY
2022 – NYAA x Voice NFT Artist Residency, https://about.voice.com/nyaa/
2019 – Cuttyhunk Island Artist Residency, Cuttyhunk, MA
Academic Awards
2022–23 West Liberty University Excellence in Teaching (selected by faculty and administrators) | West Liberty University
2018–19 College of Arts and Communication Professor of the Year, awarded by Student Government Association | West Liberty University
2006-2007 “Professor of the Year”, West Liberty State College | awarded by WLU Student Government Association
2018-19 “Professor of the Year” College of Arts and Communication | Awarded by WLU Student Government Association
Professional Awards and Grants
2026 – Juror Awards (2nd Place), Best of West Virginia | Tamarack, WV
2025 – Professional Development Grant | West Virginia Division of Culture and History
2022 – Juror Award, Best of West Virginia | Tamarack, WV
2021 – Award of Excellence, WV Governor’s Biennial Exhibition | Charleston, WV
2017 – Merit Award, Best of West Virginia | Tamarack, WV
2017 – Juror Award “Crosscurrents,” Stifle Fine Arts, Wheeling, WV
Workshops
2026 – “Boosting Creativity through Rapid Visualization,” Jan Kochanowski University, Poland, sponsored by Erasmus+
2026 – “The Still Life in Watercolor,” Waterloo Arts, Cleveland, OH |
2024 “Creative Image Making,” WVAEA, Morgantown, WV |
2024 “Collaging from Comic books’” Professional Development Day, Brooke County Schools, WV
2022 “Creative Mobiography (Photo-on-the-Go),” Ox-Bow School of Art, Saugatuck, MI